Craig Shakespeare, the ex-manager of Leicester City, passes away at the age of 60.

Leicester City’s Craig Shakespeare, the former manager of the Foxes, has sadly passed away at the age of 60. Shakespeare is best remembered for his short but impactful tenure at King Power Stadium, taking charge of the team after Claudio Ranieri’s departure during the 2016/17 season. Prior to that, he played a crucial role as an assistant coach during Leicester’s historic title-winning campaign in 2015/16.

A statement released by the League Managers’ Association (LMA) on behalf of Shakespeare’s family confirmed his passing. The statement revealed that Shakespeare had been battling cancer and peacefully passed away at home surrounded by his loved ones. While his footballing achievements were highly regarded, his family emphasized that he will always be remembered as a beloved husband, father, son, brother, and uncle.

Shakespeare initially took over as caretaker manager in February 2017, securing a 3-1 victory over Liverpool in his first game in charge. He was then offered the full-time position and made history as the first Premier League manager to have his team score three goals per game in his first three matches. Additionally, he became the only English manager to win his first four Premier League matches.

Under Shakespeare’s guidance, Leicester City reached the quarter-finals of their debut Champions League campaign. The team achieved a remarkable comeback victory against Sevilla and put up a strong fight against Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals, ultimately being knocked out. Despite these achievements, Shakespeare was sacked in December 2017 when Leicester found themselves in the relegation zone.

Following his departure from Leicester, Shakespeare returned to assistant and coaching roles. He joined Everton under Sam Allardyce, worked with Nigel Pearson at Watford, and assisted Dean Smith at Aston Villa. He later followed Smith to Norwich City before reuniting with Leicester when Smith took charge of the team.

During his playing career, Shakespeare was a midfielder who made 284 appearances for Walsall, scoring 45 goals. He also played for West Bromwich Albion and Grimsby Town, accumulating over 100 appearances for both clubs.

Nigel Pearson, who had previously worked with Shakespeare at Leicester, paid tribute to his former assistant, describing him as talented, emotionally understanding, calm, balanced, and outrageously funny. Pearson expressed his love and admiration for Shakespeare, stating that memories of their time together would always bring a smile, smirk, chuckle, or a memorable occasion to mind.

The football world mourns the loss of Craig Shakespeare, a man who made a significant impact on Leicester City and left a lasting legacy in English football.