Stocksbridge is a small town close to  the city of Sheffield.Le Havre is an urban commune in North France.The distance between them is 334 miles.What could possibly link the two?

Stocksbridge Park Steels play in the 8th tier of English league system,7 divisions below the Premiership.In 2010,a young footballer ,playing for Stocksbridge Park Steels for majority of his career,gets transferred to Halifax town who are in 5th tier of the english league system.To many,it doesn’t seem much of a move jumping a few lower tier divisions.He carried on to play for Fleetwood town a fellow non league club  the next season before a break in 2012 came when he gets signed for hefty sum of 1 million to a Leicester City.Leicester had just been in the Championship for a few seasons following promotion.

Le Havre AC  was then,in 2010, a team in the French second division.It had bought a young French born Tunisian in its reserve squad from the French 4th division that year.He plays 4 yrs for reserves and first team of Le Havre before accepting a transfer to Leicester in the year they get promoted to the Premiership,2014.The players in question now both are ranked the top 2 players in Premiership for the majority of 2015/16 season Jamie Vardy and Riyadh Mahrez.

Leicester have a strong pair  up top. But that is not to say they lack support.N Golo Kante like Mahrez came from French 2nd division and has been a gem in the midfield,leading the interceptions stat.The centre backs,Wes Morgan and Robert Huth,a low profile buy  for coach Claudio Ranieri in his Chelsea days,have played non stop all season for 1st team.Marc Albrighton and Danny Drinkwater have been instrumental in providing passes to Jamie and Riyadh in key situations helping them to bag huge goals.Add to that,Peter Schmiechel’s son Kasper’s meteoric rise as one of the best keepers of the league has enhanced Leicester defensively as well.He has been excellent  and reminds one of the great Dane himself. Claudio Ranieri,” The Tinkerman” himself was a crucial piece to link all these footballing talents this season.

Its ironic that Jamie, who is a life long Sheffield Wednesday supporter and started out in their youth team in 2002, finds his rise this season complimenting the Owls goal scoring form in the Championship.Fernando Forestieri and  Gary Hooper probably the best duo  in the league below currently matching Vardy and Mahrez’s  elevation this winter.Jamie Vardy’s impressive goal scoring streak in  most consecutive EPL games pre christmas and  Riyadh Mahrez’s assists and goals support makes them the dynamic duo that’s electrified the Premiership,not to mention make them household names.Jamie Vardy was player of the month in Premiership for October and November whilst Riyadh is the pundit’s  bet for player of the season.

Ball possession is not the Foxes’ bright spots.They struggle controlling it during majority of their games but their fast pace on the break is exemplary matched with passing finesse and clinical finishing.The midfield has been supportive.Vardy’s goal against Liverpool was possibly a candidate for the goal of season while Mahrez’s finishing against City decimated the Sky Blues afternoon at Etihad a few weeks back.Their loss at home in September against Arsenal was supposed to break their bubble, it never did.They went on a run that made them top by Christmas and beyond.

Coach Claudio Ranieri’s return to Premiership has been a fantastic one.He left Chelsea at 2003/04  end following Chelsea losing to an unbeaten Gunners side.This year,Gunners pose another challenge to him having completed a double in league, 5-2 at King Power in September  and just last week in a “clash of titans” challenge winning in  injury time through a Danny Wellbeck winner.Mauricio Pochettino and his high flying young spurs pose an equal competition if not a bigger one.The best defensive team in the league behind Toby Alderweireld  and buoyed by young guns,Harry Kane and Dele Alli.Spurs continue their rich tradition of providing great footballing talent.The perennial favourites,Manchester City having Sergio Aguero,David Silva,Raheem Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne have wilted a bit in their challenges in the chase for 4 trophies but injuries have played their part again in another hectic EPL season.

One of the deciding factors,it seems is the amount of games Gunners, Spurs and Sky Blues have left in the season.Potentially the count  could increase to mid 20’s  pending each team’s  progression in the FA Cup, Champions and Europa League competitions.Leicester don’t have to worry about cups, just 12 league games left to end season . The challenging bit though could surface right in the end with away ties at Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge. Chelsea could once again figure in the final say of where the league goes this year for the 3rd year running.

Leicester’s success is huge for the Midlands city. It also has great repercussions for the league. The EPL is enjoying huge success in television ratings than ever before  and with even a bigger mega deal sorted for 2016/17 , a Premiership presence  will be a big boost to all clubs such as Leicester and the 3 new promotees from Championship.Needless to say, the Premiership  will continue to be banked as the no 1  football league played.1978 was the last year a promoted side,Nottingham forest, won the league against all the odds.The Foxes promoted in 2014, have a shot doing that in their 2nd year and nailing Champions League qualification.The neutrals are loving it from Stocksbridge to Le Havre.So will the FA .

Will they be caught though?  Will there be a Foxcatcher?