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'I believed Leeds United could challenge against the top teams' - Howard Wilkinson
IT seemed such a no-brainer of a decision that even the Leeds United board, then on the lookout for a new manager, were moved to ask 'why would he come here?' when Howard Wilkinson's name was first put forward by Bobby Robson.
Click here to read Howard Wilkinson's fear for future of English managers.
Click here to read Richard Sutcliffe's thoughts on the champions time forgot.
The former winger had, during the previous five years, helped transform Sheffield Wednesday into Yorkshire's undisputed top club. Not only that, the Owls were sitting seventh in the old First Division and harbouring serious hopes of eclipsing their previous best finish under Wilkinson of fifth in the 1986-87 season.
Leeds, in contrast, were floundering badly with their on-field struggles – they were fourth bottom of the second tier – only being matched by the seemingly precarious state of the club off it.
United were in debt, did not own Elland Road, were looking for their eighth manager in 14 years and crowds had slumped to the mid-teens. No wonder the Leeds board's first reaction had been so pessimistic when Robson, then the England manager, had recommended Wilkinson for the vacancy.
Twenty years on from what would eventually prove to be a successful courting of Sheffield-born Wilkinson by chairman Leslie Silver and managing director Bill Fotherby, the former United manager admits there were more than a few who questioned the thinking behind his move up the M1.
Speaking to the Yorkshire Post from his home in South Yorkshire, the 64-year-old recalls: "Leeds were near the bottom of Division Two when I took over and had only a handful of points. There was also a sizeable debt so, clearly, the club was not in the best of shape.
"At the time, I was in the First Division with Sheffield Wednesday so Bill and Leslie both said to Bobby Robson 'why would he come here?' He just said 'if you don't ask, you will never know'.
"They did ask and, if I remember rightly, I was talking to them for about two and a half weeks. It didn't happen overnight because I wanted to know what their ambitions for the future were and where they wanted to go.
"The reason I wanted to agree strategy was I believed Leeds were, at the time, one of only a few clubs who could challenge again at the top of the First Division.
"I had enjoyed my years at Hillsborough but I started to realise we had probably gone as far as we could. The previous summer, we had held a board meeting and it was clear the policy of investment would not change dramatically.
"My thinking was the club would only stagnate with that policy and I didn't want that."
Wilkinson's decision to step down a division and move to Elland Road on October 10, 1988, proved a momentous one for both club and manager.
A goalless draw at Swindon Town in his first league game began an immediate upturn in form that would eventually see United lose just once in the next 16 outings to banish any fears about relegation.
A mid-table finish was then the prelude to the board sanctioning a promised spending spree in the summer of 1989 that saw Mel Sterland, John Hendrie and, most controversially of all, Vinnie Jones join a squad that had already been bolstered by the additions of Gordon Strachan and Chris Fairclough in March.
Wilkinson had, by now, also taken the decision to banish all the old photos of the Revie era that still adorned the walls of Elland Road.
He said: "Leeds United possess a great history and there were reminders all over the place. I wanted to give the entire club a reality check. I knew it would be a gamble but I also calculated that a shock to the system was necessary.
"I felt people were taking refuge in the past. It was as if the great memories were reducing the pain of where the club were. I said at the time 'we will put the pictures back up when we have a team worthy of the club's history'."
Wilkinson was as good as his word with promotion being won in his first full season in charge, a 1-0 win at Bournemouth on the final day ensuring Leeds would pip Sheffield United to the Second Division title.
Gary McAllister's arrival for 1m from Leicester City a few weeks later then completed a midfield quartet also featuring Strachan, David Batty and Gary Speed that would, within two years of winning promotion, help Leeds claim a third league title in thrilling fashion.
Wilkinson recalls: "When I accepted the job in 1988, I outlined a 10-year plan and promotion was always the target in my first full season. I was convinced we could do it – and we did.
"But I must admit that I did not expect us to be successful in the top division as quickly as we were. I seriously thought it would take three to four years after being promoted to challenge and consolidation was the initial aim.
"The board were very supportive and I have to praise the three members who, basically, ran the club at the time - Leslie (Silver), Bill (Fotherby) and (vice chairman) Peter (Gilman).
"Winning the league title was a fitting reward for their efforts as well. That team definitely doesn't get the credit it deserves for what they achieved and I think a lot of that is to do with prejudice against Leeds United.
"It was something I noticed as soon as I got to Leeds. Some of it was down to the Revie team not having the best of reputations and some of it was down to the behaviour of some of the club's supporters. At the time, it was as if the lunatic fringe had decided 'well, if people don't hate our team, then we will give them something to hate Leeds for anyway'.
"Thankfully, we did manage to turn round the bad reputation in the end but I still feel the attitude towards the club of people outside Leeds is a factor in that team not getting the credit it deserves."
Wilkinson's initial 10-year plan for the club also featured competing in Europe – United bowed out at the second round stage of the European Cup in 1992-93 against Glasgow Rangers and then the UEFA Cup to PSV Eindhoven in 1995-96 – and the building of what became the Academy at Thorp Arch.
He said: "The youth development was the big thing I wanted to make happen. We combined with the local schools and that meant the kids could benefit from living at Thorp Arch. Unfortunately for me, I was not at the club when those youngsters started to come through. When I left, I knew the club was 18 months away from the Kellys, Woodgates, Hartes, Kewells and so on being considered first team regulars. It was a major disappointment to leave, knowing what was ahead.
"In my final couple of years, the financial situation had not been too healthy and we had to fill the team with senior or older players. But I knew that would be rectified in time. It was a case of being patient and treading water until the kids came through. When that happened, I knew t hey would give the club tremendous momentum."
Wilkinson's eight-year reign came to an end in September, 1996, following a 4-0 defeat at home to Manchester United – and just a few weeks after Leeds had been taken over by media group Caspian.
He said: "I have to admit I had been threatening to leave myself for six to eight weeks before I eventually did go. The takeover had started to create unrest in the boardroom and performances on the pitch were up and down.
"I had also become increasingly aware towards the end of the previous season and during the summer that the people who looked like taking over had got someone lined up to come in as manager.
"One or two other managers – including Sir Alex (Ferguson) – had marked my card and it had almost become a case of 'when is the sniper going to get me?'
"I remember going to Blackburn and we won 1-0. Bill (Fotherby) came in the dressing room afterwards and from his reaction you would have thought we had won the Cup.
"One or two of the players were looking at him and thinking 'what's wrong with him?' But Bill had known that had we lost, the powers that be would have got rid of me. To be fair to Bill, he had been saying 'over my dead body' that a change would be made but I think, in the end, they did me a favour. A manager leaving can, sometimes, act like a release valve and that was the case for both me and Leeds United."
Highs and lows of Wilko's reign
October 1988: Leaves Sheffield Wednesday to take charge of Leeds United.
March 1989: Beats Wednesday to the key signing of Manchester United's Gordon Strachan for 300,000.
May 1990: A 1-0 win at Bournemouth on the final day of the season is enough to end United's eight-year stay in the Second Division.
April 1992: Leeds claim a third league title courtesy of a 3-2 win at Sheffield United and Manchester United's 2-0 defeat at Liverpool.
Nov 1992: Knocked out of European Cup by Rangers.
May 1995: A 1-1 draw at Spurs on the final day seals qualification for UEFA Cup.
March 1996: United lose to Aston Villa in the League Cup final at Wembley and Wilkinson is jeered by United fans.
Sept 1996: A 4-0 defeat at home to Manchester United signals the end of Wilkinson's near-eight-year reign.
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