Gareth Ainsworth (born 10 May 1973) is an English professional former player and football manager who is the manager of club Gillingham.
A former youth player at Blackburn Rovers, the midfielder, who was known for his crossing ability, moved to Preston North End in 1992 after impressing at non-League Northwich Victoria. He signed for Cambridge United, who in turn loaned him back to Northwich, and returned to Preston in 1993, establishing himself in the first-team during his second spell. He was sold to Lincoln City in 1995, where his performances earned him a place on the PFA Third Division Team of the Year in 1996–97, resulting in a £500,000 move to Port Vale. After being named the Port Vale F.C. Player of the Year in 1998, Ainsworth was sold to Premier League club Wimbledon for £2 million. Injuries at the club dogged him, and following loan spells with Preston and Walsall, he moved to Cardiff City in March 2003. He signed with Queens Park Rangers in June 2003, where he spent seven years. During his time at QPR, he helped the club to promotion from the Second Division in 2003–04, and twice served as caretaker manager.
Following a short loan period, he joined Wycombe Wanderers in February 2010. He was named in the PFA League Two Team of the Year in 2010–11, as Wycombe won promotion. After a short period as caretaker manager, he was appointed manager in November 2012. He retired from regular playing appearances to concentrate on management in April 2013 but remained registered as a player. He led the club to promotion from League Two at the end of the 2017–18 season and then from League One in 2020, securing a place in the Championship for the first time in the club's history. He left Wycombe in February 2023 to become head coach of QPR, where he would remain for eight months. He was appointed head coach at Shrewsbury Town in November 2024 and switched clubs to Gillingham after five months.
Early life Ainsworth was born in Blackburn, Lancashire. His mother worked as a professional singer during the 1960s, while his father worked several jobs, including as a bookmaker, a driving instructor and a factory clerk. His parents were avid music fans and his mother taught Ainsworth to sing as a child. He is a supporter of Blackburn Rovers and became a season ticket holder at the age of six. He attended St Augustine's Roman Catholic High School, Billington.
Playing career Early career Ainsworth started his career as a trainee with Second Division club Blackburn Rovers. Despite forming a useful partnership with Peter Thorne, he was not offered professional terms at the end of his two-year training period. He had been hopeful of earning a professional contract but was informed of his release by manager Don Mackay on his 18th birthday. He later described his release from his hometown club as "devastating" and admitted walking into the car park at the ground and crying.
He dropped into the Football Conference with Northwich Victoria, scoring his first goal in the 3–1 home victory over Cheltenham Town on 26 October 1991. His form attracted the attention of Third Division club Preston North End and, in January 1992, they offered him a second chance at the professional game. Released at the end of the 1991–92 season, Ainsworth joined First Division Cambridge United under the management of John Beck. Ainsworth had a spell on loan with former club Northwich Victoria, making his second debut for the "Vics" in a 2–1 home victory over Bromsgrove Rovers on 5 September 1992. Cambridge sacked Beck in October 1992 but was swiftly appointed manager at Preston North End, and in December returned to the Abbey Ground to sign Ainsworth.
Preston North End Ainsworth's second spell with Preston lasted three years. On 6 April 1993, he spent 13 minutes in goal after goalkeeper Simon Farnworth was knocked unconscious, Ainsworth conceded one goal as Preston played out a 2–2 at Port Vale. Preston reached the Third Division play-off final in 1994, and Ainsworth played in the Wembley final, but could not prevent Wycombe Wanderers winning the game 4–2. Preston reached the play-offs again the following year, but exited at the semi-final stage with a 2–0 aggregate defeat to Bury.
Beck left Preston following the disappointments at the play-offs, and was appointed manager at Third Division rivals Lincoln City.
Lincoln City In October 1995, Beck signed Ainsworth for a third time, this time for a fee of £25,000. In 1996–97, Ainsworth scored 22 goals to make him the division's second-highest goalscorer after Wigan Athletic's Graeme Jones. For this achievement he was named on the PFA's Third Division Team of the Year. He won the club's Player of the Year award for both the 1995–96 and 1996–97 campaigns. A popular player at Sincil Bank, Ainsworth was voted fourth in the club's top 100 legends after a poll conducted in May 2007. He suited the long ball style at Lincoln and later said that "It was the club where I played my best football, probably of my whole career".
Port Vale In September 1997, he signed for John Rudge's First Division Port Vale for a club record £500,000 fee; he was signed to replace Jon McCarthy and Steve Guppy, wingers who had been sold for a combined £2.35 million earlier in the year. He became the club's Player of the Year for his performances in the 1997–98 season, helping the "Valiants" to narrowly avoid relegation above Manchester City and local rivals Stoke City. He was though criticised for an 'ugly' tackle on Sheffield United's Dane Whitehouse in November that resulted in the player's early retirement due to a serious leg injury sustained from the challenge. The club turned down a £1 million bid from Leeds United in summer 1998. However, Vale chairman Bill Bell did later accept an offer from another club, reportedly behind Rudge's back, who was scouting in Sweden at the time.
