Gareth Ainsworth
English footballer and manager (born 1973) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Gareth Ainsworth?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
Gareth Ainsworth (born 10 May 1973) is an English professional football manager and former player who last managed EFL Championship club Queens Park Rangers.
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Gareth Ainsworth[1] | ||
Date of birth | (1973-05-10) 10 May 1973 (age 51)[1] | ||
Place of birth | Blackburn, Lancashire, England[2] | ||
Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[3] | ||
Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
Youth career | |||
1989–1991 | Blackburn Rovers | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1991–1992 | Northwich Victoria | 14 | (4) |
1992 | Preston North End | 5 | (0) |
1992–1993 | Cambridge United | 4 | (1) |
1992–1993 | → Northwich Victoria (loan) | 5 | (0) |
1993–1995 | Preston North End | 82 | (14) |
1995–1997 | Lincoln City | 83 | (37) |
1997–1998 | Port Vale | 55 | (10) |
1998–2003 | Wimbledon | 36 | (6) |
2002 | → Preston North End (loan) | 5 | (1) |
2002–2003 | → Walsall (loan) | 5 | (1) |
2003 | Cardiff City | 9 | (0) |
2003–2010 | Queens Park Rangers | 141 | (21) |
2009–2010 | → Wycombe Wanderers (loan) | 2 | (0) |
2010–2013 | Wycombe Wanderers | 112 | (16) |
2014–2018 | Wycombe Wanderers | 0 | (0) |
2019–2020 | Woodley United | 3 | (2) |
Total | 561 | (113) | |
Managerial career | |||
2008 | Queens Park Rangers (caretaker) | ||
2009 | Queens Park Rangers (caretaker) | ||
2012–2023 | Wycombe Wanderers | ||
2023 | Queens Park Rangers | ||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
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. Sold on to Lincoln City in 1995, 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 as the Port Vale F.C. Player of the Year in 1998, Ainsworth was sold to Premier League club Wimbledon for £2 million. He was dogged by injuries at the club, 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.
He joined Wycombe Wanderers in February 2010, following a short loan period. He was named in the PFA League Two Team of the Year in 2010–11, as Wycombe won promotion. He was appointed manager in November 2012, after a short period as caretaker manager. 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.