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For a long time in the 1990s and beyond, England coaches and fans, not to mention anyone who is anyone in the media, bemoaned the problem position of the left-sided midfielder which became an issue after John Barnes' career for his country came to a close.
Steve McManaman did the job superbly in the 1996 European Championships but wasn't naturally left sided and so Terry Venables went on a hunt for someone with the a natural left foot to fill the role. Nottingham Forest's Ian Woan was talked about in the media following an excellent season with the East Midlands club but it was Blackburn Rovers winger Jason Wilcox who was given a chance to fit the bill, making his debut in a 3-0 win over Hungary in the penultimate warm-up prior to the 1996 tournament.
There was no problem with this debut, but he unsurprisingly didn't force himself into the squad at such a late stage and Venables' successor Glenn Hoddle never gave him his second cap. This came when Howard Wilkinson took temporary charge after Hoddle's 1999 self-destruction and dismissal, and Jason came on as a late sub for Arsenal's Martin Keown as England lost despairingly to France at Wembley. An uninspiring go as a left wing back under Kevin Keegan against Argentina in March 2000 earned Wilcox his third and ultimately final cap. (Matthew Rudd)
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