Qantas Socceroos

Solid performances for the Qantas Under 23 team at the Athens Olympics suddenly put Wilkshire in the mix for the senior national side. He took a risk by moving from Middlesbrough to Bristol City in 2003, but the regular first team football improved his game tremendously and put him in the spotlight.

A tenacious and hard working midfielder, he is always looking for the ball and gets forward at every opportunity to support in attack, this didn't go unnoticed by national team boss Guus Hiddink and to the shock of many he was picked in the 2006 World Cup squad. While most saw him as a squad player, Hiddink saw something different and he started in the opening game against Japan. Missed next two games, but in Emerton's absence was selected against Italy, putting in a very solid performance.

On advice from Hiddink, Wilkshire moved to the Netherlands in 2006 to play with Eredivisie side FC Twente and has been a first team regular ever since.

Played in three of the four matches at the 2007 Asian Cup finals and was an important player during the 2010 World Cup qualifiers.

He made a move to Russian outfit Dynamo Moscow in 2008 and has featured regularly in that side.