Championship

WILFRIED GNONTO angered Leeds fans when he handed in a transfer request in August.The Italy midfielder, 20, was advised by his representatives to jump ship following relegation.Wilfried Gnonto has been one of Leeds’ best players this seasonBut the Leeds ace was ridiculed by fans after handing in a transfer request in AugustAnd he faced a backlash from the Elland Road faithful as he tried to force a move to Everton by asking to leave.Just hours after putting in a written request, fans held a banner of a doctored image of Gnonto wearing a nappy — branding him a cry baby for not wanting to play in the Championship.But he soon withdrew his request and has won back the hearts of the fans for knuckling down and producing some brilliant hardworking performances on the right wing.He told SunSport: “In a relationship of love there are many ups and downs and I look at this period as a down.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL“From that point I’ve worked hard in training and games to get into the situation I am in now and the fans can see that. I’m getting what I earned.”Gnonto, signed from Zurich for £4million in September 2022, had a promising first season at Elland Road but it was not enough to stop the club crashing out of the Premier League.BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSThe winger — who has won 13 caps for the Azzurri — said: “It was difficult for me because if I judge last season on a personal level it was positive.“Yet I wanted to achieve the goal of staying in the Premier League and didn’t expect to go down. So the summer was difficult. I found myself in a new situation.Most read in Sport“But I’ve played a season in the Championship, hopefully we’ll win this weekend and be back after just one season away.”Gnonto admits the adaptation from the Premier League to Championship football is not an easy one — and many people underestimate just how good the second tier is.Leicester PROMOTED to the Premier League as Leeds suffer shock defeat at QPR to leave door open for IpswichWilfried Gnonto has won over the fans with some hard-working displaysHis pace and energy on the flanks has been vital to Leeds challenging for promotionAnd the 46 league games, compared to just 38 in the Premier League, can take its toll on any team — which was seen by the top four clubs Leicester, Ipswich, Leeds and Southampton all suffering blips at various stages of the season.Gnonto said: “I feel like I’m not going to find myself in this sort of season ever again.“Playing this number of games it’s almost impossible to play every single match because you’re going to have periods of the season where you feel better physically and periods where you feel you cannot play football anymore!“But we’re lucky in having so many quality players.“When we were relegated, I didn’t really know what sort of games I was going to find myself in.“In Italy I didn’t know much about it apart from of course that it’s a big competition and that there are lots of good teams.“But I didn’t expect it to be as hard as it has been. If I’m honest, all the teams are capable of embarrassing you. If you don’t go into the game with the right mindset, you can lose 4-0 like we have against QPR.“In 46 games it’s impossible to win them all — but we’ve been quite consistent throughout the season.”Playing in the Championship has contributed to Gnonto losing his place in recent Italy squads — having won two caps at the start of the season. And he is unlikely to be named in the squad for Euro 2024.But the youngster has had no problem dropping down to the national team’s under-21s.And he said: “My biggest goal is to get back into the national team. This is a players’ biggest dream: to play in the biggest competitions.Wilfried Gnonto has won 13 caps for the Italy national team but only had two this season following Leeds’ relegation from the Premier LeagueBoss Daniel Farke has regained his trust in Wilfried Gnonto“Going back to the Premier League will help me. I knew it in the summer and before I came here.“Growing up I’ve always seen the national team as my main goal – but of course even playing in the under-21s is a huge honour for me.”Gnonto hit some of his best form in a Leeds shirt during February and March — scoring seven goals in 11 games.That run of form helped them even go top of the Championship.And the Italian said: “That form coincided with when I started games and getting more time on the pitch.“I was playing my best football this season and the team were as well.“But we had a period after the international break which was difficult and we lost four of our last seven games and only won once — but it’s normal in this type of long season so we didn’t need to overreact.“We must stay calm so we can overturn the season. It didn’t end how we wanted but we’re still going to play a final and have a chance to go up.”Gnonto — who says the atmosphere at Elland Road during their 4-0 play-off second-leg trouncing of Norwich was the best he has experienced — believes winning at Wembley will provide some redemption for the fans after relegation last summer.READ MORE SUN STORIESAnd, having experienced playing for Italy against England under the arch, he is excited to be getting another chance to tread the hallowed turf.He said: “Hopefully we can do it for the fans. Leeds should be in the Premier League. So we’re all excited to get this opportunity to get the club back there.” More

