Leicester are champions and that’s how Jamie Vardy got the party started.
The 37-year-old said “my legs are fine” before the match as Leicester considered whether to offer him a new contract and another chance in the Premier League.
“10 years is years” and “sign him up” chanted 5,700 exultant Leicester supporters at Deepdale and perhaps Vardy could still cause some damage at the highest level.
It was certainly strange to think that these could be his last goals for the Foxes after 12 extraordinary years.
Leicester could still face sanctions and points deductions for their financial losses next season, but all that can wait – it was a purely celebratory evening.
Beat Blackburn on Saturday and Enzo Maresca’s side will also accumulate a century of points and that milestone seems appropriate given their high standard this season, although a few wobbles have threatened to derail things.
Jamie Vardy scored twice as Leicester beat Preston 3-0 to clinch the league title
Vardy broke the deadlock with a calm finish in the closing stages of the first half
The striker was in the right place at the right time to double the lead shortly after half-time.
The Foxes made light work of Preston to seal the title in style at Deepdale on Monday
After leading the promotion race for most of the season, Leicester’s celebrations officially began on Friday evening after Leeds were beaten by Queens Park Rangers.
Maresca was partying with his coaching staff when he found his home invaded by several players, but for Vardy – synonymous with partying at Leicester in recent years – it was early evening this time.
The Leicester supporters who filled one end of Deepdale were more than happy to continue the festivities another night.
There was even a stoppage in the opening minutes to pop all the blue and white balloons they released and referee Sam Allison handed a deflated beach ball to the fourth official.
For the Leicester players, dead rubber was the last thing on their minds as they slowly got back into rhythm, aided by an impassive Preston, who really had nothing to play for.
Kasey McAteer put any hopes of a return to bed when he returned home at point blank range
McAteer walks off in celebration after scoring his team’s third goal of the match
Vardy rushed behind their rearguard with a curving run to reach a pass from Yunus Akgun, but Freddie Woodman was equal to his shot.
Kasey McAteer dribbled along the edge of the Preston box before seeing a tame shot saved, but he should have broken the deadlock on the half-hour mark.
Abdul Fatawu crossed for the first time from the right and the goal fell short for McAteer, but he somehow sent his header to the back post wide.
Vardy, however, is unfailingly reliable and he further increased the atmosphere away with his goal in the 37th minute.
It was far from the veteran’s sharpest connection – more of a scrape than anything else – but it set up Woodman after Akgun cut the ball away.
Vardy did his usual thing by celebrating directly in front of the opposition fans and why would you end your game if you still get so much pleasure from it?
The Leicester fans were in fine voice throughout their victory.
It got even better for him seven minutes after the restart with potentially the easiest goal he has ever scored.
Wout Faes did so, rampaging through the Preston box, skipping three tackles before firing a shot against the base of the post.
The ball bounced behind Woodman and Vardy was completely alone to crash into an empty net from close range for his 18th goal of the league season.
This time he was happy to fill his nostrils with cordite from the blue smoke rockets set off behind the goal. “Sign it up,” they chanted.
Vardy might have scored his hat-trick when playing flawlessly, but Woodman denied him one-on-one.
But the third goal duly arrived thanks to McAteer’s free header from Fatawu’s cross from the right side.
Vardy was sent off 15 minutes from time, shortly after Fatawu rattled a post, earning another standing ovation and a round of chants.
From there it was simply a matter of how many more goals Leicester could score. Harry Winks tried to spot the bottom corner, only for Woodman to save it.
Uncork the champagne…
