Tough End To Leeds United Spell Admits Middlesbrough Star | OneFootball

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Former Leeds United star Luke Ayling has revealed his confidence took a hit after the Whites got relegated from the Premier League but insisted the Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick has restored his self-belief.

Ayling played more than 250 games for the Elland Road outfit, becoming a club legend and helping Leeds to win promotion to, and then perform in, the Premier League.

The defender ended his lengthy Leeds association in January when he joined Middlesbrough on loan.

He joined Carrick’s side permanently this season and has captained the team so far in eleven league matches this term.

The 33-year-old admits that the pain of being relegated from the Premier League with Leeds and then struggling to play for them last season, took its toll.

However, Ayling admitted that Carrick made him feel wanted and he stressed that now he has got his confidence back at the Riverside Stadium.

“Speaking to someone like Michael and him showing how much he wants me gave me the confidence I needed at the time”, Ayling said on My Mate’s A Footballer about the Boro boss.

“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.”

The former Leeds defender will be looking to have a memorable spell with Boro before his current contract ends in the summer of 2026.