Gareth Ainsworth has emerged as the leading contender to take the Shrewsbury Town managerial vacancy.
The 51-year-old has been without a job in football since being sacked as boss of Queens Park Rangers but recently was part of the BBC’s FA Cup coverage when Northampton Town played Kettering Town.
Ainsworth Favourite According To Report
The Shropshire Star’s Salop reporter Ollie Westbury has revealed that Ainsworth is the favourite to take over from Paul Hurst, who was sacked last week. A poor start to the season has left the club in last place in League One and the final nail in the coffin came with their FA Cup First Round defeat to Salford City.
The report confirms that whilst no agreement has been reached yet, Ainsworth is also keen on bringing in assistant manager Richard Dobson to The New Meadow.
Ainsworth is best known for his time at Wycombe Wanderers, who he managed between 2012 and 2023. He lifted the club from League Two to the Championship in a three-year period. His former club Queens Park Rangers then appointed him but after 19 losses in 28 games, he was quickly given the boot at Loftus Road.
Writer’s View
This would be a great appointment by Shrewsbury Town should terms be agreed. Ainsworth is a very good manager at League One’s level but it does remain to be seen if the magic he showed at Wycombe Wanderers can translate to another club. His somewhat avant-garde management techniques of a Maori team talk that went viral at Queens Park Rangers did lead to ridicule but with Shrewsbury, he should be judged for the job he did whilst in League One with Wanderers. He brought a club which were in some financial difficulties into the league and made them a competitive force which ultimately got them promoted. His effects there are long-lasting with how Matt Bloomfield is leading the club right now and he could do the same in Shropshire.
