Leicester was relegated to League One eight years ago today

Less than a decade ago, new Premier League champion Leicester City was sent tumbling to the depths of England's third tier.

Leicester City is the 2015-16 Premier League champion, which is an incredible achievement for obvious and well-documented reasons. What makes it more incredible? On this day in 2008, Leicester was relegated to the third tier in English soccer, League One. 

A 0-0 draw at Stoke City secured Leicester's drop from the Championship while also sealing Stoke's rise to the Premier League. What a difference eight years has made. Instead of trying to figure out how to rise back to the second tier, Leicester will spend this summer figuring out how to best compete in Champions League while defending its top-flight title.

"It's a devastating day for all of us," then-Leicester manager Ian Holloway–the fifth manager of the season!–said following the Stoke draw, according to the BBC. "Too many times this season we haven't done it, we haven't scored and the table doesn't lie. "Our character needs to be looked at, the overall team and squad. The fans have known it but we've let everyone down.

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Leicester did the opposite of letting everyone down in 2015-16. After working its way back over time (its rise is chronicled here by SI's Stanley Kay), the Foxes completed their storied run to the Premier League trophy this week.

4 May, 2008 - @LCFC were relegated to the 3rd tier of English football

They have come a long way... pic.twitter.com/bnMfmfdES7

— Premier League (@premierleague) May 4, 2016

One player remains from that relegated squad: veteran midfielder Andy King. It's safe to say he paid his dues en route to becoming a Premier League winner.