WHEN LUKE JOINED YEOVIL HE THOUGHT IT WAS LIKE IBIZA!
Former Glovers boss says Ayling liked to party, but settled down and his quality shone through
LUKE AYLING was a “bigtime Charlie” who fought with his team-mates at Yeovil – now he is being tipped for possible England honours.
The 29-year-old rightback, a key figure in
Leeds’ transformation under Marcelo Bielsa, failed to make the grade at boyhood club Arsenal and moved to Huish Park to rebuild his career.
Terry Skiverton was the Glovers boss at the time and signed Ayling and team-mate Luke Freeman in 2010 after watching them play in an academy game for the Gunners.
Skiverton, now Yeovil’s assistant manager, recalled: “Not long after joining the club, Luke got into a fight with our defender Paul Huntington, who’s now at Preston.
“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.
“After being at Arsenal, I think when he first came to Yeovil he thought it was like Ibiza!
“The players would go out for a drink and it’s a small town. But not long after Luke met his long-term partner, Poppy Weller.
“She really stabilised him early and had a big impact on him, especially when he was young.
“From there, Luke settled down and became a true professional with massive drive.
“And he did it the hard way, by going up the leagues after being let go by Arsenal.”
Skiverton (below) initially deployed Ayling as a midfielder but then moved him to rightback, where he thrived as Yeovil won promotion to the Championship in May 2013.
He added: “Luke went on to played 40-odd games in that season after we got promoted.
“He really rubberstamped himself as a quality player and then joined Bristol City.
“Whenever we get young players in at Yeovil now, my story about Luke Ayling really breeds authenticity into attracting those kind of guys through the door.
“We have also had Andros Townsend, Ryan Mason, Steven Caulker and Alex McCarthy, so Yeovil is a great hotbed for developing young players.”
In August 2016, Leeds signed
Ayling and he has been one of their most consistent performers since Bielsa arrived three summers ago.
Skiverton was not surprised when England boss Gareth Southgate recently namechecked him as a player he was keeping tabs on.
Yeovil legend Skiverton, who remains in close contact with Ayling, said: “Southgate wouldn’t just be watching Luke because he looks good for Leeds.
“Everything will be backed up at the FA with his stats – distance covered, interceptions, assists and duels – and every one of Luke’s will be right up there.
“Luke can play right-back, centre-back and in a back three, and if you’re looking to build from the back, he will always take the ball and drive forward with it.
“Defensively he’s excellent, too, and international football would suit Luke. England will definitely be looking at him.”