Wimbledon He moved to Premier League side Wimbledon in November 1998 for a £2 million fee, again a club record for Port Vale. His time at Wimbledon would be dominated by struggles against injury. He played eight times in the 1998–99 season, failing to score. He was limited to just two appearances in 1999–2000, though in the first of these, a 3–3 draw with Newcastle United at St James' Park, he scored two goals, including a last-minute equaliser. At the end of the season, the "Dons"' were relegated to the First Division.
He regained his fitness by January 2001 and managed twelve league and six FA Cup games in 2000–01. After missing the entire first half of the 2001–02 campaign, he returned to fitness only to find that he had lost his first-team place due to the form of promising youngster Jobi McAnuff. Ainsworth was told that he was to be released in summer 2002, and was allowed to join former club Preston North End on loan in April 2002. He played five games for Preston, scoring one goal against Coventry City. He returned to Wimbledon to find that he was to be offered a new contract after the club announced it was considering a potentially lucrative move to Milton Keynes.
After six appearances for the "Dons" in 2002–03, he was allowed to join Walsall on loan in December. He scored for the "Saddlers" against Nottingham Forest, but his loan deal was not extended. He scored twice in nine games upon his return to Wimbledon before March 2003, when he moved to Second Division club Cardiff City on a short-term deal for a "small fee". The "Bluebirds" won promotion to the First Division as play-off winners. However, Ainsworth played no part in the victory over Queens Park Rangers in the final at the Millennium Stadium. His stay with the club was brief, as manager Lennie Lawrence told him that he could not guarantee him a first-team spot. Both before and after his release from Cardiff he was linked with a permanent move back to Walsall, but manager Colin Lee had limited funds available for new players.
Queens Park Rangers
Ainsworth signed for Second Division club Queens Park Rangers in July 2003. He scored twice on his debut, in a 5–0 win over Blackpool on 9 August 2003. He made it five goals in four games with a brace against Rushden & Diamonds 16 days later, one a volley from , and another a powerful drive from the same distance. QPR won promotion to the First Division as Second Division runners-up at the end of the 2003–04 season.
Despite suffering a knee injury in 2004–05 that limited him to 23 appearances, manager Ian Holloway offered him a new contract at the end of the season after telling the media that "he's an important player to have around". During the disappointing campaign of 2005–06, Ainsworth came second in the Player of the Year awards behind Danny Shittu, and finished joint-top-scorer on eleven goals with Marc Nygaard.
During the 2006–07 season, Ainsworth struggled with injuries, and his season ended in April after a scan revealed that he had broken his leg in a win over Luton Town. During the 2007–08 season, he assisted new manager Luigi De Canio in addition to his 25 games, and stated his intention to move into coaching once his player career is over.Ainsworth reveals management aim, bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 6 April 2008.
In May 2008, Ainsworth accepted a player-coach role under the new QPR boss Iain Dowie. Dowie was sacked in October 2008, and Ainsworth was appointed as caretaker manager. On taking up the reins, Ainsworth announced that "QPR is very strong with the result of what happened and will stay strong, nothing is going to break us". During his time in charge QPR managed to test Manchester United at Old Trafford in a League Cup encounter that was only settled by a 76th minute Carlos Tevez goal. This performance caused Ainsworth to believe that the club could achieve promotion to the Premier League. He remained on the club's coaching staff after Paulo Sousa was appointed as manager in November. Sousa's reign did not last long however, and on 9 April 2009, Ainsworth again took the role of caretaker manager.
He was considered for the vacant management position at former club Lincoln City in September 2009.
Wycombe Wanderers On 20 November 2009, Ainsworth joined League One club Wycombe Wanderers on a month-long loan. He went on to sign an 18-month contract with Wycombe in February 2010. He scored his first goal for the club in a 2–2 draw with Exeter City on 20 March 2010. However, the club were relegated at the end of the season.
The club achieved promotion out of League Two at the first attempt in 2010–11, after finishing in the third automatic promotion spot, a single point ahead of Shrewsbury Town. Ainsworth scored eleven goals in 46 appearances, and captained Wycombe to the 3–1 victory over Southend United that ensured the club promotion on 7 May 2011. Later that month, Ainsworth signed a new one-year contract with the club. For his performances he was named on the PFA League Two Team of the Year. However, the "Chairboys" were relegated straight back down in 2011–12, with Ainsworth scoring twice in 32 games.
Ainsworth retired from professional football on 27 April 2013, after playing his final game against his former club, Port Vale, at Adams Park. However, he agreed to sign a two-year contract to remain as Wycombe manager. On 30 August 2016, Ainsworth came on as a substitute in the EFL Trophy against Northampton Town, and provided an assist for Garry Thompson in a 3–0 victory. Ainsworth later combined managerial duties at Wycombe with playing for Woodley United.
Managerial career Wycombe Wanderers Following the dismissal of Gary Waddock, Ainsworth was appointed as Wycombe Wanderers's caretaker manager on 24 September 2012. Before he took charge, Wycombe had picked up just four points from their seven league games.