Leicester City In 100 Players: Mike Stringfellow

He first came to City’s notice in October 1960 as a 17-year-old playing for Mansfield Town against Leicester in a League Cup match at Filbert Street.

Fifteen months later, in January 1962, Matt Gillies brought him to Leicester for £25,000, which was then a record fee for an 18-year-old. The same month, Gillies also signed inside-left Davie Gibson for the same amount and, in subsequent years, the two players formed a renowned left-sided partnership.

Mike immediately established himself in the first team. The following season (1962/63), Leicester City’s famous ‘Ice Kings’ team won a record 10 successive First Division and FA Cup wins and were realistic challengers for the league and cup double. Mike scored 19 league and FA Cup goals, including his headed goal in the FA cup Semi-Final against Bill Shankly’s Liverpool, which secured a place in the final against Manchester United.

The following season, Mike was selected for the England Under-23s side, but injury prevented him playing.

In 1964, he was in the team which lifted the League Cup, scoring in the semi-final victory over West Ham United and netting again in the final in the victory over Stoke City. 

Mike barely missed a game for nearly seven seasons, consistently reaching double figures in his seasonal goal tallies. However, in November 1968, he began to be troubled by injuries. Two cartilage removals from the same knee and a serious Achilles injury restricted his appearances. 

Injury ruled him out of the 1969 FA Cup Final and for much of the following three seasons, but despite this he went on to play for the Club until 1975, first under Frank O’Farrell and then Jimmy Bloomfield. 

He was no longer the very pacey and high goalscoring left-winger of his prime, but his courage and determination to overcome injury nightmares enabled him to become a valuable and experienced squad member. 

In 1975, the Club gave Mike a testimonial match against Wolverhampton Wanderers, by which time Mike knew that it was time to bring down the curtain on a great career which had made him a true Club legend.