Leicester City may have to wait until May to seal the Premier League title but have already taken the crown as the best club in the Midlands this season.

The Foxes will finish as the highest-placed team in the Midlands for the first time since 1963 after closest challengers Stoke - in the west of the area - drew with Swansea on Saturday.

Leicester - who extended their lead at the top with a 1-0 win over Southampton - could last boast to be the best side in the Midlands 53 years ago, when, after leading the First Division with five games to go, they slipped to fourth after losing four and drawing one of their final games.

League leaders Leicester have been crowned the best side in the Midlands for the first time since 1963

The Foxes are currently seven points clear at the top and can not finish below nearest Midland rivals Stoke

Ibrahim Afellay scored against Swansea - however Stoke's draw means they cannot finish above Leicester

Leicester are top of the Premier League table and are seven points clear of second-placed Tottenham

MIDLAND TITLE WINNERS SINCE '63 Aston Villa - 22 Nottingham Forest -14 West Brom - 6 Derby - 5 Wolves - 2 Stoke - 2 Leicester - 2 Birmingham - 1 Advertisement

Claudio Ranieri's side - seven points clear of second-placed Tottenham with six games to go - will be desperate to avoid a similar capitulation as they close in on their first-ever top division title.

Aston Villa have dominated Midlands football over the last five decades.

The Villa Park club have taken the crown locally for 22 of the 53 years since Leicester last topped the charts and are Premier League-ever presents.

However, they look certain to lose that title with relegation looming as they sit rooted to the bottom of the table, 15 points adrift of safety.

Nottingham Forest are second with 14 'titles' thanks to the glory years under Brian Clough during which they won two European Cups in 1979 and 1980.

West Brom are third in the list having finished highest on six occasions since 1963 with Derby next after beating their rivals to the highest spot five times.

Wolves and Stoke have come out on top just twice while Birmingham have managed to finish highest on just one occasion.

Aston Villa have dominated Midlands football scene but now look certain to be relegated from the top-flight