Leeds United loanee Sam Greenwood has sent a message to Luke Ayling after the latter made his Middlesbrough debut.
The right-back played the entire 90 minutes as Boro defeated Millwall 3-1 in their league clash on Saturday (13 December).
The veteran defender has joined the Championship club from rivals Leeds on loan for the remainder of the campaign.
Taking to social media to celebrate his debut, Ayling wrote on Instagram: “Lovely way to make my Middlesbrough debut.”
And among those replying to the former Leeds captain was Middlesbrough loanee Greenwood, who wrote: “Get up billy boi.”
Ayling perhaps wasn’t expecting such a key role right from the very start of his Middlesbrough career, but manager Michael Carrick clearly has big plans for the former Leeds ace.
The right-back lost a debut clean sheet after just 10 minutes thanks to Joe Bryan’s opener at The Den, but goals from Lukas Engel, Isaiah Jones and Marcus Forss turned the match around.
Greenwood also started the match, with the Whites loanee assisting his club’s opening goal before being replaced by Forss with just a few minutes remaining.
It was a great start for Ayling on his new venture, with the win coinciding with another three points for his old club as Leeds beat Cardiff City 3-0.
The attackers stole the show in Wales, with Patrick Bamford, Daniel James and Georginio Rutter on the scoresheet. Ayling’s Middlesbrough currently occupy ninth place in the Championship table, with Leeds sitting in fourth place.