Editing Gordon Strachan (section)

===Leeds United===
In March 1989, [[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|Sheffield Wednesday]] manager [[Ron Atkinson]] had a bid of £200,000 accepted by Manchester United, and he offered Strachan a contract paying more money than anyone in the club's history.<ref>{{harvnb|Moynihan|2004|p=163}}</ref> However likely a move to Sheffield seemed, [[Leeds United F.C.|Leeds United]] manager [[Howard Wilkinson]] matched the offer and convinced Strachan to drop down into the [[Football League Second Division|Second Division]].<ref>{{harvnb|Moynihan|2004|p=165}}</ref> He quickly became a popular figure at [[Elland Road]], earning comparisons to former favourites [[Bobby Collins (footballer)|Bobby Collins]] and [[Johnny Giles]].<ref>{{harvnb|Moynihan|2004|p=167}}</ref> Signing a two-year contract, he was awarded with the captain's armband.<ref>{{harvnb|Moynihan|2004|p=168}}</ref> He formed an unlikely midfield partnership with [[Vinnie Jones]] and led the club to the Second Division title in [[1989–90 Football League|1989–90]].<ref>{{harvnb|Moynihan|2004|p=169}}</ref>

With the "Whites" now in the First Division, Wilkinson secured a midfield quartet of Strachan, [[Gary McAllister]], [[David Batty]] and [[Gary Speed]].<ref name="page 177">{{harvnb|Moynihan|2004|p=177}}</ref> They achieved a commendable fourth-place finish in [[1990–91 Football League|1990–91]], and also reached the semi-finals of the [[1990–91 Football League Cup|League Cup]].<ref name="page 177"/> Strachan was voted [[FWA Footballer of the Year]] for his performances during the campaign, becoming the first player to win the award both in Scotland and in England.<ref name="page 177"/>

Strachan signed a new two-year contract, before captaining Leeds to the league title in [[1991–92 Leeds United A.F.C. season|1991–92]].<ref>{{harvnb|Moynihan|2004|p=180}}</ref> In so doing, he denied former boss Alex Ferguson and Leeds' [[Leeds United F.C.–Manchester United F.C. rivalry|hated rivals]] Manchester United the title.<ref>{{harvnb|Moynihan|2004|p=181}}</ref> However, Strachan (now nearing age 35) was beginning to feel the effects of his [[sciatica]] and missed a number of matches due to his bad back.<ref>{{harvnb|Moynihan|2004|p=182}}</ref> Following the club's success, Strachan was appointed an [[Order of the British Empire|OBE]] for his services to sport.<ref>{{harvnb|Moynihan|2004|p=197}}</ref>

However, Leeds were unable to build on their success, and finished the [[1992–93 Leeds United A.F.C. season|1992–93 season]] down in 17th place in what was newly re-branded as the [[Premier League]].<ref name="page 202">{{harvnb|Moynihan|2004|p=202}}</ref> Strachan continued to impress though, and was given the club's Player of the Year award.<ref name="page 202"/> He scored a hat-trick against [[Blackburn Rovers F.C.|Blackburn Rovers]] on 10 April 1993.<ref>{{cite news |last=Edworthy |first=Niall |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-strachan-inspires-1454576.html |title=Strachan inspires |date=11 April 1993 |access-date=15 September 2014 |work=The Independent |location=London |archive-date=3 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103154957/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-strachan-inspires-1454576.html |url-status=live }}</ref> This was his second hat-trick for Leeds, the first having come in September 1989 when he found the net three times in a 4–0 win over promotion rivals [[Swindon Town F.C.|Swindon Town]] in the Second Division at [[Elland Road]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.leedsunited-mad.co.uk/feat/edy3/hattrick_heroes_286630/index.shtml|title=Hat-Trick Heroes|access-date=12 March 2018|archive-date=3 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803005112/http://www.leedsunited-mad.co.uk/feat/edy3/hattrick_heroes_286630/index.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref>

Strachan managed 37 starts in [[1993–94 Leeds United A.F.C. season|1993–94]], and Leeds rose to fifth.<ref name="page 202"/> He was rarely selected in the [[1994–95 in English football|1994–95 season]], which would prove to be the end of his spell at Elland Road, where he had spent six years.<ref>{{harvnb|Moynihan|2004|p=204}}</ref>