Is Accrington Stanley's achievement on a par with Leicester City?

 

But, if Stanley beat Stevenage at a sold out stadium on Saturday they will be promoted along side Northampton Town irrespective of how Oxford United or Bristol Rovers do. It's that simple and Accrington have more in common with Leicester City than you might think.

For a start, both clubs were the bookies favourite for relegation from their respective leagues at the start of the season, and whilst Stanley were no bigger than 100/1 shots to win the league getting promotion will be on a par with Leicester's title win.

Like Leicester in the Prem, Accrington have one of the smallest - if not the smallest playing budgets in their division and like Leicester they have not splashed the cash on players. In fact Stanley have not paid a single transfer fee this season.

On top of that both clubs have well respected and likeable managers. John Coleman and his sidekick Jimmy bell engineered Stanley's rise to the Football League 10 years ago and after a sojourn at Rochdale and Sligo the pair returned to repeat earlier successes.

Like Leicester, Stanley also have a newish owner in local buisnessman Andy Holt who is happy to let his team do the talking but has put his money where his mouth is and put the club on a sound financial footing.

Promotion the League 1 for Accrington will be a massive achievemnt in anyone's book and in East Lancashire will be viewed as a bigger one than Leicester's if they pull it off.

JB