Click here to read about Wilkinson's return to Hillsborough.

Today, 20 years after he deserted the Owls, Wilkinson is back at his spiritual home.

The tracksuit and trainers will stay in the wardrobe this time around; Wilkinson's role is purely white collar. His services are not going to cost the club a penny, either, which says everything you need to know.

As football advisor to the new board, Wilkinson will offer help and expertise to those re-shaping the club's future. At the age of 65, this man has been around the block long enough to spot when things are missing.

Wilkinson, who grew up in Netherthorpe, played 22 times for the Owls in the early Sixties and returned as manager in June 1983 as a replacement for Jack Charlton.

During five years at the helm, he restored the club's top-flight status, after a 14-year absence, reached five cup quarter-finals, and one semi-final.

Had it not been for Heysel and the subsequent ban on English clubs, Wilkinson's men would have played in Europe.

When he stepped down a division to join Leeds in 1988, it was mainly through frustration at his club's lack of ambition. Ironically, his departure sparked a change of attitude in the boardroom which led to big spending under Ron Atkinson and Trevor Francis.

Wilkinson was never one to criticise his own directors. As for those who criticised his methods? They simply failed to grasp the importance of getting the best out of limited resources.

There were no complaints from fans when the Owls sat third in the table and beating Liverpool and Manchester United on their own patch.

Equally, at Leeds, there was nothing but pride from those who watched "Sergeant Wilko" guide Leeds from the lower end of the old Second Division to the top of the pile. Even now, 17 years on, Wilkinson holds the distinction of being the last English manager to lift the domestic title

In an interview with the Yorkshire Post at the start of the season, Wilkinson predicted that the Owls would continue to struggle as long as instability existed at boardroom level.

Although he returns at a time when boardroom changes have taken place, Wilkinson will be hoping that stability starts now.