Jason Wilcox
Jason Malcolm Wilcox ( born July 15 1971 in Farnworth ) is a former English footballer. The fast, usually acting on the left winger won in 1995 with Blackburn Rovers, the English championship and played shortly after the descent of the " Rovers " from December 1999 for several years at that time still highly ambitious Leeds United before the three-time British A-National player between 2004 and 2006 at Leicester City and later at Blackpool FC 's career trailed off.
Professional career
In the club
Blackburn Rovers (1989-1999)
The professional football player Jason Wilcox came from the youth work of Blackburn Rovers. After Wilcox was in 1986 joined the club and had started a year later the YTS - training program, he signed on June 13, 1989 at the then second division his first professional contract. On the first successes in the adult area, he then had to wait patiently and after his debut on April 16, 1990 against Swindon Town ( 2-1 ), he captured only in the 1991/92 season under interim coach Tony Parkes a permanent place in the team. Since Scott Sellars occupied the left side of midfield at this time, Wilcox acted mostly on the right wing. There, however, he convinced the new manager Kenny Dalglish such that it decided after a successful ascent in 1992, the newly created Premier League to sell Sellars, Wilcox moved to the left side and made a commitment for the opposite position Stuart Ripley.
This was followed by a steep climb in the English top flight, which led to winning the league title in 1995 over the fourth place in the first year, over the runner-up in 1994. Here Wilcox's influence was not negligible, as it together with left-back Graeme Le Saux - nimble acted on the outer position and cross gifts and flanks players like Alan Shearer, Chris Sutton, Mike Newell and Kevin Gallacher enabled numerous scoring chances - as Ripley on the right side and with preference opposing full-backs involved in direct duels run. His importance was especially evident in the second half of the season, when he faced Tottenham Hotspur drew upon in February 1995 a serious cruciate ligament injury and the creative moments from the left side were missing from now on. Wilcox was slow to recover from his injuries. Following a cruciate ligament surgery had cysts are removed, and in February 1996 he was back in the starting line- with him. After another break due to a foot injury, it looked as of April look as if he could fill the vacant position on the left midfield position again permanently.
After yet another setback in the summer of 1996, when Wilcox had to be re-operated on knee due to a cartilage injury, he returned with fresh motivation in the team, but had to make do without top scorer Alan Shearer now, who had always been a reliable edge consumer of Wilcox. When then adopted towards the Chelsea before the start of the season 1997/98 Le Saux, the sign on the left side in Blackburn changed fundamentally. The committed in March 1996, Irishman Damien Duff took over the role on the wing and Wilcox was frequently withdrawn to the full-back position. Although he certainly demonstrated his qualities there due to his strength in the tackle, there was obviously not his preferred position, which stood out as examples in his coordination problems with respect to the offside trap. Unhelpful in the fight for his status in the team were also emerging groin strain and the resulting two operations. Wilcox became henceforth for all-around player, the new coach Roy Hodgson even began the penalty area and was later act in the middle of January 1999 again under Brian Kidd - while he took over temporarily the role of the team captain. After the descent, and the resignation of Kidd signaled interim coach Tony Parkes that Duff on the left midfield was henceforth be a regular player and a short time later, Wilcox worked for three million pounds back in the Premier League for Leeds United, one of the best teams in time of Premier League decreed.
Leeds United (1999-2004)
Two days after his commitment debuted Wilcox at Elland Road against Chelsea, enabled in the following period due to its position in the left-sided midfielder Harry Kewell could frequently change towards the centrally, and showed especially in the UEFA Cup home games good performance. After this promising restart Wilcox had then injured his possible participation in the euro cancel 2000 and following a short subsequent fracture ahead of a match against FC Barcelona plus a two-month break, he defended his first regular place in the new club. Despite the ever-advancing age, he played soccer players continue its strengths in direct duels and run at flank for striker Robbie Fowler, although he was only 17 competitive matches of the 2001/ 02 season due to various injuries. For the first time for use in the subsequent season 2002 /03 he came only in November 2002, thereafter remained in 25 league games a fixed size before he seldom in Leeds came in his final year for the course and tried in vain to the right of midfield, against Players out on loan Jermaine Pennant to put up a fight. The contract expired in the summer of 2004, without leading to an extension.
Leicester City and Blackpool FC (2004-2006)
Transfer fee free it moved to Wilcox second division Leicester City. There he was at first a gain before mid- October 2004 against Coventry City tore his cruciate ligament, which put him out of action until the spring of 2005. Although it at first then looked as if it could once again return to the first team permanently Wilcox, him, the club had two months after his last league cup match against FC Blackpool switch to that same opponent in November 2005 on loan. The then third-rate team from Blackpool, he helped both the left side of midfield and as a full-back by a crisis situation and was from end of January 2006 with the club firmly under contract. After disagreements with the club's management you came to the end of the 2005/06 season, however, in terms of further employment to any agreement.
England national team
On May 18, 1996 Wilcox played against Hungary (3-0) his first senior international game for England and not a few experts predicted he a calling in the squad for the Euro 1996 in their own country. However, the then- coach Terry Venables had him taken into account in the final 24 -man squad and only in the years 1999 and 2000 followed against France ( 0-2) and Argentina ( 0-0) two more inserts for the " Three Lions ". He has long been regarded as a solution for the dominant team in the English problem in left midfield and as he was nominated Kevin Keegan for Euro 2000, where he then but had to cancel his participation due to injuries. So it remained for Wilcox in these three missions, which in 1994 and 1998, two B- internationals had joined against Chile and Hong Kong.
Title / Awards
- English Championship ( 1): 1995