Nathan Dyer still likes to joke that he sparked the flames that fired Leicester City to the most extraordinary title win in post-war football history.
The Swansea City winger was on loan with the Foxes the season before last and scored the last-minute winner in a 3-2 September victory over Aston Villa.
“I tell people I helped start the revolution!” says Dyer.
“The players were on fire and it was nice to be part of that history.
“A team like Leicester winning the Premier League is not going to happen very often.
“But I’ve got the videos on the bus and of the whole celebrations – and the medal is tucked away in my safe.”
Dyer is preparing to meet the club he won his prized possession with on Saturday at the Liberty Stadium, having recovered from serious injury issues that ruined his initial return to his parent club.
His fortunes over the last two years sum up the highs and lows of football, with a place on Leicester’s memorable bus tour celebrations followed by a lengthy spell on the sofa.
Last February, just seven minutes into a game against Leicester, Dyer ruptured his Achilles tendon.
The injury was so serious that surgery was required and he could not walk for nearly two months.
Eight months on and Dyer is back in the first-team fold at Swansea and hoping for a happier ending against Leicester this time.
“It was easy to get down about things but you need to be positive,” Dyer said about his long period of rehabilitation.
“It’s very hard because the boys are out there training and you’re seeing the same four walls every day.
“I had to have a cast and a boot on for six weeks, I even had to sleep with it on.
“I’ve got two boys, three and 18 months, and it’s hard when all they want to do is play football with you.
“I’m the goalkeeper at home, but I couldn’t walk for seven weeks and after that I was on crutches.”
The previous season, Dyer was part of Leicester’s fairytale title triumph having fallen out of favour with then-Swansea boss Garry Monk.
The 29-year-old did not start a single league game during his season-long loan.
But he made enough substitute appearances to claim a Premier League medal and is still fondly remembered by Leicester fans after scoring that last-minute winner against Villa.
