... was manager of Leeds United from 1988 to 1996. They won the League title in 1991–2 – the last season before the Premier League was formed, and thus the last season in which the Football League title really was the English Championship.
He was sacked by Leeds in September 1996, after a 4–0 defeat at home to Manchester United left them with only seven points from their first five games of the season. Four months later he became Technical Director of the Football Association, a post he held for four years. In this role he was instrumental in the establishment of St. George's Park as England's National Football Centre, and published the Charter for Quality, which formed the basis on which all English academies were to train future stars.
In 1999, Wilkinson (as the FA's Technical Director) appointed himself manager of the England Under–21s, replacing Peter Taylor – the choice of Glenn Hoddle, who at the time was manager of the full England team. Wilkinson also stood in as caretaker manager of the full team on two occasions, following the sacking of Hoddle and the resignation of Kevin Keegan.
Wilkinson left the FA in October 2002, to return to club management at Sunderland who were in danger of relegation from the Premier League. He was unable to improve the side's form, and left in March 2003. Sunderland ended the season at the bottom of the Premier League with just 19 points – the lowest ever total in the Premier League up to that time. They won only two of their twenty league games during Wilkinson's tenure; possibly his worst moment was a 3–1 home defeat to Charlton Athletic in February 2003, during which Sunderland scored three own goals within seven minutes.
Wikipedia tells how, after one far–from–perfect performance during his time at Sunderland, Wilkinson was asked "some very pointed questions" by a reporter from BBC Radio 5 Live. He is said to have "snapped" and asked the reporter what qualified him to question professionals in this way. "Forty–three England caps, fifteen as captain" came the reply. The reporter was Jimmy Armfield.
© Haydn Thompson 2024