GARETH Ainsworth has signed a new two-year contract as Wycombe Wanderers manager – and he will also hang his boots up to concentrate on management.
Previously Wanderers player/coach, Ainsworth was initially handed the managerial reins on a caretaker basis after Gary Waddock was sacked with the club struggling at the foot of the League Two table.
After steadying the ship he was offered the post full time and led Wanderers to safety after dropping to the foot of the table in November – even leading to talk of an unlikely play off push.
That upturn in form led to the club’s board offering him a two year deal, which he has signed this morning.
But it does draw a curtain on his playing days, with Saturday’s game against his former club Port Vale at Adams Park set to be his 600th and last after a professional career lasting more than two decades.
Ainsworth told the club’s official website: “I’m really, really pleased. I’m honoured, proud and very, very thankful to everyone that has supported me in any way that they have.
“The players, Lee [Harrison, coach] and Dobbo [Richard Dobson, assistant manager] and my staff have been amazing, as have the whole club and the Trust. Everyone has been behind me since day one.
“This is enormous for me and I’m really thankful to everyone who has helped me achieve this. I want to repay the Trust and all the supporters by working so hard and bringing back the glory years. I’ll give it my best shot, I promise you.”
Referring to his imminent retirement from playing, Ainsworth said: “The hardest part of today is making that decision. Football has been my life for all these years – it’s all I’ve ever done and ever known. I’ve spoken to people who are close to me and everyone seems to think it’s the right thing to do – it’s better to go out on a high.
“Thank you to everyone who has ever shouted for me at every club I’ve played for. It’s been a rollercoaster but I wouldn’t change any minute of it for anything.”
Joint-chairman Don Woodward told the club’s official website: “It’s great to secure Gareth’s services and we are really looking forward to continuing to work with a young but passionate manager.
“He’s been fantastic at getting the best out of players and if we can keep that going and he can keep learning, he should follow in the footsteps that most Wycombe managers have done by progressing his career and taking us along for the ride.
“There’s a lot of work to do but we’ll work as a team and we are very much looking forward to it.
“We are very excited to have a natural leader and a great guy managing our football club, hopefully onwards and upwards.”
