| Leicester has a strong tradition of being represented | | | | to their new ground, The Walker Stadium. In 2003 |
| at national level in our three main sports. ie Football, | | | | with the club beset by financial problems, the club |
| Rugby and Cricket, with the rugby team, Leicester | | | | was bought out of administration by a consortium |
| Tigers, being the most consistent in their | | | | headed by the former player and club hero, Gary |
| achievements. | | | | Lineker. Many famous footballers have played for |
| In terms of municipal sport and recreation facilities | | | | Leicester City, two of whom were international |
| the recently opened Braunstone Leisure Centre is | | | | goalkeepers for England, Gordon Banks and Peter |
| undoubtedly the star attraction. Opened in 2004 it is | | | | Shilton. Gordon will, of course, always be |
| the home of both the Braunstone & City of | | | | remembered as one of the World Cup winning team |
| Leicester Swimming Clubs and, despite only having an | | | | of 1966. Gary Lineker, also an England international at |
| eight lane swimming 25m pool in 2005 it hosted the | | | | Centre Forward, is probably the player held highest in |
| British Synchronised Swimming Championship. The | | | | the affections of The Foxes' fans. Gary is now a |
| centre also has a four lane community swimming pool | | | | regular presenter for BBC Sport. |
| and a sports hall capable of having six Badminton | | | | Very much inside the city boundary is Leicestershire |
| courts and an auditorium for up to 400 people. There | | | | County Cricket Club, who are also known as The |
| are also leisure centres at Aylestone and Spence | | | | Foxes. They are currently in Division 2 of the |
| Street. Leicester has two municipal golf courses; | | | | 'Liverpool Victoria' County Championship. They are |
| Humberstone Heights (off Gypsy Lane) and The | | | | also in Division 2 of the 'Natwest Pro40' leagues |
| Western (off Scudamore Road). | | | | where they play one-day limited overs matches. In |
| Leicester Tigers are one of the country's leading | | | | the 'Twenty20' cup matches, which are played late |
| senior Rugby Union clubs. Their Welford Road ground | | | | afternoons and early evenings, the Foxes were the |
| has been the scene of some memorable games over | | | | winners of the trophy in 2006 after a thrilling final |
| the years and regularly hosts matches against the | | | | match against Nottinghamshire. Leicester CC play at |
| 'Barbarians' - a team of ad hoc internationals. Formed | | | | the Grace Road ground which was formerly known |
| in 1880, their name has two legends associated with | | | | as the County Ground. Grace Road now has a |
| it. One is that it arises from the striped shirts that | | | | capacity of 12,000 and is not on the English Cricket |
| they wear and the other that it has an association | | | | Board list of grounds that can host Test |
| with a local regiment that had been serving in India. | | | | (international) cricket matches. |
| Whilst their most recent successes were at the turn | | | | Leicester Riders are the senior basketball club in |
| of the 21st century, ie English and European | | | | Leicester and play in the Premier League of the |
| champions in the season 2001-2002, they are always | | | | British Basketball League. They style themselves as |
| a force to be reckoned with in English and European | | | | the oldest basketball club in Britain being founded in |
| rugby. The Tigers play in the English Guinness | | | | 1967 and founder members of the National (British) |
| Premiership League and have many international | | | | Basketball League. Originating as the Loughborough All |
| players in the team. Leicester as a city also has many | | | | Stars, after some years of using Loughborough and |
| thriving junior Rugby Union clubs playing in local | | | | Leicester as their home base they settled back into |
| leagues. To select any best known names from a | | | | Leicester in 2004 and now play at their sponsor's |
| club like the Tigers is difficult, but from recent times | | | | venue in De Montfort University. |
| 2003 Rugby Union World Cup winner and England | | | | Leicester has several athletics clubs, most notably |
| captain Martin Johnson has to be mentioned. Rory | | | | Leicester Corinthians. For more information please |
| and Tony Underwood as well as, more recently, | | | | refer to the link provided here. Leicester athletics like |
| Austin Healey, were also well loved players. | | | | to associate themselves with the international |
| Leicester City Football Club is currently in the English | | | | distance runner Paula Radcliffe, who runs for Bedford |
| Championship League, one step down from the | | | | & County to the south of Leicester. |
| top-flight Premier League, their nick-name is The | | | | If you fancy seeing if you'd like to try climbing as a |
| Foxes. Founded in 1884 as Leicester Fosse, they | | | | sport or hobby, Leicester has the East Midlands' |
| moved to their original ground, Filbert Street, in 1891 - | | | | largest indoor climbing centres at the Tower Climbing |
| a year after joining the English Football Association. | | | | Centre. Here there are several climbing walls with |
| Their glory years were in the 1960s and early 1970s | | | | varying degrees of difficulty, the largest of which is |
| but since then they have at best only been able to | | | | 15m. You'll be welcome here whether you're an |
| yo-yo up and down from the top-flight of English | | | | experienced climber wanting to 'keep your hand in' or |
| football. Their last appearance in the Premiership | | | | a novice wanting to try it out. |
| League was in 2001, the same year that they moved | | | | |