WILL SMALLBONE was at Wembley as a 10-year-old fan when Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert and Michail Antonio starred for Southampton.And on Sunday he is hoping to write his own piece of Saints history under the arch by helping shoot his boyhood club back into the Premier League.Will Smallbone is back at Wembley 14 years after going as a 10-year-old Saints fanRickie Lambert celebrates winning the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy in 2010Michail Antonio, Adam Lallana, Papa Waigo and Rickie Lambert with the trophySmallbone, 24, remembers fondly watching Saints win the EFL Trophy after beating Carlisle in 2010.And he was there again aged 17 when the Saints were beaten 3-2 in a thriller against Manchester United in the 2017 League Cup final.He said: “The 2010 final is my earliest prominent memory. It was a special day going with my dad and sister. And I was there again seven years later for the United game.“It’s a big occasion when you get to Wembley, the fans gathering hours before kick off. I did it. The tension is building and everyone is nervous, itching for the game to start.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL“It’ll be different for me as a player this time but understanding the fans’ point of view of where they’ve been will help spur me on to have a good game and help with the other players.”Smallbone’s happiest moment as a fan was watching the team under Nigel Adkins achieve back-to-back promotions from League One to the Premier League in 2011 and 2012.BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSAnd he added: “It’s something that has driven me this season and to get over the line on Sunday. I remember how big a celebration it was for everybody getting back to the Premier League.“So to do it at the first time of asking would be an unbelievably proud moment for me and everyone connected.Most read in Sport“If you’d have offered us at the start of the season that we’d have one game to win to get there we’d have snapped your hand off.Southampton fans celebrate Wembley trip with puppets and a FALSE LEG as club come up with perfect captionSaints last went to Wembley for the 2017 League Cup final against Man United“Especially with the amount of change the club has gone through, players leaving, players coming in, new style of football. It will be an exciting occasion for anyone.”Smallbone has enjoyed facing Leeds this season — having done the double over them with the midfielder scoring in both games.And their 3-1 victory over Daniel Farke’s men at St Mary’s in September sparked an astonishing 25-match unbeaten run — 23 in the league.Completing a hat-trick of wins over Leeds at Wembley, though, will top the lot.Smallbone said: “That home win was massive for us. We’d just lost four games in a row at that point and beating Leeds put down a big marker for us doing well for the rest of the season.“We beat them in the last game of the season but that was a strange one — because our fate had already been settled. We were in the play-offs whereas they were in the unknown of possibly going up.“But when news came that Ipswich had scored early against Huddersfield and maybe they were resigned to not going up automatically. Whereas we wanted a good result going into the play-offs.”Will Smallbone celebrates scoring against West Brom in the play-off semi at St Mary’sSaints star Will Smallbone is relishing going to Wembley for the play off finalBut those two wins will count for nothing at Wembley. Both Oxford in League One and Crawley in League Two had failed to beat Bolton and Crewe in the regular season respectively but prevailed in their finals last weekend.And Smallbone said: “It’s a huge final and a completely different game. All the form goes out of the window with so much at stake.”The midfielder spent last season on loan in the Championship at Stoke — but has flourished under Martin back in Hampshire.Martin’s style suits Smallbone’s deep-lying playmaking game.And he said: “Russ has been brilliant. Since the first day he came in, he’s been clear with our identity, style and how he wants us to play.“When we lost the four games in a row, he told us we’ll look back on it and be thankful.“For us players, it showed a lot about Russ and the staff, that during that tough period of four defeats he didn’t change one bit. He stuck to his style. He’ll fall on his sword in the way we play.“But that showed us that if he believes in it, why shouldn’t we. And from the day we beat Leeds, we didn’t look back“In possession he wants everyone to be brave on the ball. If you’re doing that, he can live with the mistakes. “As a player we can live with each other making mistakes if we’re doing it with the right intentions. That is a major thing for him.”Smallbone is so glad to be back at the club he loves — and having had two full Championship seasons under his belt is chomping at the bit to add to his 16 Premier League appearances.He said: “The gaffer was good at bringing me back in and playing me as much as he has.READ MORE SUN STORIES“I’ve enjoyed the season and it’s something I’ve wanted to do since coming through the academy. It’s been my dream to play as much as I could for Southampton and to have a real taste of it this year just wants me to have more. “So winning on Sunday will mean a lot to get this club back where it belongs.” More