Words: Bronwen Morgan Jones

Leicester Tigers fans came together following the club’s Premiership Rugby Cup fixture against Worcester Warriors last Saturday afternoon, with members of the #TigersFamily walking as one from Welford Road to the King Power Stadium to pay their respects to Leicester City chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and the four others who tragically lost their lives.

John Hill, a Leicester Tigers supporter for 10 years, decided to organise a walk to show the bond between the cities two sporting families and took to one of the Tigers Facebook Fan Pages to share his idea.

“When it came up on my phone that the crash had happened, I just felt a sense of loss and with them being our sporting neighbours, I just thought that we’d show solidarity with the Foxes,” Hill said.

“I think it’ll bring us closer together, that will be Vichai’s legacy. Through tragedy, it’s brought us together. He’s done so much for not only the Foxes but the whole city. Such charitable donations and brining the city to a higher profile.”

“It means a lot to see so many Tigers fans here to show support. We always talk about the Tigers Family, and this shows that we are one truly. It showed when Seru Rabeni passed away, how we got together to help support his family. We’re showing support to the Foxes and to Vichai’s family.”

Both a fan of Tigers and the Foxes, Russ Abbott joined the walk and said there was a bond built through the sporting community.

“To actually come down and show our support to Foxes and the city as a whole means a lot,” said Abbott.

“I remember in the 80s when the Foxes played at Filbert Street and we weren’t that good, and to see how Leicester City is now, how Vichai’s legacy will live on having won the premiership, it’s incredible.”

“I’ve seen it happen before in League Football where someone has passed on the pitch and the whole of the sporting community comes and shown support, it’s great that Tigers did the minute silence to show respect.”

Before the match at Welford Road, there was a minute’s silence held and many Tigers fans attended in either Leicester City shirts or wore blue as a mark of respect for their neighbours.