Howard Wilkinson

[1964white]

As requested a thread dedicated to Wilko, the only manager (apart from Revie) to win highest honour in English football making Leeds great again.

Wilko & his troops won the last Division One prior to the the invention of the Premier League.

[HarryofOz]

Put together a midfield of Strachan, Batty, McAllister and Speed.

Second only to Lorimer, Bremner, Giles and Gray in our history.

A huge part of the success of his team was the number of players the could be relied upon to chip in with goals.

[CHAPELALLMAN]

I hope people don't mind, but I've copied a lengthy piece that I wrote originally under the Bielsa thread - seems silly to repeat the same points again here ;

I'm always amazed at how little credit Wilko gets from Leeds fans, and in fact it's one of the reasons why I tend to not be too gushing about Marcelo Bielsa. I just smile now when I hear people saying that Bielsa is running Wilko close as the 2nd greatest ever Leeds manager. Maybe it's because Wilko was born in Sheffield and managed Wednesday that he is held in so little regard ? Or maybe because the recruitment after winning the title didn't quite match the same standard prior to winning it. Prior to winning the 1st division he never put a foot wrong with his recruitment, so he created sky high expectations after just 3.5 seasons at the club.

When Wilko took over in October 1988 the club was 21st in the second division, and ahead only on goal difference from a relegation place. He had no summer to impose his methods on the side or to bring new players in. Bielsa took over in the summer with the club having finished 19 points above relegation.

I've just looked at the players in the 1st team when Wilko took over, and it included John Stiles, David Rennie, Micky Adams, Vince Hilaire, Noel Blake and Bobby Davison. Only David Batty from the 1st team in October 1988 was part of the team that won the title in 91/2. That title winning side had Batty and Speed from the academy and all the rest were signed by Wilko over 2.5 seasons.

Wilko didn't have a DOF back then, so he chose the transfer targets. So to win the 1st division title he brought in Strachan, McAllister, Chapman, Wallace, Dorigo, Fairclough, Lukic, Hodge and Cantona. So unlike today's recruitment, it was hit, hit and hit rather than hit and miss.

To go from 21st in the second tier to winning it the next season, to then after 9 years away from the top tier come 4th in the first season back, and then to go on and win the top tier the year after I think is still one of the most amazing feats in the club's history. It was two titles in three years - so 2nd division champions, 4th in the first division, 1st division champions, 17th in the 1st division, 5th in the first division and 5th in the first division. Next season he was sacked in Sept.

I think his problem was that he achieved too much too quickly which created unrealistic expectations among the fanbase. I don't know exactly what went on with the Cantona saga - however I remember reading in a newspaper report at the time after Cantona made his first appearance for us as a sub, and him being criticised for being sluggish and poor. So Wilko deserves great credit for having the vision to bring him to the club in the first place.

And then there were some memorable European performances - especially the wins against Stuttgart and Monaco. Plus one League Cup semi and one League Cup final appearance.

And he signed Yeboah - who is now regarded as a club legend with the most spectacular goals ever scored by a Leeds player other than Peter Lorimer. People tend to forget too that he brought in Bowyer, Martyn and Radebe, so together with the academy players he virtually created the team for O'Leary to flourish with in the next golden era from 1998 to 2002.

And of course Wilko set up the academy which both O'Leary and Bielsa have benefited from during their tenures.

[CHAPELALLMAN]

Further to the question that Weasel posed under the Bielsa thread, it would have been interesting to see how Wilko would have fared had he been at the club to see the fruition of his 10 year plan.

That way we would have been spared the boring George Graham years when the club seemed to tread water, and maybe some of the youth players would have been introduced earlier - Wilko would have been thrilled to see the results produced through him setting up the academy.

Although O'Leary did well, I just wonder whether the club might have become PL champions under Wilko - when we were fighting it out at the top with the Reds under O'Leary, Wilko's extra experience may have paid off - after all he pipped Ferguson to the title in 93. If Wilko was capable of winning the title in 92/3 with a fairly newly promoted team, then I don't see why he couldn't have done it between 2000 and 2002.

[1964white]

Not at all Chapel

I could have moved your post from the Bielsa topic, however that would have taken away the comparison you were making between Marcelo & Wilko on that thread.

[Muppet the Cat]

Takes you back when you watch it

[1964white]

[mentalcase]

Top man HW, not as dour as folk thought he was, most of that assumption was based on his Yorkshire accent.
Like weasel says, would have been interesting had he went passed the 10 yr plan.
From nowhere , travelling round shitholes like Carlisle, Shrewsbury Oxford etc, suddenly champions, the 4th in 1st Division, then CHAMPIONS, ferguson tried his mind games with him, Wilko destroyed in with his put-downs, the rest is history.
Like we said in the Bielsa thread, HW was another way ahead of his time, the fitness and the diets were all down to HW.
The academy, the kids coming through, ultimately he never saw it through, we were possibly 4 yrs ahead of the plan but still won the first division title, he rested on his laurels to much and that was that, we craved more success.
Like has been said, O'leary was the man to reap the rewards from some of those youngsters.
Lets not forget it was Eddie Gray & Billy Bremner who introduced a lot of youngsters who went on for HW to bring on and educate.
Thanks for your time & efforts Wilko, always a legend at Leeds.

