Leicester City have been short listed for the Football League E.On Family Club of the Year Award this week in recognition for their efforts for making the Walkers Stadium a safe, affordable and family focused venue.

The winners will be announced at the 2010 Football League Awards and at a gala ceremony at Grosvenor House on Park Lane in March. City Chief Executive Lee Hoos is delighted with the nomination and that the club has received the Family Excellence Award 2010 from the Football League.

“It’s a great achievement for the club and I’m very, very proud of everybody involved. We’ve worked very hard to get it and to be short listed for the Family Club of the Year Award and they are two great achievements.

“It’s a real team effort. We want to encourage families to come to the ground. It’s about creating a tradition and sustaining the club because that’s how you get your next generation of fans. Leicester has a great reputation as a family club and long may it continue.”

City striker Steve Howard also added his backing to the club’s nomination.

“From the clubs I’ve been at, Leicester is definitely the most family-focused. You see a lot of kids in the stands having a good time. I think the Walkers Stadium is a brilliant facility and very safe as well, so no wonder we have a lot of fans who come to games as families.”

Other Championship clubs to be nominated include Coventry City, Preston North End and Cardiff City, a club who have hit the headlines for the wrong reasons this week.

Hoos sympathises with Cardiff’s financial plight and that of other clubs like Portsmouth, Southend and Hinckley United, and also paid tribute to Chairman Milan Mandaric’s investment at City.

“It’s been an extraordinary week with three clubs before the High Court. Obviously things are very tough and football’s just a reflection of the economy in general. Milan has strongly supported the club in the past and we’re grateful for that. It’s about making sure we maintain the balance going forward. You don’t want to overspend, but on the other hand you want to be competitive.”

After a relatively quiet transfer window for City and following Matty Fryatt’s recent injury, Hoos highlighted the importance of a sensible transfer policy and reiterated his belief that the squad is strong enough to compete for the remainder of the season.

“You have to look at where your money is being spent. It makes no sense to bring in too many players in one position if you’re not then going to be able to utilise them. We’ve brought some good players in during the last transfer window and over the summer as well. We actually do have a fairly deep squad.

“Unfortunately we have the issue with Matty and we’ll continue to monitor that and see how we go. It would have to be a cost effective option for us. What we don’t want to do is go out and bring players in for the sake of bringing players in. It’s always about getting the right player in for the right deal.”

The club’s Chief Exec also paid tribute to Foxes fans for their continued support this season.

“The fans have been great this year and we’ve had very good attendances. They’ve been a true credit to club. They’ve come and supported their team and have helped us get to the point we are now.”