LEICESTER, May 7 — Beaming fans wearing blue Leicester City jerseys and twirling “CHAMPIONS” scarves mingled beneath bright sunshine outside the King Power Stadium today ahead of the team’s Premier League title coronation.

Claudio Ranieri’s miracle side, 5,000-1 outsiders at the season’s outset, were due to receive the Premier League trophy following their final home game of the season against Everton and the area around the ground was thronging with supporters three hours before kick-off.

As a long queue of people snaked towards a shirt-printing booth, fans chatted, sang and posed for smartphone photographs in commemoration of one of the most extraordinary feats in sporting history.

“It’s so special,” said Peter Allen, 58, a Leicester fan “born and bred” who was strolling along the stadium’s northern forecourt with his 88-year-old father, Jim, and 22-year-old son, Thomas.

“I’ve been coming here for 50 years and I can’t believe we’re experiencing this. Three hours before kick-off — I’ve never seen it so busy.”

At a nearby stall, covered by a blue and white striped awning, 45-year-old stallholder Glen was busy handing over scarves bearing the words “THE PEOPLE’S CHAMPIONS, LEICESTER CITY” to eager souvenir-hunters.

Overhead, blue and white flags showing the face of beloved Italian manager Ranieri and the legend “HAIL CLAUDIO” fluttered in the gentle breeze.

The scarves and flags, each priced at 10 pounds (US$14.40, 12.70 euros), were selling so rapidly that Glen had almost run out of stock despite kick-off still being three hours away.

Beside the ground, a gospel choir from De Montfort University entertained fans with a medley: “We’re all going on a European Tour!” — a nod to the Champions League campaign awaiting next season — and “Dilly-ding, dilly-dong!”, Ranieri’s catchphrase, used to replicate a ringing bell.

There was to be more singing later, with renowned Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli due to serenade the crowd prior to kick-off.

Vardy in demand

In the souvenir match programme, a bumper 106-page edition retailing at the usual price of 3.50 pounds, Ranieri wrote: “(The fans) were dreaming. I said dilly-ding, dilly-dong, they woke up, and the dream is a reality.”

A programme-seller estimated that four times as many programmes had been sold as usual, with people buying “tens, hundreds” for family and friends unable to attend the game.

One enterprising punter, he said, had bought 240 programmes from a single stall, bringing a trolley with him to wheel them away.

Brad, 20, was standing over a shirt-printing machine in a booth adjacent to the stadium where he and two other employees from the club’s shop were stamping blue Leicester home shirts with the gold and white “Premier League Champions 2015-16” sleeve badge.

He said that they had processed around 1,000 shirts over three days. The club’s new home shirt, launched on Friday, sold out in a single day.

The most popular name for fans to have printed on the back of their shirts, unsurprisingly, was talismanic striker Jamie Vardy.

Standing within view of an electronic screen showing highlights of some of Leicester’s biggest wins this season was a 20-strong group of fans from Bangkok, each clad in grey T-shirts with the Thai flag on the front.

With Thai businessman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, founder of King Power Duty Free, bankrolling Leicester’s success, the club have acquired a devoted following in the country.

Tickets for today’s match were reportedly selling for up to £8,000 on resale sites, but in a remarkable display of confidence, the Bangkok group — visiting Leicester for the very first time — had purchased their tickets well in advance.

“Five months ago, we guessed that Leicester will be champions, so we bought the tickets then. Hooray!” said group leader Suraong Bumroonsook, 63, punching the air. — AFP