Where Leeds United's best paid player from 10 years ago is right now | OneFootball

FLW look back ten years and outline Leeds United's top earner. What are they up to now?

Leeds United have one of the largest wage bills in the second tier in 2024/25, which is a far cry from 10 years ago under GFH and then Massimo Cellino's ownership.

Leeds' £715,000 per week payroll, as per Capology's estimates, is the highest in the Championship. However, go back 10 seasons and it is a very different picture at Elland Road. In the 2014/15 campaign, Leeds were paying out around £ 201,669 weekly, according to estimates from Capology.

The highest earner that season was veteran defender Stephen Warnock. The former left-back, whose career spanned over 15 years, began his journey at Liverpool, where he was part of the 2005 Champions League-winning squad. At Leeds, he earned £18,000 per week, with only seven players in the current Leeds squad now estimated to be on a lower weekly wage in 2025.

Leeds became one of the last clubs he played for, though his appearances were limited at Anfield prior to that. Warnock's career truly gained prominence during his time away from his boyhood club. Here, we take a look at what happened to Warnock before and after joining Leeds.

Stephen Warnock had an impressive football career

At Blackburn Rovers, between 2007 and 2009, he earned regular playing time and an England call-up. That was one of the most successful stints in his career before he then moved to Aston Villa, becoming a key player and occasional captain, enjoying perhaps the most prominent spell of his career.

Before joining Leeds in 2013, Warnock also had a brief stint at Bolton Wanderers. However, Warnock joined Leeds in January 2013 under Neil Warnock’s management, bringing much-needed experience to the club’s defence in that period.

He quickly established himself as a key figure in the side, often playing as the first-choice left-back. His leadership qualities saw him briefly captain the team as well, which was a notable moment in his Leeds career. Despite Leeds' struggles during this period, Warnock’s consistent performances were a bright spot in a side that lacked stability and success.

His best moments included scoring his first goal for Leeds in a 2-0 win over Birmingham City in 2014 and that goal against Yeovil Town thanks in large part to the windy conditions that day. Above all, Warnock was a reliable presence in the squad throughout his tenure, and his experience helped nurture many young players at the club.

However, as Leeds went through managerial changes and a turbulent period, Warnock found himself falling out of favour under new head coach Neil Redfearn in the 2014/15 season. By January 2015, Warnock’s time at Leeds came to an end, as he moved on to Derby County, marking the conclusion of his two-year stint at Elland Road.

Despite this, his time at Leeds is remembered for his professionalism, leadership, and consistency in an otherwise unstable period for the club. After leaving Leeds, Warnock had a brief but solid spell with Derby before he later moved to Wigan Athletic and Burton Albion, both in the lower leagues, before announcing his retirement at Bradford City in 2018.

Stephen Warnock's career post-Leeds

Though his later playing years were less illustrious, Warnock continued to offer experience and leadership wherever he played, making valuable contributions to these clubs in being an influential voice in the dressing room to help nurture younger players.

Despite his role as a leader, post-retirement, Warnock smoothly transitioned into a career in the media. He became a regular football pundit, appearing on major broadcasters like BBC Sport, Sky Sports, BTSport/TNT Sports, DAZN, and Quest, where his insights and expertise from a long playing career were well-received.

His knowledge of the game, particularly in analysing defensive play, has seen him gain plenty of opportunities as a regular with such broadcasters, and he has been a panelist for Leeds games on Sky on occasion too.