'Rubbish' - Luke Ayling sends Leeds United promotion message with Whites declaration, vow and Boro ending take
Luke Ayling has issued a Leeds United promotion message.
Ex-Whites star Luke Ayling has saluted Leeds United’s return to the Premier League with a Whites declaration and supporter admission.
Ayling helped Leeds to promotion as Championship champions under Marcelo Bielsa in the summer of 2020 before the Whites lost their top-flight status with relegation three years on.
Ayling then joined Middlesbrough on loan for the rest of the season in January 2024 before ending eight years at Elland Road with a permanent switch to the Riverside the following summer.
It meant Ayling’s former club and new one battling it out for Championship promotion over the 2024-25 campaign which has seen Leeds promoted back to the country’s top flight as Championship champions. Boro, meanwhile, who had been in contention for a play-offs place, eventually fell away to a tenth-placed finish.
Speaking to ITV as part of a day out at York races, Ayling admitted Boro’s end to the season had been “a bit rubbish” but vowed that the Riversiders would be back next year in a bid to reach the Premier League.
Turning attentions to Leeds, the ex-Whites star had very warm words to say about promotion for his former club who he now admits he supports. The full-back also declared that Leeds “should be” a Premier League level team.
“I absolutely love the city, I will probably live here for the rest of my life”...
Speaking to ITV Racing’s Luke Harvey, Ayling said: “I love the races, been a few times, I enjoy it, it’s pretty local to me so I come down for the day.
Pressed on matters at Boro and Leeds, Ayling said of his own team’s finish: “Middlesbrough, a bit of a rubbish ending to the season but we’ll come back next year and hopefully reach the Premier League next year.
“Leeds - I have become a Leeds fan now, I absolutely love the city, I still live here, I will probably live here for the rest of my life so I’m pleased for them.
“Hopefully we can shoot back to get back to where I think Leeds should be.”