Vinnie Jones only spent one full season at Leeds United, but he left a big impression.
An FA Cup winner with Wimbledon and part of their infamous ‘Crazy Gang’, Jones made the switch to Elland Road in 1989 as Howard Wilkinson looked to rebuild a side capable of getting out of the second tier.
Out went the popular John Sheridan, and in came Jones and Gordon Strachan. The pair would be pivotal in winning promotion during the 1989/90 season.
The former tough-tackling midfielder, turned Hollywood actor, was recently back at Elland Road to celebrate the club’s centenary alongside Strachan, Wilkinson and other heroes of that memorable campaign.
Thirty years later, Marcelo Bielsa is looking to emulate what Wilkinson achieved with a similar mix of experienced, quality players and emerging academy graduates.
“If you look what’s happening now, and what’s happened over the last 10 years, it shows what we did do, back in 1989/90, it puts it in perspective of how hard it really is,” he said.
“I’ve always said it’s the hardest league in the world to get out of, to get to that final step. You just hope and hope the boys can do it again this year, and get over the line.”
He left Leeds after winning promotion, with Gary McAllister coming in to replace him in midfield. The Scot would go on to form an iconic midfield along with Strachan and academy graduates David Batty and Gary Speed, the quartet forever remembered for the role they played in winning the 1992 First Division title.
Jones himself went on to have spells with Sheffield United and Chelsea, before spending six years back at Wimbledon throughout the mid-90s as the Dons established themselves as a Premier League side.
“We had some young boys, Batts and Speeds coming through, we had some good Yorkshire lads, and we had a good team spirit,” the 54-year-old reminisced.
“We had good players. We had some young players and we had some experienced players, we had Strach leading from the front, we were his soldiers behind him, and we were bringing the youngsters on behind us.
“If you look at the side, from goalkeeper right the way through the side, internationals, Mel Sterland, Batty, [Chris] Kamara, myself, it goes on and on.
“Strach was at the helm, he was the leader, and I was kind of his right-hand man. I remember at the start of the season, who’s going to be captain, but it was so obvious during pre-season getting closer to the games that it was Strach.”
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