On 26th September, 2015 when Arsenal went to the King Power stadium and beat Leicester City 2-5, few eyebrows were raised. The Foxes, unbeaten up to that point, had been third in the table and defied pre-season predictions of relegation. However, with defeat at the hands of the Gunners, the proverbial bubble had been burst and Leicester would, as was expected of them, unravel and spiral down the lower echelons of the Premier League table.

Think again.

It wasn’t until another 26th, this time in December, that they would experience defeat. A difficult December, with fixtures against Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool and Manchester City was supposed to be their undoing. Chelsea and Everton were swept aside but defeat at Anfield and with the impending visit of City, talk of bubbles bursting resurfaced. This talk once again proved to be premature though as Leicester would lose just once (ironically against Arsenal) before securing a momentous first league title in their 132 year history.

For Leicester, surviving the premiership would have been mission accomplished. But to actually win it, and win it in the manner they have done, in footballs current financial landscape, has to go down as one of the greatest achievements in sport let alone football. Ranieri himself described it best, “We’re the basement and the other teams are a villa with a swimming pool. It’s a miracle what we’re doing.”

The fairytale nature of their win has somewhat deflected attention away from how well they have gone about their business. The Foxes have not shaded or edged their rivals but won it at a canter and in a matter-of-fact way akin to Chelsea’s romp the season before.

Luck has obviously played a part. Chelsea had their most underwhelming season post Abramovich. City faltered after injury to De Bruyne and news that Pellegrini would be leaving in the summer. Arsenal did an Arsenal and United lacked the requisite desire to mount a serious challenge. The fact that it was Spurs – who were themselves in unchartered territory – chasing Leicester come the business end of the season perhaps, played into Leicester’s hand. Luck can only get you so far though and a comprehensive ‘how’ of Leicester’s season can be read here. 

At this juncture, a more pertinent question is perhaps whether such a feat represents a seismic change of guard. In an age when transfer spends and wages have for the most part offered a direct correlation to league position, Leicester’s triumph offer hope to others of their ilk that they too can challenge and possibly overcome the status quo.

Such notions would be fanciful had it not been for the announcement of the multi-billion-pound broadcasting deal, the effects of which have already been felt this season. The influx of television money has not only allowed mid-table clubs to attract better talent from across Europe but more importantly has provided them the financial muscle to resist the advances of top tier clubs for their star players. While a story like Leicester’s is unlikely, the hegemony of a select few may finally have ended.

Johan Cruyff, the father of modern football, once famously remarked, "Why couldn’t you beat a richer club? I’ve never seen a bag of money score a goal." Leicester City’s brand of football may be far removed from Cruyff’s ideals but in their own way, paid a fitting tribute to the Dutch maestro who lost his battle with cancer earlier this year.

Time will tell if the current season proves to be a statistical outlier or a sign of things to come.