Marcus Bean and Matt Bloomfield praised the impact Gareth Ainsworth has had in his five years in charge of Wycombe Wanderers.

The likeable Lancastrian celebrated his fifth anniversary as manager of the Blues on Sunday and as well as playing under Ainsworth as boss, both players were team-mates of his at QPR and Wanderers.

Bean said: “The gaffer is one of those that when he was playing I didn’t think he would go into management but having been working with him for three years now as manager, he is exactly the same as when he was a player.

“He is very affable; his man-management skills are very good and people want to run through brick walls through him because of the passion and energy he brings to the place. You know after a defeat he will try and lift the boys. 

"He is the first one in to try and pep the boys up and you can see the quality he brings and with his management duo it is a very good mix of the man-management skills and what he brings to the training ground.”

With managers across the country being chopped and changed very regularly, Bean added: “It is a huge achievement to be in charge for that long.

“You see managers getting sacked after four games and it is testament to the job he has done here and a testament to himself why he has been in charge so long at Wycombe.

“I am guessing they may have been opportunities to go elsewhere but he is a very loyal man and he is stuck around.

“He was always a top man as a player. He would put his arm round the shoulder of the young players coming through and he is a very positive man.

“In a world where there is a lot of negativity he has always been extremely positive.”

Bloomfield echoed the comments of his fellow midfielder, adding: “He has evolved so much as a manager in the past five years and the job he has done here has been incredible.

“When you look at the stats which say he is the fourth longest serving manager in the country that says it all about everything he has done.

“Back when we were team-mates he was always there if you needed a chat and that’s the same as manager. He has obviously left that kind of joker role behind he had in the dressing room when he was a player but the desire is still there.

“You could say we play in the manager’s style. We come in and work hard and show a lot of humility and we have the utmost respect for him as manager and he is a great guy to work with.”