Joe Gelhardt is relishing the challenge of being a regular starter at Sunderland - the first time he has had such a role since he was 16 years old. The on-loan Leeds United striker joined the Black Cats at the end of January and scored his first goal for the club in the midweek defeat at Rotherham United.
Gelhardt has had to adapt to being part of Sunderland's starting XI after spending the last three-and-a-half years as a bit-part player at Elland Road, where all-but six of his 35 league appearances have come from the bench. Prior to his move to Wearside, his only real experience of regular starts came for Leeds' U21 side, and that is a far cry from life in the ultra-competitive environment of the Championship.
"I haven't played continuous 90 minutes of football since I was 16, and when I was playing it was U21s football for Leeds," said Gelhardt. "Men's football is a lot different so I haven't really had that exposure to 90 minutes in a men's game week-in, week-out.
