Jamie Vardy's heroics propel Leicester City to Championship glory

It had to be Jamie Vardy, didn't it? The seasoned 37-year-old striker, the sole survivor from their remarkable Premier League triumph in 2016, proved once again to be the driving force behind their rise back to glory. Despite Leicester City's fall from grace in recent years, Vardy has remained an influential figure in the dressing room, and his two goals against Preston on Monday night sealed the Championship title and a glorious return to the English top-flight.

As Leicester's undisputed iconic figure, Vardy's dominant presence and invaluable contributions have played a pivotal role in bringing elite-level football back to the King Power Stadium. However, with Vardy's contract set to expire in the summer, the debate surrounding the emotional value of his continued presence is sure to intensify in the weeks to come.  

"Jamie has always scored goals in his life and he will score goals always," said Leicester boss Maresca, who took charge of the team following their relegation from the Premier League. "He has helped us a lot this season on and off the pitch... My feeling is he is going to stay. If it was my decision, he will stay. Jamie Vardy is Leicester, even when he is 45 years old, he will score goals. Goals are in his blood."

"We knew it was going to be a tough game but we got the job done. Celebrating with the fans is great," added Vardy. "How could you not love scoring goals? Especially the second one, scoring in front of the fans – you can't get a better feeling than that."

Leicester now have the opportunity to match a 104-year-old record for the most second division wins, a record currently held by Tottenham from the 1919-20 season with 32 victories. They can achieve this feat when they face Blackburn on the final day of the season this Saturday. The Foxes have already equaled their club record of 31 wins, which was achieved by the team that earned promotion a decade ago.

Furthermore, if Leicester secure victory against Blackburn, they will become the first club to achieve promotion to the top flight twice while amassing 100 points or more. This would be a sensational achievement and a testament to the team's resilience.

The title seemed within reach for quite some time, but a recent dip in form has caused Maresca's team to stumble towards the finish line. Following defeats to Plymouth and Millwall, a team meeting was called to address the situation. Escaping from the second division is no easy task, especially when every other team is determined to halt the progress of a club that famously won the Premier League just eight years ago.  

"In the end, we succeeded and have returned this club to its rightful place," said Maresca. "At this moment, the relief is immense, but now it is time to savor and enjoy it."