FC Thun have stunned Swiss football by winning the Super League title just one season after promotion, a feat that has drawn comparisons with Leicester City's 2016 Premier League triumph. The club from a town of 45,000 people was expected to struggle and even tipped for relegation, but instead produced one of the greatest underdog stories in European football.
Thun's achievement is remarkable given their limited resources: a net spend of roughly €700,000 in the transfer market and a captain, Marko Burki, who is less famous than his brother, former Switzerland goalkeeper Roman Burki. Manager Mauro Lustrinelli, who played for Thun when they qualified for the Champions League in 2005, guided the team to their first-ever league title in 128 years.
The triumph was aided by a weak field, with traditional powerhouses Basel and Young Boys in transition. Thun seized the opportunity, and many believe Switzerland may never see another champion like them. The shock title has been hailed as potentially the biggest since Leicester's fairy tale.
Elsewhere, Wrexham's remarkable run of three successive promotions ended this season as they missed out on the Championship playoffs. The Welsh club, owned by Hollywood stars Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, face a summer of reflection after finishing seventh. Their strategy of outspending rivals has become less effective in the Championship, where their squad ranked only 15th in value and 12th in wages.
Manager Phil Parkinson's future is under scrutiny, with questions about his style and transfer strategy. The documentary 'Welcome to Wrexham' may benefit from the adversity, but the owners face their biggest test yet in pushing for the Premier League.
At Manchester United, Michael Carrick is expected to be appointed permanent manager after securing Champions League qualification with a win over Liverpool. Despite links to bigger names, Carrick's impressive run has made him the obvious choice, with United having won more points than any other Premier League side since his interim appointment.
