Clappers get the red card

IT is the end of an era at Leicester City after the club announced they would no longer hand out clap banners to each fan at home matches, writes Jordan Blackwell.

The cardboard clappers have been a staple of King Power Stadium fixtures for more than seven years.

But following supporter feedback, the club have decided to ditch them ahead of the new season.

They were first introduced permanently for the victory over West Ham in April 2015, Andy King’s late winner starting the Great Escape run that eventually led to the club’s Premier League title success.

That immediate impact has seen the club place 30,000 clappers, one in each home seat, around the ground for King Power matches ever since.

Starting with that West Ham fixture, City have had 147 home competitive fixtures with fans present, and at a cost of £12,000 to produce the clappers per match, that comes to a total of £1.76 million over the seven years. But they will no longer be handed out.

Once seen as having a positive impact on the noise levels at the King Power, the clappers have become a source of ridicule by opposing fans in recent years amid accusations it creates an artificial atmosphere.

Tomorrow, fans will instead be given a flag each to mark the start of a new season. There will also be a complimentary beer or water for each supporter.

Doing away with clappers is one of a number of changes to matchday that City have made.

This season will see mobile tickets in operation for the first time, while City are the first club in Europe to introduce a ‘frictionless kiosk’, allowing supporters to pick up items and leave, with their purchases charged to a card scanned on entry.