Jamie Vardy reveals why he 'LOVES' getting booed by opposition fans, as the Leicester City striker prepares to play the pantomime villain again in Carabao Cup tie against Man United
- Vardy has established himself as one of football's biggest wind-up merchants
- He has admitted he thrives off triggering a reaction off opposition supporters
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Jamie Vardy says he wants to be remembered for 'causing carnage' when he finally hangs up his boots.
The 37-year old has been a pain in the neck for many a defender on the way to plundering over 190 goals for Leicester City, writing one of football's greatest rags to riches stories ever told along the way.
And he admits he revels in the role of the proverbial pantomime villain, winding up opposition fans who love to hate him.
'If you get a bit of stick, then you have to be prepared to take it back,' says Vardy, who will be hoping to trigger a reaction from Manchester United fans in Leicester's Carabao Cup clash at Old Trafford tonight.
'I probably get fuelled by being booed like other people are fuelled by being cheered. I love it. It's football, you're going to get people cheering for you, you're going to get stick, so why not use it? You get the stick so first thing in my mind after scoring is, give it back. It's there, it's an atmosphere you can thrive on.'
Jamie Vardy has admitted he loves getting booed by opposition fans as it fuels him
Vardy has played the pantomime villain throughout his career and has no intention of stopping
After starting out in non-league, Vardy didn't play in the Premier League until he was 27 but has gone on to not only win a league title but score 140 top flight goals, hot on the heels of luminaries such as Robin van Persie, Teddy Sheringham and Michael Owen. He has scored another four this season and loves nothing better than celebrating those moments in front of rival supporters.
Asked which is the most satisfying fan base to wind up, Vardy replied: 'Every one! It doesn't matter who we play, you can guarantee I'll get abused.'
However, speaking to Men in Blazers, Vardy admitted one celebration he particularly enjoyed was away at West Brom, the season Leicester won the league.
'There was one guy who sprinted down about 56 stairs to try and get to me on the pitch which is why I stood there in the corner with my arms aloft just smiling.
'At Southampton, after we won the other week, it looked like I was laughing at every single one of them but there was literally just one guy who ran all the way down to the front like he was about to start a fight in a boozer but the bouncers had got him at the door so that's why I was laughing at him.
Vardy enjoyed celebrating in front of West Brom's fans during Leicester's title-winning season
Vardy was left laughing at a Southampton fan after Leicester's recent win at St Mary's
'They're all good moments winding up the fans. It's football, you need to have that enjoyment side of it.'
Vardy, who joked he would want James Corden to play him in a film of his life, says he's happy to take the flak if it helps deflect it from his teammates and when quizzed how he would like to be remembered by fans after his career, said mischievously: 'created carnage'.
He'll be planning to apply that mantra against United tonight.