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By DAVID COVERDALE Published: 01: 55 AEST, 19 May 2025 | Updated: 03: 42 AEST, 19 May 2025 12 View comments You didn’t think he was going to go quietly, did you? Thirteen years to the day since he joined Leicester from non-league Fleetwood for £1million, Jamie Vardy scored his 200th goal for the club in his 500th and final appearance. And for a moment inside a euphoric King Power Stadium, it was as if the 38-year-old striker had led the Foxes to the Premier League title all over again. What a fitting farewell this was for Vardy on a day that had been designed to celebrate Leicester’s greatest ever player, who announced in the week he would sign-off against Ipswich rather than away at Bournemouth next Sunday. Every Foxes fan was supplied with a blue or white ‘Thank you Vards’ flag, which formed the word GOAT in the East Stand, while giant banners of the Leicester No9 were hoisted aloft behind the goals before kick-off. Several of Vardy’s former team-mates were invited to the match, as well as the manager who signed him, Nigel Pearson. And the club captain led his side out with three of his children, as a message on the big screen read: ‘Goodbye to the GOAT. ’ All that was then left was for Vardy to sign-off in style by adding one last goal to his Foxes tally. And the main character duly delivered. Of course he did. Jamie Vardy scored his 200th goal on his 500th and final appearance for Leicester Vardy slotted home midway through the first half to open the scoring for the Foxes Vardy celebrated breaking the deadlock at the King Power by lifting up the corner flag  The moment every Leicester supporter had come here to witness – and will remember forever - arrived in the 28th minute. James Justin dispossessed Jack Clarke in his own half and then burst forward to the edge of the Ipswich box. He then slipped in Vardy, who coolly placed his shot through the legs of Dara O’Shea and into the far left corner. Cue bedlam, the kind of which we saw here against Manchester United in November 2015, when Vardy broke the record of Ruud van Nistelrooy – now his manager - for most consecutive Premier League goals, or later that season when the Foxes famously landed the title against all odds. Leicester (4-2-3-1): Stolarczyk 6. 5; Justin 8 (Pereira 64, 6. 5), Coady 7. 5, Faes 7, Thomas 7; Ndidi 7 (Skipp 88), Soumare 6. 5; Mc Ateer 8 (Evans 80), Ayew 7 (Monga 64, 6), El Khannouss 7; VARDY 8 (Daka 80). Subs not used: Iversen, Okoli, Kristiansen, Buonanotte. Booked: Mc Ateer Scorers: Vardy 28, Mc Ateer 69 Manager: Ruud van Nistelrooy – 7. 5 Ipswich (4-2-3-1): Palmer 6; Tuanzebe 5. 5, O’Shea 5. 5, Greaves 6, Davis 6. 5; Morsy 6 (Luongo 89), Cajuste 5. 5 (Taylor 71, 5. 5); Hutchinson 6, Enciso 5. 5 (Chaplin 71, 5), Clarke 4. 5 (Broadhead 71, 5. 5); Hirst 5 (Delap 71, 5. 5). Subs not used: Walton, Godfrey, Johnson, Woolfenden. Manager: Kieran Mc Kenna – 5 Referee: Andrew Kitchen - 7 Vardy celebrated his last Leicester strike yesterday by running away to the corner flag and holding it up in front of the away fans, like a king raising his sword. After being greeted by his team-mates, he then spread his arms out wide in front of his own supporters, soaking up their acclaim for one last time. Vardy did not come close to scoring again, but it did not matter a jot. In the 80th minute, the fourth official’s board displayed the No9 and the former factory worker from Sheffield walked off to a rousing standing ovation, as his team-mates and coaching staff formed an impromptu guard of honour in front of the dugout. There were no tears from an emotionless Vardy, but when has there ever been? He did not even crack in the post-match ceremony, when he was presented on to the pitch with his family, through a line of former team-mates, before being shown a video montage of his highlights and then awarded a special golden fox trophy by chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha. ‘I didn't mention it this morning but I spoke to Kingy (Andy King) before and I said I was going to score, ’ admitted Vardy. ‘I missed a couple before that, but once JJ put me through there, I was never going to miss it. Obviously getting dogs abuse from the away fans, there was only one place I was going! ’ Some things never change. Asked to sum up his Leicester career, Vardy added: ‘It's been amazing. It’s been a rollercoaster, but there's been way, way, way more highs. I never thought we'd win the league or be in the Champions League. ‘I've enjoyed every minute of it and I look forward to keeping an eye on the club I love. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for taking me and my family in as one of your own. ’ Certainly, yesterday’s occasion felt much more like a testimonial match than a Premier League fixture. But having endured such a miserable campaign, in which their club has gone down without a fight, you could not begrudge the Leicester fans their party. Even the travelling contingent of already-relegated Ipswich also appeared to enjoy their escape from reality for one afternoon. The club were fully prepared for the landmark goal as they displayed this on the big screen The 38-year-old was given a guard of honour following what was his last game for the club Vardy was joined on the pitch by his family for a lap of honour Kasey Mc Ateer sealed the three points from a tight angle midway through the first half ‘It was all about Jamie today and rightly so, ’ admitted Leicester boss Van Nistelrooy. ‘He wanted his 200th goal but you have to be capable to do so. That speaks millions about him - to be able to set a target like this and then produce. ‘You can’t replace a player like that. He is unique. We will look back in a couple of years that we were part of his last moments in this football club and it was a pleasure to be next to him. ’ After Vardy’s goal, Kasey Mc Ateer, who had earlier hit the post, secured the win for Leicester in the 69th minute when he smashed in at the near post from Wilfred Ndidi’s pass. It meant the Foxes climbed above Ipswich and up to 18th in the table. Yet this day was never going to be remembered for the result. It was all about Jamie Richard Vardy - the footballer with the Hollywood story who made sure he got his Hollywood ending.

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