Former Leeds United defender Roque Junior has been recalling the brief spell he had at Elland Road during the 2003/4 season, reports ESPN Brasil.

Junior joined Leeds on loan from Italian giant AC Milan with a big reputation, having won the World Cup with Brazil in 2002.

However, the defender’s spell in Yorkshire did not go to plan, he joined the club as they were on a downward spiral. Having reached the Champions League semi-final in 2001, the Whites were about to suffer one of the biggest falls from grace in the history of English football, finding themselves in League One by 2007.

The Brazilian spoke to ESPN Brasil about his move to Leeds: “On my arrival, the expectation was good. I had left Milan. Actually, I chose to go. I wanted to play some more.

“At Milan I used to play, but there was a rotation. Because there was Costacurta, Maldini, Nesta, me. So we took turns. And there was this opportunity to go to England.

“Leeds had come from a year where we had played against them in the Champions League. They were in the same group as ours.”

Junior’s time at Leeds was a disaster, the defender only made five Premier League appearances before heading back to Italy.

However, the defender did play a memorable part in Leeds’ 3-2 defeat to arch-rivals Manchester United in the League Cup, where Junior scored both goals for the Whites.

As Junior reflected on his time at Elland Road, he said: “It was good learning for me too.

“But maybe I should have stayed a bit longer so that I could adapt better. On and off the pitch.”

Following Junior’s departure from Leeds, the club went on top suffer relegation from the Premier League, and have not returned to the top-flight since then.

Garry Monk is now head coach of the club and has given the club their best chance of a return to the Premier League since the 2006 Play-Off final defeat to Watford.

Leeds are currently fifth in the Sky Bet Championship, and face Bristol City at Elland Road this evening.

Leeds fans… What was your lasting memory of Roque Junior at Leeds? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!