A huge banner declaring De Montfort University's (DMU) support for Leicester City as they battle for Premier League glory is to be unveiled this Friday as part of the campaign to turn the county blue.
PROUD: DMU students and lifelong City fans Mark Sheppard and Harry Bibby
The banner, which measures a whopping 31ft by 16ft (9.6m by 5m), may just be the biggest declaration of support the city has seen so far. The timing couldn't be better thanks to Tottenham's draw against West Brom last night meaning City are just one win away from the title.
The banner will hang above the entrance to the university's Hugh Aston building, where the Faculty of Business and Law is based, adjacent to the Magazine Gateway.
It means thousands of people travelling along the inner ring road each day will be able to see the city centre university is right behind Claudio Ranieri's miracle men. The banner will be installed in time for the BBC Radio Leicester and Leicester Mercury Backing the Blues day, on Friday 29 April, when everyone across the city and county is being urged to show their support for the flying Foxes.
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DMU has also liaised with Leicester City Council to be able to floodlight its Trinity House building in blue that evening and will put a blue wash on the pictures on the front page of its website.
The university will also change its social media icons blue so that when it sends messages to its 51,000 Facebook followers and 32,000 Twitter followers around the globe on 29 April, people will see DMU is supporting the campaign.
The university, which is the Leicester Mercury's official supporter for the Backing the Blues campaign, has had a close partnership with Leicester City for the last five years and renewed that partnership earlier this month. Under the new agreement DMU has been named as Leicester City's Official Higher Education Partner.
DMU students Mark Sheppard and Harry Bibby are lifelong City fans and excited their university is backing their team.
Mark, who got his first season ticket when he was six, is studying Journalism and Media and comes from East Goscote. He said: "I haven't come to terms with what's happening really. At Christmas, top four would have been an achievement. Now we're three games from the title. I think it's great that DMU is showing off its links to Leicester City. It creates a great community feel."
Harry, from Thurmaston, has been supporting City since he was three and has a Gold Membership which has got him tickets for every game, including the last home game against Everton.
The Product Design student said: "Putting up the banner shows a great connection between our university and the city. I have friends who support other teams who really want us to win. Me and Mark both believe in jinxes and so do not talk too much to each other about what might happen but it is great to see this show of support."
Professor Dominic Shellard, Vice-Chancellor of DMU, said: "It's been tremendous to follow Leicester City's superb efforts this season.
"The team's success in the Premier League has been enjoyed by all staff and students at DMU and highlighted Leicester to people across the globe. More than one billion people tune in to watch Leicester City play in the Premier League and are inspired by their story.
"We're very proud of our close partnership with Leicester City and the opportunities that this will continue to offer to our students both in the UK and overseas.
"Leicester City's achievements, their spirit and endeavour have all been truly phenomenal and demonstrate what a superb asset the football club and its supporters are to the city of Leicester."
Posted on Tuesday 26 April 2016