Luke Ayling’s emotional message after Middlesbrough play-off heartbreak | OneFootball

Leeds United promotion hero Luke Ayling said he had fallen back in love with football despite Middlesbrough’s play-off heartbreak. The player said in a post that the campaign ended in pain but put a smile back on his face.

Boro lost their semi-final to Southampton, then were reinstated after the Saints were found guilty of spying on opponents and expelled days before a planned Wembley date with Hull City.

Ayling reached the final against Leeds loanee Joe Gelhardt, whose side sealed promotion through an added-time Oli McBurnie goal. Boro became the first team to suffer both a Championship play-off semi-final and final defeat.

Ayling reflected that the squad had given everything from pre-season to the last whistle at Wembley. He backed the group and coaching staff to come back fighting for promotion and thanked supporters for their backing.

The 34-year-old played 40 of 46 regular-season matches and all three play-off ties, totalling 43 appearances, his most in a single league campaign since 2014/15 with Bristol City.

This was his second full season at the Riverside after a permanent move in summer 2024, following a loan in the second half of 2023/24. He left Elland Road after eight years, having joined in 2016, endured the 2019 play-off semi-final loss to Derby County under Marcelo Bielsa, then helped win the 2019/20 Championship title to end a 16-year wait for Premier League football.

Source: yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk