A sombre queue of mourners gathered outside Leicester City’s stadium to add their names to a book of condolence in honour of the club’s billionaire Thai owner.
Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, 60, was killed with four others in the devastating helicopter crash outside the King Power Stadium on Saturday.
The book was opened at 8am in a marquee next to the makeshift shrine where thousands of fans have laid a sea of flowers, football shirts and cards.
Esham Litt, first in the queue with his son, said: “It was a poignant moment for us to arrive here,” he said.
“We heard the news when we were at a wedding in Northampton. The next day we both came down to pay our respects and we’ve been here every day since.
“I wanted to be first in the queue just to say ‘thank you’ to the owners and we will continue to support you right the way through.”
More than 25,000 people have also signed a petition calling for a statue of the highly-regarded owner - who bankrolled the club’s 5,000-1 Premier League title fairytale in 2016 - to be erected outside the ground.
Ellis Greaves, who launched the petition, said: “Vichai chose Leicester when we were riddled with debt, he got us out of the debt and made us the club we are today. We owe Vichai and his family everything.”
There are also calls backed by his son Aiyawatt, who is expected to become the club’s new chairman, to rename the stadium as the Khun Vichai in his honour.
Vichai was killed, along with two staff members and the pilot and co-pilot of his £6million aircraft, when it fell from the sky and burst into flames at about 8.30pm.
An investigation has been launched into why the helicopter span out of control moments after lifting off from the centre circle following the match against West Ham.
The four other victims were employees Nursara Suknamai and Kaveporn Punpare, pilot Eric Swaffer and his partner Izabela Roza Lechowicz, who was also a professional pilot.
Mr Swaffer has been hailed a hero for steering the spinning aircraft away from crowds of people still leaving the stadium.
The club confirmed that today’s first team fixture against Southampton in the EFL Cup and the development squad game against Feyenoord in the Premier League International Cup have been postponed.
A Leicester City spokesman said: “The Club would like to thank supporters for their overwhelming support and kind wishes since the tragic events of Saturday evening.”
An online condolence book has opened for supporters further afield at LCFC.com
