A transfer from Rangers to Leeds United was sold to Mel Sterland by Howard Wilkinson with one simple promise: Come to Elland Road and you'll win the league title.

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Wilkinson's offer was understated, and Sterland's pockets were soon filled with two championship medals, but it was the convincing guarantee of success that drew the right-back from Ibrox to Yorkshire in 1989.

It's the same guarantee which he believes Gary McAllister will present to his more ambitious targets this summer.
The extent of McAllister's aspirations in the transfer market have been revealed by confirmation of United's interest in Derek Riordan and

Kevin Phillips, strikers with a reputation surpassing League One and the majority of clubs held in the division.
Phillips is one signature away from retaking his place in the Premier League next season with Championship winners West Bromwich Albion, but McAllister saw the impending conclusion of the 34-year-old's current contract at the Hawthorns as an opportunity to test the water.

Comments from the striker's agent, Phil Smith, confirming that interest from any other League One club would have been dismissed out of hand are a strong hint that the transfer of Phillips to Elland Road remains improbable – the cost of United's failure to win promotion last month – but McAllister's intentions have demonstrated his desire to leave as little as possible to chance next season.
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Riordan – a 25-year-old forward produced and developed by Hibernian and now on the very fringes of Celtic's squad – is himself a popular target who attracted the interest of six different clubs in January.
And the strong link between him and Leeds is another tentative but promising move forward from the news that Andy Robinson, a member of Swansea City's League One-winning squad, has agreed to move to Elland Road.

Sterland said: "Signing players is different to approaching them but knowing Gary, he wouldn't be asking about these lads if he didn't think it was at all realistic.

"The first thing they'll say is 'there's no way I'm playing in League One' because they're obviously better than that level, but Leeds United make you think twice. It becomes a different proposition when they're involved.

"When Howard came to buy me from Rangers, he said: 'Sign for me and you'll win the league.' That was it, in black and white. And because it was Leeds United, I knew there was a real chance it would happen so I took his offer.

"If these approaches are serious then it does seem like Leeds are willing to pump some money into next season, and you can't argue with that ambition. It's what the supporters want to see.

"They're looking at players who are a level above where they are now, and that's the way to make progress."

Wilkinson's promise to Sterland was fulfilled within 12 months when Leeds won the second division title in 1990 and the defender was also part of the squad which lifted the Division One championship two years later.

Sterland left Rangers as the Scottish club were preparing to enter the European Cup in 1989, and the squad he departed went on to win their domestic league at the end of that season.

QPR – then a top-flight side – attempted to usurp United's interest, but the prior relationship between Sterland and Wilkinson at Sheffield Wednesday gave Leeds a telling advantage.
Burnley are being strongly linked with Riordan, having failed with a £400,000 bid during the January transfer window, but sources from north of the border claim a move to Elland Road would appeal to the Scotland international more than a switch to Turf Moor.

Sterland said: "Leeds will go up next season, I'm sure about that. And I don't think they'll need the play-offs to do it this time.

"They're the biggest club in their league and they're going to have one of the best squads. They've also had the chance to establish themselves at a lower level which isn't always as easy as you think. Leicester City are the other major club in there next season, but they'll need to spend this summer getting the higher earners out of the club and taking a long, hard look at their wage bill.

"It's difficult enough for a manager to get the players he wants when things are going well, but it's even tougher when you've got a lot of people going in the opposite direction as well.

"Gary doesn't need to make too many changes to his squad and the lads who leave Leeds won't be going because they're on too much money.
Stability

"They'll be going to other clubs to get first-team football and that's completely different to a situation where a manager is being told to cut back on wages.

"Leeds have been there and done that, which gives them an advantage."

A more crucial and apparent difference beyond the quality and stability of United's squad is the club's freedom from their much-discussed 15-point penalty, a punishment described by Sterland as "a disgrace".

"I don't agree with punishing players for something which basically came down to finances," said the 46-year-old.

"The players had nothing to do with that, so it doesn't seem fair to me that they should come into work one day and be told that they're playing with minus 15 points.

"I thought it was a disgrace and I felt very sorry for them after the play-off final. The players suffered because of something they couldn't control. That can't be right."