He spearheaded a campaign to save the club after it plunged into administration in 2002 and was not too pleased when Claudio Ranieri was named manager at the start of this season.

Following Leicester’s 2-1 win over Chelsea in December, Lineker tweeted that he will present the BBC flagship highlights programme in his undies, if they go on to win the league.

“Now the nation is in trouble – I’m hoping to get a really good (sponsorship) deal! I’m hoping to get some very large pants that will go over my head to stop me blushing.”

“At the start of the season they were 5,000-1 for the title, now I think it’s about 7-4.”

Lineker says that seeing Leicester win the title would be the realization of a lifelong dream.

“They could cease to exist and it wouldn’t matter. It’s just magical what’s happened – but we’re trying not to get ahead of ourselves.

“It was my first thought when I got the job with BT Sport last summer that I can follow Leicester in the Champions League!

“They are in a great shape to get a Champions League spot now, there is a massive (12-point) difference between them and (Manchester United in) fifth-place.

“A couple of serious injuries and things can change, when you haven’t got the depth of other teams. But the fact Leicester are not in any other competitions will limit the possibilities of bad luck in that sense.

“It would be a great adventure for Leicester to be in the Champions League.

“They are actually quite well equipped to play European football because of the nature of the counter-attacking style Leicester play and the pace they play on the break, but we are probably getting ahead of ourselves here…”