Anthony Stewart has arrived back “home”, according to Wycombe Wanderers manager Gareth Ainsworth who insisted he had no qualms about bringing the defender back to the club.

The 22-year-old turned down the offer of a new contract at Adams Park last summer in order to try and secure a deal further up the Football League and after a trial at Crawley Town led to nothing the centre-back signed for Crewe Alexandra in November.

Blues were paid an undisclosed compensation amount for Stewart from the League One side, for whom he made only ten appearances before his release in June, and he agreed a two-year deal to return to the club that gave him his professional debut.

The academy graduate made 65 appearances for Wanderers after being handed his debut in a 3-2 defeat to Preston in January 2012, and the man who gave him his bow had no hesitation in linking up with Stewart again.

“Not at all,” said Ainsworth when asked whether he had any reservations about re-signing the defender. “We’ve tried our hardest to keep Alfie Mawson, we tried our hardest to keep Anthony Stewart and once bigger clubs come calling from higher up the leagues they have every right to test themselves and take their chance higher up.

“It’s football. I’ve been in the game long enough to realise that it happens and you don’t bear grudges against anyone.

“I’m sure if Alfie Mawson doesn’t have a great year he’ll be welcomed back with open arms and I’m sure that Anthony Stewart will be welcomed back just as much.

“Wycombe means a lot to him, he cut his teeth here, he’s proud to be a product of the youth team that did so well and it almost feels as though he’s back home a little bit with Dobbo (Richard Dobson), his mentor for so many years, and me getting the best out of him as a manager.

“It was really pleasing to get him and what he brings to the squad is fantastic.”

As the Blues boss mentioned, missing out on Mawson was a blow, after he opted to join Barnsley, but the 42-year-old is confident that a strong defensive partnership can be formed by Stewart and Aaron Pierre.

The duo previously played together when Pierre was on loan in the 2013/14 season as Wycombe battled successfully to avoid relegation into the Conference.

Mawson and Pierre helped Wanderers amass 14 clean sheets in League Two last term, and the challenge for Stewart will be to regain the form he showed during his previous spell with the club in order to ensure the forward momentum generated by last season does not come to a halt.

Ainsworth said: “His mould of playing is very much in the style that I like. He’s quick and I think that if him and Aaron Pierre play together at centre-back I don’t think you could find a quicker pair of centre-backs in the second division (League Two) or in the Football League.

“They have great pace, they’re two real competitors. Anthony’s really strong and powerful in both boxes, and when he was here last time we got him to the point where he was turning heads in the Championship.

“His year in the league above didn’t go as well as he’d hoped but it’s time now to carry on from where we left off, get him playing his best stuff again and I’m sure that Anthony will be a great addition to the squad.”