THE backstory to Joe Gelhardt's time at Sunderland and Tony Mowbray being forced into changing his plans for the forward is no secret.

The young Leeds United attacker was one of the most sought-after loan players in January and when the Black Cats won the battle for his signature, Mowbray was excited about the prospect of pairing the youngster with Ross Stewart.

Then, however, Stewart suffered his season-ending injury at Fulham, Sunderland failed in their quest to sign another striker and Gelhardt was left as the sole senior frontman on the club's books for the second half of the season.

Gelhardt is at his best as a No.10 - which is where he hopes to establish himself for his parent club Leeds this season - but while he admits it was tough to adjust to life as a line-leading No.9, he believes that come the end of his stint with Sunderland, he'd improved and, regardless of the position he played, still enjoyed his time on Wearside.

"When I spoke to Tony Mowbray, the Sunderland manager, he said that I was supposed to play with Ross Stewart but when he got injured Tony said you're probably going to play up front on your own," Gelhardt told the Yorkshire Evening Post as he looked back on his time at the Stadium of the Light.

"I've played there before, I didn't see it as much of a problem but it was tough some games, big centre-halves, strong and physical. Sometimes it can be lonely up there on your own but I felt as though at the end of the season I got better and got used to it more and I enjoyed it.

"I like getting on the ball and running at defenders.

"As a nine it's sometimes harder because you've got to stretch the game, have your back to goal, bring other people in. I think I benefit from getting the ball deeper and running at defences and trying to make things happen. But I'll play anywhere the manager plays me."

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While Sunderland perhaps didn't see the very best of Gelhardt last season, Leeds are likely to benefit from his time on Wearside. His parent club sent him out on loan to play football and that's what he did, featuring 18 times for the Black Cats.

Now, he's returned to his parent club hoping to make an impact at Elland Road and force his way into the team under new boss Daniel Farke.

Gelhardt said: "I haven't really had much of an individual chat to be fair. Hopefully I've just to try and prove to him that I can get into the team and if he plays me I've got to do what I can to stay in the team.

"So for me it's all about just giving my 100% and hoping to play."