[Mountain]

Whatever about comparing managers, which is very difficult, it's interesting to compare fans.

Both Wilkinson and Bielsa have done extraordinary things for Leeds United. One ended up being jeered and spat on after the League Cup Final, the other is now subjected to abuse on social media.

Perhaps the one constant is...fans don't change. They love the good days, but when the success slows down a section will always turn on the people who gave them those good days.

[mentalcase]

Whatever about comparing managers, which is very difficult, it's interesting to compare fans.

Both Wilkinson and Bielsa have done extraordinary things for Leeds United. One ended up being jeered and spat on after the League Cup Final, the other is now subjected to abuse on social media.

Perhaps the one constant is...fans don't change. They love the good days, but when the success slows down a section will always turn on the people who gave them those good days.

Fans are very fickle, not only LU fans, just look at other clubs and you will see the same sort of thing, success is demanded asap these days, and when it goes awry, the good times are quickly forgotten about.

[YorkshireSquare]

I hope people don't mind, but I've copied a lengthy piece that I wrote originally under the Bielsa thread - seems silly to repeat the same points again here

Do you mind if we use some of this for an article on the front page?

[CHAPELALLMAN]

Not at all Chapel

I could have moved your post from the Bielsa topic, however that would have taken away the comparison you were making between Marcelo & Wilko on that thread.

[CHAPELALLMAN]

Do you mind if we use some of this for an article on the front page?

Not at all YS.

[mentalcase]

The knowledge Wilko passed on to Gary Speed mustn't be passed over lightly either, he introduced him as a kid, also Batty etc, speedo did the same when Wales manager, also implementing things like diets and taking time to speak to the young lads coming through the ranks, having faith in a young Aaron Ramsey for instance making him captain.
Wilkos presence was immense.

[Finnatic]

Howard also had a blueprint for the FA and league but they f****d him off.
Germany got interested and used it to win the World Cup and I think they won the Euros too.

[mentalcase]

Howard also had a blueprint for the FA and league but they f****d him off.
Germany got interested and used it to win the World Cup and I think they won the Euros too.

Correct, I posted this on the Bielsa thread.

[mentalcase]

This

Wilko won too much too soon, then rested on his laurels, thats what ultimately cost him, I'll be forever grateful for what he did, especially with the academy, he also made the blueprint for the England set-up, only to be royally fucked over by ageing never has-beens at the FA, shame on them, they personally set England back by years with their personal vendetta against LUFC , Wilko was way ahead of his time, just like Don was, we get no appreciation whatsoever regarding Don & Wilko.

[Clacton White]

Whatever about comparing managers, which is very difficult, it's interesting to compare fans.

Both Wilkinson and Bielsa have done extraordinary things for Leeds United. One ended up being jeered and spat on after the League Cup Final, the other is now subjected to abuse on social media.

Perhaps the one constant is...fans don't change. They love the good days, but when the success slows down a section will always turn on the people who gave them those good days.

I was in Devon when that League cup final was played , doing a race called Grizzly , anyway that final was the same afternoon and I had finished the run , git back to b&b and watched the final .......maybe the most disappointing game I saw the side play for many a year . The team just didn't play , bar Andy Gray ....from then I think Wilco's days were numbered .Despite a decent start to the following season the team were hammered at home v Man Utd and it was all the excuse needed , maybe George Graham had already secretly been sounded out ......but I have to say Howard achieved what I thought no manager after Don Revie could achieve.......winning the title .It had seemed a lifetime since the last title (18 years) , the gap between Howards and now though is twelve years longer and counting . You don't appreciate what Howard did until you look back , for a team up one season it was a great achievement . Wouldn't happen now in the era of the billionaire owners .

[Tyzy]

The Wilko era was my season ticket years,when I had no kids and could afford it! They were brilliant times and in my view MB had a long way to go in my book to emulate his success.Not a MB put down by the way !

Strachan ,bargain of the century he was outstanding,must admit didn't think so at the time.

[VinnysTattoo]

That promotion season from the old Second Division was one of my favourites. The atmosphere was unbelievable.

Wilko kept the momentum going the next season by signing players like Gary Mac and Rod Wallace and how that paid off.

Unlike the current owners, the club and Wilko understood the need to strengthen to progress, especially in the key area of midfield. Strachan, Gary Mac, Batty and Speed were the reason we were successful. Wilko even moved on cult hero Vinnie because he needed a bit more class.

Wilko admitted years later that he took his eye off the first team, and that cost him his job. I, like others on here was at the Wembley debacle where it was obvious that he had indeed lost the plot somewhat.