Leicester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel hopes to win the FA Cup final against Chelsea today to honour the memory of Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.
Vichai ought the club in 2010 and oversaw their 2016 Premier League title win before his death in a helicopter crash in 2018. His son, Aiyawatt 'Top' Srivaddhanaprabha, subsequently took over.
Schmeichel told BBC Sport: "There is one person who did see where the club could go and that was Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha. That's what he said to me the day I signed: 'We'll be in the Champions League within five years.' We were in the Championship at the time! He saw it, he had the ambition and he backed it up, and the family are still backing it up.
"This time more than ever, it is probably time to recognise their ownership because of what's happened in these last few weeks. You see how unhappy fans are with owners of clubs. It is also a time to praise the owners of clubs as well, because look at what can happen when you run a club properly, when you come in and you don't just treat it as a business.
"The business side has to run, but you also treat is as a passion project - it is something you enjoy, you come to games, you interact with fans.
"That level of respect Vichai put on everything and everyone at the club, really recognising everyone has a role - it doesn't matter what job you have, you are important to what we are doing.
"For us to get to an FA Cup final is a dream come true, but everyone has contributed, whether it is the kit man or the groundsman. Everyone has had a part to play and it is really important to recognise those things, and this club does."
