Leeds United defender Luke Ayling is excelling in the Premier League – and his path there has been long and winding.
Ayling was in the Arsenal ranks, but failed to make the breakthrough during 11 years with the Gunners.
He was forced to drop down to Yeovil Town, but his impressive displays there saw him join Bristol City – only for them to offload him to Leeds in 2016.
The 29-year-old has proven to be an unbelievable bargain for Leeds over the years, and now finds himself starring as one of the top right backs in the Premier League.
Now, Ayling’s former Yeovil teammate and manager Terry Skiverton has spoken to The Mirror (28/03, p72) about the Leeds star – and how he got into a scrap with a former Whites defender.
Skiverton noted that Ayling got into a fight with Paul Huntington – who played for Leeds between 2007 and 2010 – which came because Ayling was ‘mouthing off’ at him.
Skiverton promptly told him off for disrespecting a more senior player, but did love the desire to win that Ayling displayed – something that has stayed with him on his journey to the Premier League.
“Not long after joining the club, Luke got into a fight with our defender Paul Huntington, who’s now at Preston,” said Skiverton. “He was mouthing off to him and I remember calling Luke a ‘big-time Charlie’ and saying ‘you can’t be talking to more experienced players like that!’ But that was Luke’s winning spirit and he was such a competitor, which I loved.”
“He never knew when he was beaten and did everything in his power to win on a Saturday. That was a massive attribute which has served him so well in his career,” he added.
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