After Gordon Strachan success, Leeds United transfer deal with Man United was a disaster | OneFootball

Scott Wootton's impact at Elland Road can only be described as negative following a move from Man United to Leeds United.

Despite being huge rivals, Leeds United and Man United have both benefited from their fair share of transfer dealings with one another over the years.

One of the best signings made by Leeds was Gordon Strachan in 1989. Strachan arrived from the Red Devils and transformed Leeds’ fortunes. Under his leadership, the club won promotion to the First Division, and just two seasons later, secured the title in 1991/92.

His experience, work ethic, and all-round technical ability, in spite of his age, made him a pivotal figure, and he was influential in shaping the squad's mentality.

Meanwhile, Manchester United’s signing of Eric Cantona from Leeds in 1992 proved to be a masterstroke just a handful of years later. Cantona, with his flair and charisma, became a catalyst for their dominance in the Premier League throughout the 1990s, winning multiple titles.

Both players were emblematic of the cultural and competitive shifts in their respective clubs, each leaving an indelible mark. Although dealings between the sides have been few and far between, there have been other memorable signings.

Leeds United and Man United transfer deals are a rare commodity

There have been several transfers between Leeds and Manchester United in the last few decades. Danny Pugh made the switch in 2004 as part of the Alan Smith deal, and while he had his moments, he never reached anywhere near the same heights as Strachan.

Dan James’ 2021 move from Old Trafford to West Yorkshire was marked by potential, though his output at Elland Road was underwhelming at first, he has been an excellent player in the recent Championship seasons under Daniel Farke.

There were other notable signings like Lee Sharpe and, in particular, Rio Ferdinand as well but it's hard to argue any had the impact of a Strachan or Cantona.

Ferdinand was a huge success at Leeds and captained Man United in his later years at the club as part of legendary Sir Alex Ferguson teams, during which he helped guide through a number of young centre-backs to the first-team, which includes a young Scott Wootton.

Wootton never made the grade with the English footballing giants, and was always likely to have a career in the lower leagues of the game, but his transfer across the Pennines in 2013 stands out for all the wrong reasons.

He was one of the more forgettable signings for Leeds. While he didn’t cost much to Man United at £1 million, that was a significant outlay at the time for Leeds for a player that they thought could develop. His versatility allowed him to play both right-back and centre-back, but his impact was minimal.

There was a lot of excitement when Leeds signed highly-rated young centre-back Wootton from Manchester United, but he didn’t live up to expectations over the next few years, despite making over 70 appearances for the club.

At worst, he was expected to be a solid squad player. However, he struggled to find consistency and often appeared out of his depth in the main.

Especially when you compared that to the level of expectation surrounding him. His decision-making and positioning were questionable, and he frequently made errors that cost Leeds points.

Wootton never seemed to gain the trust of the fans or the managers he played under, and his performances lacked the technical quality needed to thrive at a club with Leeds' ambitions, which surprised many when considering his footballing education at Old Trafford.

Unlike a signing such as Strachan, who was transformative for Leeds, or even James, who has developed into a favourite with the fans, Wootton never came close to making a lasting impact of any description.

His time at Elland Road serves as a reminder that, regardless of transfer cost or potential versatility, players need to possess the right mental and technical attributes to succeed at a high level.

Wootton’s inability to rise to that challenge meant he will remain a footnote in the club's history, never able to emulate the successes of some of Leeds' best signings from their rivals before him.

He was largely a poor signing and a waste of £1 million that Leeds could not afford to make at that time, with hardly any fees eclipsing it during that era of the club. His 13 yellow cards in his time at the club help paint the picture of the calamitous defending that hindered him weekly.

A long tour of the EFL ended up being his next steps following previous loans prior to joining Leeds permanently. Including Leeds, he featured for nine clubs up and down the country, becoming a true journeyman.

Going down the leagues, unsurprisingly, he featured for the likes of MK Dons, Plymouth, and Morecambe before he made the bold decision to go to New Zealand to join Wellington Phoenix.

Wootton has been an important figure for the side since, who compete in the Australian A-League. The 33-year-old still has a year left on his contract with the club. Man United were the winners from this deal in the end.