Tony Dorigo endured an eventful four season at Chelsea between 1987 and 1991, winning the club's Player of the Year award in his first year despite being relegated from the First Division, before earning promotion at the first time of asking.
However, he left in somewhat acrimonious circumstances in 1991, making and then withdrawing a transfer request after declining a new contract to stay at Stamford Bridge.
Manager Bobby Campbell dropped Dorigo, but Leeds came calling shortly after, offering Chelsea £1.3 million. Dorigo duly moved, explaining to FourFourTwo Howard Wilkinson's influence in his decision.
"Chelsea were still achieving decent league positions but I thought there was something stopping us from succeeding, so I wanted to look at my options when my contract ran out," Dorigo tells FFT.
"I was going away with England and planned to speak to clubs when I got back. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Leeds came in and Howard Wilkinson rang me.
"I said, 'I’ll see you when I get back.' Howard said, 'No, you’re coming here right now.' I headed there before I went away and it was great. He sold me the vision of what they were trying to do."
He still enjoyed his time at Chelsea, though, despite relegation in his first season.
The Australian-born England international scored the winner in the 1990 Full Members Cup final (Zenith Data Systems Cup), his long-range free-kick the only goal of the game at Wembley.
"Growing up in Oz, I dreamed of scoring the winning goal at Wembley. It wasn’t quite the FA Cup final, but there was a 76,000-crowd there and it was unbelievable.
"Chelsea fans back then weren’t used to the success they have today, so they certainly remember it. I still have Middlesbrough fans coming up to me, saying I ruined their childhood! The passion is just brilliant – that’s what it’s all about. Winning Division Two by a long way made the previous season very special, too."
