Gareth Ainsworth has backed Steve Evans to do well at Leeds United ahead of Wycombe’s friendly with them tonight.

Evans took over at Elland Road from Uwe Rosler in October to become the club’s sixth manager since controversial owner Massimo Cellino bought the club in April 2014.

The 52-year-old Scot has a solid track record having kept Rotherham in the Championship after earning them promotion in 2014 and Ainsworth feels he has the skills to do well at Leeds.

He said: “Steve obviously has a good pedigree with the promotion for Rotherham and keeping a club like that in the Championship is very impressive.

“He has the credentials for the job and he’ll believe he really is the man who can get Leeds going and will work hard to do so.

“He will be judged on results because that is how management is, and it is tough sometimes but they have had a couple of good results under him already.”

Despite his achievements Evans will have to work against a backdrop of uncertainty at the top of the club as Cellino, who is currently appealing against a Football League ban, reportedly looks to sell the club.

After making an agreement in principal to sell his shares to the fans, which he reneged on last week, Cellino now claims there are as many as six parties interested in buying the club. He has also vowed to stop attending matches.

With Wycombe being a fan owned club Ainsworth is fully aware of its advantages but suggested that while there is a negativity surrounding Leeds they still have plenty going for them.

“You have to be careful when talking about other clubs because the people in charge may feel they are doing what is right. A lot of Leeds’ problems were caused when they were still in the Premier League,” he said.

“Leeds is one of the biggest football clubs in the Football League and the main thing to look at is the positives about the club.

“They are competing in the Championship, have a great fan base and are a very big club which I am sure will have good times again.”

The friendly will come as a welcome distraction from the ongoing problems away from the pitch for Leeds especially during an international break that brings with it an inevitable lack of club football.

Ainsworth also claimed that he is looking forward to facing Leeds as he has a personal connection with Evans and other members of his staff.

He said: “Steve was one of the first people to call me when we avoided relegation in 2014 and congratulate me which is something I appreciated.

“I also used to be teammates with his assistant (Paul Raynor) in my playing days so I have some connections at Leeds and have a lot of time for Steve.”