Leeds United and Blackburn Rovers had differing experiences of winger: View | OneFootball

These days, Jason Wilcox is known for his behind-the-scenes roles. However, he was once a magical winger in the top flight of English football.

He hypnotized many opposition defenders on the left wing during his notable spell with Blackburn Rovers throughout the 1990s, winning the Premier League with the club in 1995.

However, when he transferred to Leeds United in 1999, the club from LS11 got a very different player, and he would end up not nearly as successful as he had been previously.

Wilcox's dazzling decade at Ewood Park

The winger joined Blackburn's youth ranks in 1987, when he was just 16. Impressing throughout his time with Blackburn's youth sides, he would go on to make the step-up to the first team in 1989.

Once promoted, Wilcox never looked back. He made over 200 appearances for the club from Lancashire, scoring 30 goals.

In 1995, he would be part of the side that magically won the Premier League title, and he even went on to captain the side during his 10-year stay in the first team.

It is clear that he was a favourite at Ewood Park, and the man himself adored the club, too. In a 2010 interview with the Lancashire telegraph, Wilcox spoke about how much he enjoyed the camaraderie of his teammates, and that there was a key to success while Kenny Daglish was there.

"Kenny just saw things in players, we had to all fit into a jigsaw puzzle. If there was a great player out there with a big ego there was no way Kenny would have touched him. There were no egos," Wilcox said.

"We knew we would all back our team-mates up, run through a brick wall for your mates, your manager and for Jack. I feel privileged to have been part of that."

However, Wilcox's time at Ewood would perhaps end in a bittersweet way. Despite committing himself to the club after their title win, when others took opportunities to go elsewhere, he would rarely be effective in the seasons after.

Injuries were the main reason as to why Wilcox was never able to contribute to any further success at Blackburn, and when the club were relegated in 1999, Rovers finally decided to cash in and move their player on.

Wilcox joined Leeds at a bad time

When Leeds picked Wilcox up for what was a relative bargain at £3m, considering how good of a player he had become at Blackburn, there could not have been many thoughts that his transfer would end up being a real disappointment for both him and the club.

He began his career at Elland Road in exactly the same way he had left off at Blackburn, on the left wing, mesmerising defenders. However, talent from the club's academy in the first-team soon limited his game time.

One academy graduate that greatly hampered his chances of first team football was Harry Kewell. The Australian international, who was regarded as one of the best players in the Premier League at that time, meant Wilcox was often utilised sparingly, or left out entirely in favour of the younger starlet.

In a 2014 interview with the Yorkshire Evening Post, he detailed his frustration with his move to Leeds, and how it may have been a case of the right player at the wrong time for the Whites.

Speaking to YEP, he said, "I loved my time at Leeds and I only wished that I’d been able to play more games.

"The problem for me was that they had a young side with players who were coming through the academy, and they stuck by them.

"I had Harry Kewell in my position and Leeds made sure they protected his value. He was one of their biggest talents, really popular with the fans."

Transfer disappointment had knock-on effects on Leeds and Wilcox

The use of Kewell in Wilcox's position not only meant that the Englishman was left frustrated, but also the club too, as the return on their £3m investment was minimal, and they ended up letting him go on a free transfer.

His release was tied into the Leeds collapse of 2003/04, where financial mismanagement over the previous years finally caught up with the club and meant they were plunged into the Championship and administration.

Although Wilcox's fee wasn't the sole reason as to why the club were in such a terrible plight, a fee like that for a player who only scored six times in five years was an example of how much Leeds overspent during their glory years in the late 90s and early 00s. At the time, Wilcox was brought in to combat the club's lack of midfield cover, with Kewell playing in a more advanced position. In the years later, Leeds continued to spend on their attack and midfield, though, with Wilcox really underused for a £3m signing.

And that overspending, combined with years of poor squad building and quickfire hiring and firing of managers, has meant that Leeds have never been able to cement themselves back into the top-flight, where many fans believe they belong.

Focusing back on Wilcox, though, and his career was never the same following his Elland Road departure. He would go on to play for Leicester City and Blackpool to round out his career, but having had such a damaging spell at Leeds, he never recaptured the magic of his Blackburn days.

It is such a shame for a player that was once regarded so highly within the Premier League, but it still serves as a reminder, to this day, that the grass isn't always greener further up the divisions.