da pixbet： Leeds United's illustrious history stretches back afar, and despite their 16-year hiatus from the Premier League, they have still boasted some incredible talent the likes of which many other clubs would have loved to have.
da dobrowin： There is a reason why they were such a feared outfit in the late 90s and early 2000s, with George Graham and later David O'Leary crafting a squad laden with quality which would propel them to the Champions League semi-finals.
However, this burst of success actually marked the beginning of the end for the Whites, who quickly found themselves in deep financial trouble which brought the period crashing down.
Despite this, and the subsequent exit of most of their top assets, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink had left years earlier due to a dispute with the aforementioned O'Leary as he sought to make some quick cash.
He was quick to offload their prized player, who had starred ever since signing for the former boss in 1997. Leaving acrimoniously could have seen him fade into obscurity in the Leeds history books, but he remains an ever-present figure in best teams of the past few decades due to his undeniable talent. Were he at Elland Road now in his prime, relegation certainly would not be a threat.
How long was Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink at Leeds?
Although the Dutchman only spent two short years in Yorkshire, his impact was swift and spectacular.
A struggling first-half season quickly turned into a blistering second half, and he would score 16 times before turning that into 18 Premier League goals the campaign following.
With an electric burst of pace to partner with his powerful physique, his two-footedness made him a constant danger in front of goal for the opposition. The way in which he would score goals with such ease marks him out as a far cry from the struggling Georginio Rutter, who was brought in to uphold their survival bid.
The Frenchman is only 20 but boasts huge potential, despite only showing glimpses of the player he might become if he can find consistency.
Before moving he had just two goals to his name in this campaign for Hoffenheim, yet a club-record fee was unloaded to tempt him to leave.
Whilst he might one day be a success, Leeds needed tangible quality immediately to steer them to safety. The kind of quality that Hasselbaink had in spades, as he adapted to England with ease.
Despite their disagreements, O'Leary did praise the character of the forward by lauding him and Mark Viduka as "wonderful lads" as they returned to face their old club.
With a misfiring strike force that could see them fall further, Javi Gracia would surely be dreaming of a player like the legendary marksman who lit up the Premier League to come and have a similar impact on his side.