'Leaving hurt' — Former Leeds United favourite makes candid admission about exit and Middlesbrough move — Yorkshire Post 31/10/24
By Tom Coates
Middlesbrough defender Luke Ayling has conceded it “hurt” to
end his lengthy association with Leeds United.
A firm favourite among fans at Elland Road, Ayling made 268
appearances for the club over the course of seven-and-a-half years.
He had been a regular fixture for the Whites in the Premier
League but the emergence of Archie Gray pushed him down the pecking order after
relegation to the Championship.
A loan move to Middlesbrough was sanctioned in January,
effectively ending his Leeds career with his contract due to expire later in
the year. When his Leeds deal came to an end, he joined Middlesbrough on a
permanent basis.
Speaking on the ‘My Mate’s A Footballer’ podcast, Ayling
said: "I found it tough to leave at the time that I did. I still felt like
I could help the team and get them to where they wanted to go.
"Leaving Leeds hurt then, and to leave the boys I'd
spent five, six, seven years with certainly hurt. But it all came down to
myself wanting to play football.
“It was either stay there for six months, sit on the bench
or even not make the squad, or get out and play some football. I've been given
a home at Boro and I'm really enjoying it."
Ayling is enjoying a new lease of life at the Riverside and
as one of the club’s senior statesmen, has worn the captain armband on a number
of occasions.
The 33-year-old has hailed the influence of Middlesbrough
boss Michael Carrick in the restoration of his confidence.
He said: "Speaking to someone like Michael and him
showing how much he wants me gave me the confidence I needed at the time. My
confidence was a bit low - we had just finished in the Premier League and it
didn't finish too well. It was a tough 18 months really.
"So to have Michael say he really wants me to come to
the club and put my mark on things, it was just nice."