Ex-Blackpool FC and Norwich City favourite set for action in event celebrating football fairytale this weekend

Former Blackpool midfielder Wes Hoolahan is among a number of players involved in a game marking the anniversary of Leicester City’s famous Premier League win.

It’s been a decade since the East Midlands finished top of the first division under Claudio Ranieri, with a celebration taking place at the King Power Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Several figures from the 2015/16 Foxes squad will be in action for the 5000/1 Anniversary Match, as they take on a team of All Stars managed by former Stoke City and Crystal Palace boss Tony Pulis.

This includes the likes of Wes Brown, Papiss Cisse and Troy Deeney, as well as a couple of ex-Seasiders figures.

At the time of Leicester’s title win, Hoolahan was a Norwich City player, with the 44-year-old spending a decade in total at Carrow Road.

Prior to that, he had caught the eye across a two year stint at Bloomfield Road, where he tasted success in the League One play-offs in 2007.

After initially joining Blackpool on loan from Livingston, his move to the Fylde Coast was made permanent following the club’s promotion to the Championship.

Throughout his time in Tangerine, the retired Republic of Ireland international scored 16 goals and provided 15 assists in 99 appearances.

In interviews across the last few years, a number of Hoolahan’s former colleagues have praised his contributions.

“He was an enigma, he was a magician, and he was his own man,” Adrian Forbes said last year.

“You knew he would make things happen. It didn’t shock me that the kid who turned up at Blackpool went on to have such an amazing career.”

Meanwhile, in 2024, Marc Joseph stated: “When you’ve got Wes Hoolahan in your team, you’re going to do well. He was a magician, but had good players around him - everyone had their own strengths.”

In an interview more recently, two-time Blackpool promotion winner Keith Southern said: “What a player Wes was. He was probably the best player in the Championship at the time. He was incredible that season, and the year before when we got promoted - no one could get near him.

“He was a little superstar, and Norwich paid to get him out of his contract. He went on to have a great career.”

Another former Seasiders figure who is involved in Leicester’s anniversary game this weekend is Dan Gosling.

The midfielder spent time on loan at Bloomfield Road from Newcastle United during the 2013/14 campaign, and scored two goals in 14 outings.

While the Foxes will be celebrating past success on Saturday afternoon; in the present they are going through a period of woe.

Back-to-back relegations mean they will be in League One next season, with the King Power Stadium among Blackpool’s away days for the 2026/27 campaign.