A few Leeds supporters have been reminiscing on social media to a £1million ‘bargain’ signing the Whites made, by bringing John Lukic back to Elland Road in 1990.
The Chesterfield-born goalkeeper honed his trade in the United academy before earning a first-team shot in the late 1970s, and would hold down duties between the sticks for the next four years until he left West Yorkshire for North London and joined Arsenal.
He would represent the Gunners for seven years before George Graham went out and bought another product of our academy in Lukic’s former understudy David Seaman, which put a number on Lukic’s days at Highbury.
Elland Road would be the former England U21 international’s sanctuary, though, as we forked out a then club-record £1million to re-sign Lukic from Arsenal. The fee was eight times the £125,000 the Gunners spent to sign him from us in 1983, and he would go on to represent the former Highbury residents again between 1996 and his retirement in 2001, after joining on a free transfer.
It was a quarter of our 1990 summer budget splashed to bring Lukic back to Elland Road, as Howard Wilkinson was handed a £4million war chest to improve the first-team following our Division Two winning campaign, which saw Sheffield United finish runners-up only on goal difference.
The year before had seen United set a then-club record, too, as Vinny Jones left Wimbledon for Elland Road, with the Whites outlaying £850,000 to land the iconic midfielder’s services.
During his two stints in West Yorkshire, Lukic made 357 appearances for the Whites – vastly more than he would for Arsenal – and would lift the 1991/92 old First Division trophy and the 1993 Community Shield. While with Arsenal, the 58-year-old would lift the 1987 EFL Cup and the 1988/89 First Division crown.
Here’s what these Leeds fans had to say when the flashback signing from the summer of 1990 was shared on Twitter by Leeds United Memories…
Met him for a drink after he made his debut. Valletta! White something
— FFS Leeds (@stephbb1210) June 23, 2019
We need a modern day Lucic next season
— Mickus (@l33dsmm) June 23, 2019
What a bargain he turned out to be.
— John Mcloughlin (@JohnMcl55891863) June 23, 2019
Would do anything to have him now.
— Martyn On Together (@MartynOnTogethe) June 23, 2019
Money bags Leeds ????
— Pete’s Leeds???? ???????????????? (@BadgeSmiley) June 23, 2019
Transfer budget hasn’t changed much then ????????????
— Oli Walker ???????? (@RaisingTheRoofe) June 23, 2019