Page 30 - We Are Premier League: LUFC Promotion YEP Special

58 I YORKSHIRE EVENING POST
WE ARE PREMIER LEAGUE: LUFC SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT
COOL HAND LUKE: Leeds's Luke Ayling turns away to celebrate following his spectacular volley against
Huddersfield Town in the last match before lockdown was introduced..
picture: Jonathan gawthorpe.
Different level
awaits Ayling
as he revels in
fulfilling dream
PROFILE
Joe Urquhart
O joe.urquhart@jpm>edia.co.uk
O ©JoeUrquhart
LUKE AYLING emerged from
the City Ground tunnel a
dejected figure and as he spoke
to the media to face difficult
questions he was struggling for
answers.
Leeds United - who had
previously stretched out an 11
point cushion at one stage in
the Championship’s automatic
places - hadjust seen their
advantage cut to zero thanks to
a 2-0 defeat at the hands of then
promotion rivals Nottingham
Forest
“I am not sure how many
wins that is in how many
games but it has not been good
enough,” a downcast Ayling
stated firmly.
It was two wins in 10 games
for Marcelo Bielsa’s side for the
avoidance ofdoubt: a run which
had begun after a stunning
capitulation at the hands of
Cardiff City in mid-December,
which saw United leave Elland
boasted a three-goal cushion on
the hour mark.
Ayling had produced some
magic amid the decline, most
notably in a sublime and
ridiculous 5-4 victory over
Birmingham City during the
festive period as a remarkable
volley at St Andrew’s played a
role in earning the spoils
But after a cold February
evening in the Midlands,
as he slumped offtojoin
Ills team-mates on the
bus to travel home,
he was left alone
with his thoughts.
For United
fans it was all
too familiar,
especially
with play-off
heartbreak to
Derby County
still fresh in the
memory
Leeds
supporters
sympathised
with their
right-back
on social
media
emerged online, and a team
meeting at Thorp Arch was
held in the days after.
If only they knew, though,
what was to come; Ayling was
including one against former
club Bristol City and a goal of
the season
contender
against
Hudder­
sfield
Town -
in the
following
six games saw Leeds pick up
five wins and a draw*.
Form that reasserted their
dominance in the promotion
race - and helped remove any
creeping doubts.
By the time Ayling was
sliding on his knees with his
hair in full flow against the
Terriers the figure he had
portrayed in Nottingham
brimming and United were
on the charge towards top­
flight football - even with the
impending hiatus amid a global
pandemic - the Leeds t rain was
rolling and its next stop was the
Premier League.
“It's finished the way it
should have finished with us
top,” Ayling reflected.
Road with a ooint having
as footage
“I think we’ve been the best
there will be a different leveL”
M
about to produce a run
ofform thatwould
seemingly appear
like he was dragging
the club kicking and
screaming towards the
Premier League
/ by himself.
Three
goals -
I17
32Red
NAILED IT: Luke Ayling celebrates a derby win over Huddersfield Town, above, and can’t contain himself
after getting his hands on the Championship trophy, below.
pictures: george wood/getty & tim goode/pa
team in the league. I think it’s
finally sunk in now- we’ve got
our hands on the trophy. It feels
real. It’s brilliant.”
It’s been ajourney for Bielsa’s
squad, and one w’hich started
four years ago for Ayling and
Leeds when he made the move
to West Yorkshire.
“I think the bond (with this
group of players) started
two years ago,” he
admitted. “All the hard
work we’ve done and. last
season with the play-off
disappointment, we came
in this season and we were
together.
“Its a small squad but the
boys knowr every game we come
out and we’re going to give
one hundred and ten per cent.
That’s never going to change.
“I signed with this club four
years ago with a dream to take
it back to the Premier League.
“I joined pretty' much as an
unknown and I’ve played my
part after 16 years away. I’m so
proud of myself.
“To play in the Premier
League will be a dream come
true but to play for this club
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