Wycombe Wanderers manager Gareth Ainsworth has emerged as a clear favourite for the Lincoln City job, despite turning it down over the weekend.
The Daily Mail reports that he’s been approached by Imps chairman Clive Nates as a replacement for the outgoing Danny Cowley, who left for Huddersfield a week ago. Ainsworth, who took Wycombe from the bottom of League Two to the top of League One, has ties with the Imps.
He spent two years there as a player, turning his career around after a spell with Preston North End. He arrived in 1995 a lower league winger and left for half a million pounds, before quickly moving to Wimbledon for £2m.
With Wycombe fans set to vote on new investment shortly, Ainsworth publicly stated he’d be interested in talking to Lincoln last week. It’s now believed that progressed to an interview and the Imps are going to go back to him with a further offer this week.
Wycombe fans are not happy their manager is being courted by the Imps, a team they consider to be a ‘smaller’ club in many respects. Here’s a sample of their comments from social media.
https://twitter.com/thechidg/status/1173312628250337285
In all seriousness, what would anyone’s genuine reason for saying no to the takeover be if there are no bizarre terms with the final proposition?
These Ainsworth rumours surely, surely make you realise how important a ‘yes’ vote is.#Chairboys
— Out of Context Wycombe (@OutOfContextWyc) September 15, 2019
I genuinely now think that even the smallest hint that the takeover may not be approved, and he'll be off.
He wants to manage in the Championship, he's made that very clear. He could take us there, and we need to give him the chance to do it. #Chairboys
— The Wycombe Way (@theWycombeWay) September 15, 2019
The Gareth to Lincoln links and talk is all becoming very real now. 😰
Think his head has undoubtedly been turnt by the interest, and now his future solely relies on this takeover bid. Can't stress how important a yes vote is;
for the present, and the future. #Chairboys
— The Wycombe Way (@theWycombeWay) September 15, 2019
It's all very strange, he more or less touted himself last week & we all based this on putting pressure on yes vote but why as a club would we give our permission for talks to even happen given the meeting this week& surely the potential owners want Ainsworth as part of the plan.
— Nigel Mayor (@nigelmayor) September 15, 2019
It’s all very bizarre timing. Fans forum on Thursday which will be chaos now after all these stories. Can’t rush through a vote anyway, no chance it will be resolved in the timeframes Lincoln want. Feels like scaremongering to me. Thursday will be very interesting now.
— Andy Kettlewell 🏴 (@Ketters1982) September 15, 2019
https://twitter.com/mrdickiehudson/status/1173409895934152704
If he goes he goes. It will be with huge thanks and we will find a good replacement. He lives locally and his kids are settled. Rather than scaremongering, ask why would he go? Lincoln does not make sense
— Matt Clarke 💙🩵 (@Matt1Clarke) September 15, 2019
