History of Leeds United A.F.C. - 1988-96 Howard Wilkinson: Re-emergence

1988-96 Howard Wilkinson: Re-emergence

Honours Won: First Division Championship (1991/92), Second Division Championship (1989/90), Charity Shield (1992/93)

Runners Up: League Cup (1995/96)

Wilkinson set about building a team capable of promotion. Key acquisitions included Gordon Strachan from Manchester United, Vinnie Jones, Mel Sterland, Lee Chapman and Chris Fairclough. He also began to bring players through from the youth team, including David Batty (actually a product of the Bremner era) and Gary Speed. In the 1989-90 season Leeds finally won promotion back to the First Division after an absence of eight years. Leeds were promoted as Second Division Champions.

Wilkinson continued to rebuild the team, discarding players such as Jones who had been brought in specifically to deal with the physicality of second division football, and bringing in John Lukic (the club's first £1m signing), Chris Whyte and Gary McAllister. The club finished the 1990-91 season in 4th place in the First Division, and the board continued to make money available to Wilkinson, allowing the signings of Tony Dorigo, Steve Hodge, Rod Wallace and Eric Cantona.

The following season saw Leeds pip arch-rivals Manchester United to the First Division championship, the last before it was rebranded as the Premier League. The title was secured in the penultimate game of the season, when Leeds defeated Sheffield United 3-2 and Manchester United lost to Liverpool. Wilkinson's side boasted arguably the finest midfield in the League in the form of Strachan, Batty, McAllister and Speed.

The 1992-93 season started promisingly, with Leeds beating Liverpool 4-3 in the Charity Shield. Wilkinson had set his sights on winning the UEFA Champions League but progress was halted by Rangers, who beat Leeds in both legs of a clash labelled the "Battle of Britain". Controversially, Eric Cantona was sold to rivals Manchester United for £1.2 million, and Leeds seemed incapable of any consistency - the team failed to win an away game all season (the only defending League champions ever to achieve this dubious record). Leeds eventually finished 17th in the League - three places above relegation.

The following 1993-94 season saw a much improved Leeds side finish 5th in League. The subsequent 1994-95 season again saw Leeds finish 5th, this time qualifying for the UEFA Cup. The previously erratic defence was shored up by Lucas Radebe, who proved to be an astute purchase. Unfortunately Wilkinson also made a number of suspect signings, notably Carlton Palmer for £2.6m and Tomas Brolin for £4.5m; the latter made only 19 appearances for the club.

Wilkinson's team failed to gel, and the 1995-96 season saw Leeds finish in 13th position. Leeds did reach the League Cup final, but were beaten 3-0 by Aston Villa in a disappointing performance.

Despite the arrival of Nigel Martyn and Lee Bowyer, Leeds made a poor start to the 1996-97 season, and after a 4-0 home defeat by Manchester United, Wilkinson had his contract terminated. Under Wilkinson Leeds won the First Division Championship, the Second Division Championship, the Charity Shield and reached the League Cup Final. To this day Howard Wilkinson remains the second most successful manager of the club behind Don Revie.