Sterland jumped at the chance to be reunited with his former Sheffield Wednesday boss, Howard Wilkinson, when Leeds stepped in for him after a short spell at Glasgow Rangers.
"I had offers from other First Division clubs, including Queens Park Rangers, but I didn't mind going into the Second Division with Leeds. Howard was the best manager that I played for. He quickly persuaded me that the club was heading back to the big time," Mel tells us.
It wasn't long before the manager's prediction came true. Leeds won the Second Division championship within a year.
"We had an excellent side then. People like Gordon Strachan, Vinnie Jones and John Hendrie were a joy to play with. After an unhappy time with Rangers, it was great to be back in English football."
The following season Sterland was back in the top flight and pitting his wits with the best teams in the land once again. After just one full season back, Leeds made their assault on the First Division championship.
"Howard got some new faces in and we did a lot of hard work in pre-season training. Manchester United were favourites for the title that season - most people fancied them to win the championship. I'll never forget the run-in to the end of the campaign. United had three or four games in hand over us. We kept picking up results while they dropped points. We finally won the title after winning at Bramall Lane against Sheffield United. It was superb."
The only sad thing for the rampaging full-back was that he missed the last 10 games of the season with an ankle problem which was eventually to spell the end of his distinguished career.
"I did play 32 games that year and that entitled me to a winners' medal which had to be the highlight of my professional career," says Mel. "Every schoolboy dreams of winning the league championship and I was no different."
The ankle injury showed no sign of healing, though and Mel had a tendon removed from his right ankle. Three more operations followed in a vain attempt to get the ankle right, but the former England international knew it was the end of the road.
"I felt in my own mind that I wouldn't play at the top level again. I had four operations in the space of 16 months. In the end it just started getting to me. The First Division, or what's now the Premiership, is the hardest league in the world. I couldn't put the training in and play as well. The ankle just wouldn't stand up to it, so in 1994 I called it a day."
With his depth of experience, it wasn't long before Sterland was back in football. He was named player/manager of Boston United in the Unibond Premier League at the start of the season.
"The first thing I did was seek advice from Howard Wilkinson on how I should approach the job. He told me to make sure the players were as fit as possible. He also advised me not to take too many ex-Football League players. He said they'd expect it to be easy in the non-Ieague scene and it most certainly isn't. The chat with Howard gave me a lot of confidence."
York Street, the home of Boston United, couldn't be further removed from Elland Road, but that's where Mel now plays his football.
"It's a lot easier on the old ankle. We only train on Tuesdays and Thursdays, which gives me plenty of time to rest it," he says. "I'm just glad to be back playing. The lads work very hard and we should finish in the top four or five, which isn't a bad start."
Mel is still a Leeds United supporter. He just wishes they had managed to sign Tony Yeboah a bit earlier.
"He looks a class player, doesn't he? If they'd got hold of him a bit sooner, Leeds might be challenging for the league. It's good to see Brian Deane playing well again, as well."
But what of the young man who now wears his old number two shirt?
"Gary Kelly's got the world at his feet. He's got everything going for him. He's quick, strong and brave. It's hard to believe he's still only a young kid," Mel says.
So has the former Elland Road hero got any regrets about the
premature end to his top class football career?
"I thought I should have played more for my country. I just
picked up the one cap for England, against Saudi Arabia.
The ankle injury that finished me was the only serious
injury I had during my career. It was just one of those things.
I'm 33 now and I feel I could still be doing it at the top level,
but I can't complain - I had a terrific career with
Sheffield Wednesday, Rangers and Leeds."
Mel Sterland remains a football man and has ambitions left to fulfil - starting with promotion for Boston United.
Born: October 1,1961
Leeds League & Cup apps: 134 (plus 3 sub)
Leeds goals: 20
Other clubs: Sheffield Wednesday, Rangers
Intemational: England, 1 cap
Current position: Player/Manager, Boston United.