Leeds United loan star Wembley bound after instant impact with potential Luke Ayling reunion
Leeds United will have some loan representation in next weekend's Championship play-off final.
Out-on-loan Leeds United star Joe Gelhardt will head to Wembley next weekend after helping Hull City beat Millwall 2-0 in Monday’s Championship play-off semi-final decider.
The Tigers needed a regular-season final-day win over Norwich City to secure their play-off spot, sneaking in after finishing sixth but facing the toughest task on paper in third-place Millwall. The tension was clear in a 0-0 draw at the MKM Stadium last week but Gelhardt’s side produced a memorable performance down in London.
The Leeds loanee came off the bench to score his side’s second goal at the Den, sparking jubilant celebrations among the travelling support. Gelhardt was found by fellow substitute Mohamed Belloumi on a counter-attack before squeezing his effort through Millwall goalkeeper Anthony Patterson, notching his 15th goal of the season.
That strike came just two minutes after the Liverpudlian was introduced and 15 minutes after Belloumi’s brilliant curled opener, with Gelhardt and his teammates now set for Wembley. They will face one of Southampton or Middlesbrough a week on Saturday for a place in the Premier League.
“It’s a tough place to come and Millwall are a great team,” Gelhardt told Sky Sports following the win. “We knew it was going to be difficult but I think that shows the character that we’ve got in the dressing room.
“We know the quality that we have and we just put it onto the pitch. A 2-0 win, it’s brilliant.”
Gelhardt will hope for better Wembley fortunes than his parent club teammates, who lost their FA Cup semi-final meeting with Chelsea last month. The home of football has not been a happy hunting ground for Leeds but Hull will have fond memories of Dean Windass sending them into the Premier League back in 2008.
Should Hull replicate that feat, Gelhardt could be returning to Elland Road as an opponent next season with Leeds’ Premier League status secured for another year. MKM Stadium chiefs have regularly made clear their desire to sign the 24-year-old permanently and a 15-goal season will have done little to dissuade them.
Forward Gelhardt could come directly up against a former Whites teammate at Wembley next weekend, with Marcelo Bielsa-era hero Luke Ayling at Middlesbrough. They travel to Southampton this evening, with the scores also at 0-0 after a tense first-leg.