Popular Leicester City veteran defender dies after contracting coronavirus

Popular Leicester City experienced defender dies from coronavirus infection
The 91-year-old was a fullback in the Foxes’ promotion-winning team in 1956/57.

Leicester City Football Club is mourning one of its own today after veteran defender John Ogilvie became one of the latest victims of coronavirus.

The charismatic Scotsman was one of the most popular players of his generation and a familiar face behind the scenes at Filbert Street and, more recently, the King Power Stadium in recent decades.

His widow Doreen contacted LeicestershireLive to say that he had died at Leicester Royal Infirmary on Saturday, aged 91, after contracting COVID-19 at the the city care home where he’d been living.

John made 85 appearances at fullback for the the Foxes between 1955 and 1960, scoring two goals, and was an integral member of the team that won promotion to the old First Division in the 1956/57 season.

Leicester City Ambassador and fellow Foxes veteran Alan Birchenall, who presented John with a signed ‘Ogilvie 90’ shirt in front of the Blue Army to mark his 90th birthday on October 27, 2018, paid tribute to his friend.

“The thoughts of everyone at the football club are with John’s family and friends after learning the sad news of his passing,” he said.

“He was a fantastic footballer and wonderful personality who left his mark on Leicester City during his time at Filbert Street and in the years since.”

He added: “I personally have some wonderful memories of John from our time working on charity games together and will miss the occasions spent laughing in his company as we looked back on those matches.

“The club were also delighted to be able to host John and his wife Doreen as regular guests in recent years and we collectively send our deepest condolences during such a difficult time.”

In a statement, the club said: “Leicester City Football Club is deeply saddened to learn of the death of former player John Ogilvie, who passed away at the Leicester Royal Infirmary on Saturday at the age of 91.

“The former left-back, who made 85 appearances for the Foxes between 1955 and 1960, was a key figure at Filbert Street during that time – including as an ever-present in the team that won promotion back to the top-flight as Second Division champions in 1957.

“The thoughts of everybody at Leicester City Football Club are with John’s family and friends at this difficult time.”

Born in Motherwell, Scotland, on October 28, 1928, John made his name for Hibernian in the Famous Five team that won three Scottish Championships.

His performances attracted many admirers, including then Manchester United manager Sir Matt Busby.

He played a key role as part of the Hibernian back line for the 1951 title win, but was to suffer a career-changing leg break during the opening 15 minutes of that year’s Scottish Cup Semi-Final.

It would take two years to recover from the injury, but after trials with Sheffield United, he was signed by Leicester City manager David Halliday, who brought him to Filbert Street in October 1955.

John helped the Foxes consolidate their top-flight status in the following seasons, where his sense of humour saw him become affectionately known as the dressing room joker and one of the most popular figures at the club.

He scored his second and last goal for the Foxes from the penalty spot against Portsmouth in his final game for the club – helping the team avoid relegation in the process.

Following his time with City, he signed for Mansfield Town in 1960, before a spell with Bedworth Town two years later, after which he returned to Leicester to work in the knitwear and printing trades.

He stayed involved with football through The Birch’s charity teams as well as achieving a Preliminary FA Coaching Badge in 1975.

The club also welcomed John as a regular guest to the King Power Stadium in recent years at home matches and he was part of the King Power crowd that celebrated the team lifting the Premier League Trophy against Everton in May 2016.

Doreen said she first met John in the late 50s after she was introduced by a colleague and friend from the office where she was working during a dance at The Palais, in Humberstone, Leicester city centre.

Speaking from the Wigston home the couple shared for their entire married life, she said: “Leicester City was his life for so long. The club meant the world to him.

“John was known for being extremely quick, despite recovering from a terrible injury when he broke his left leg in two places while playing for Hibernian.

“He wasn’t just a player either, he also used to analyse the opposition as a scout for then manager Jock Wallace in the late 1970s and early 80s, and used to do a bit of hospitality work for the club too.

“He loved Leicester City and was well-known down at the ground.

“As well as being good friends with Alan Birchenall, Gary McAllister, who is also from Motherwell, used to come around ours for Sunday lunch every week.

“He also knew the likes of Steve Walsh, Muzzy Izzet, Neil Lennon, Paul Ramsey, Matt Elliot and many more of the more recent players quite well.”

The couple were also friendly with former City midfielder and caretaker manager Kevin MacDonald.

After he signed for Liverpool, they were his guests at Hillsborough, Sheffield, for the 1989 FA Cup semi-final, where they witnessed the terrible events which claimed the lives of 96 Liverpool supporters.

They had one son, Neil, a lawyer who graduated from Cambridge University, who died from cancer last August. They have two granddaughters, aged 23 and 24, who live with their mother in Cheshire.

Doreen, who grew up on Saffron Lane, explained that John had been diagnosed with frontotemporal lobe dementia, often associated with heading a football, six years ago.

He had spent the last few months of his life at a care home in Leicester.

“John was so fit and strong but he gradually got a little worse and, especially after Neil died, he needed full-time care,” she said.

Fighting back tears, Doreen described the heartbreak of losing her beloved husband to the deadly coronavirus.

“The home rang me a week last Friday to say John had fallen ill with a high temperature,” she said.

“I didn’t realise how ill he was at first but managed to see him.

“He was lying on the bed and managed to give me a big smile.”

Later the same evening, Doreen was contacted to say John’s condition had worsened and an ambulance had been called.

“He was taken to Ward 23 at Leicester Royal Infirmary that evening,” she said, adding: “I have to say, I can’t praise the nurses and staff there enough.

“They were so kind to John and even cared how I was, they rang me up regularly to ask how I was as they knew I was so upset.”

Doctors confirmed that John was suffering from COVID-19.

Although he was heavily sedated and on a ventilator while in the Infirmary, Doreen, thanks to the efforts of staff, was able to spend some time at John’s bedside before he passed away.

“Its simply heartbreaking,” she said. “What a cruel disease. John was a wonderful man, I just can’t believe I’m talking about him in the past tense.”

John’s funeral arrangements have yet to be made, however, due to the coronavirus crisis, only 10 friends and close relatives will be able to attend.

“It’s just so sad,” said Doreen.