Hobbling down the last of the Wembley stairs, moustache bristling in the May breeze, Stan Kroenke makes his way to the pitch briskly, stars in his eyes.

He has one thing in mind as he receives hugs and hearty handshakes from players, backroom staff and other club affiliates – the trophy.

After he embraces Mikel Arteta after the Spaniard masterminded an improbable victory over favourites Chelsea, Arteta then gives Kroenke the trophy and takes a step back. Leaving just Kroenke and a small, grass stage in front of the fans.

And Kroenke bows, then swings the Cup in the air and holds it aloft, screaming in delight.

Seems impossible doesn’t it?

But replace Kroenke with Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, the Leicester City owner, and this is exactly what unfolded on the Wembley pitch this past weekend as I write.

Image from Manchester Evening News

The Foxes’ story is an incredible one, and the ties that bind the owners and the club have been forged in steel.

And this has been built on solid layers of foundation.

First came sound investment. Money for players, new training facilities etc. To bring the club and its squad up to scratch.

Then came work with the community, which saw funding for vital local projects.

Then came trust at the right time for the right managers. Claudio Ranieri, Brendan Rodgers, even Claude Puel was given decent time to right the ship, or at least steady it.

On this solid foundation then was built a fort of success. The Foxes won the Premier League in 2016 in unbelievable circumstances, shoving two fingers up to the established order and evidencing where true hard work and effective tactics can get you.

Fortifying this was grief, when King Power owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha tragically died in a helicopter crash. The club, the city, expressed its gratitude to Srivaddhanaprabha for days after.

The club is now an established power in the Premier League. From cannon fodder some twenty years ago, Leicester are now one of the teams you expect to be battling for the top honours.

Replacing Arsenal. Who under Stan Kroenke, have gone backwards.

Our story with our owners pretty much is the antithesis of the fairytale above. We have stagnated, taking our club from established big boys and regular European involvement, to midtable ambiguity and harmlessness. Floating in purgatory, losing the ability to keep up with the bigger clubs spending power, we are on a downward spiral.

Even though we have a fanbase that dwarves the Foxes. Even though our stadium capacity (and ticket prices) is far more than theirs. Even though our income – although shrunk – towers over Leicester.

And when young Leicester City chairman, Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha (also known as Khun Top) bounced onto the pitch to celebrate Leicester City winning the FA Cup, you could see on the players faces hwo happy they were to make him happy.

And beaming he was. And it was his smile that drew admiration and a little envy from fans of Arsenal and Man Utd. Because we have owners who couldn’t begin to recognise that what Khun Top was doing was what a real club owner would do.

Or at least a very enthusiastic one. An owner who truly cared for the club wouldn’t be able to help himself in joining in the celebrations. An FA Cup is still a very big deal. And Top, celebrating the way he did, reminded most of us of the joy that still exists within the game.

Us Gooners can only dream of such stewardship.

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