Former Lincoln City winger Gareth Ainsworth is reportedly under consideration for the Reading hot seat as pressure mounts on Noel Hunt, as reported by Football League World.
The 52-year-old, who made his Football League breakthrough at Sincil Bank in the early 1990s, has been strongly linked with a swift return to League One management despite only recently taking over at Gillingham.
Imps Roots
Ainsworth arrived at Lincoln in 1995 from Preston North End and quickly became a cult hero thanks to his superb strike rate and his wholehearted, combative style of play. He first crossed paths with John Beck at Cambridge United, followed him to Preston North End, and then once again reunited with his manager when he joined Lincoln for £25,000 in November 1995.
His debut came in a 2-1 win at Mansfield Town, and within a fortnight he had his first goals in a 2-0 victory away at Torquay United. From that moment on, his fearless wing play and larger-than-life personality made him a terrace favourite. Supporters loved the fact he always made a point of acknowledging them, something far from common in that era.
The 1996/97 season underlined his importance to the side as he was ever-present in a campaign that saw City narrowly miss out on the play-offs. He formed a lively forward line with veteran Phil Stant and Dutch striker Gjisbert Bos, and his reputation grew further with two memorable goals against Premier League Southampton in the Coca-Cola Cup. By then, it was clear Ainsworth was destined to move higher, and while his departure felt inevitable, there was still frustration that the timing seemed to coincide with season ticket renewals.
With interest mounting, City rebuffed an offer from Wigan Athletic in the summer of 1997, but the opening weeks of the new season only heightened fears he could be injured or leave for nothing under the Bosman ruling. Those concerns were realised a few weeks later when he signed off in style, scoring a hat-trick against Scarborough before sealing a £500,000 move to Port Vale. His progress was rapid: after just 53 appearances for Vale, Wimbledon took him into the Premier League in a £2m deal.
During his two years at Sincil Bank, Ainsworth twice won the club’s Player of the Year award and in 2007 was voted fourth in the poll of the 100 greatest Imps players of all time. A couple of seasons back, Stacey West readers voted him their top player of a generation.
Reading’s Interest
Reports suggest that Reading’s new owner, Rob Couhig, who worked with Ainsworth during his long spell at Wycombe Wanderers, is considering him as a potential replacement for Hunt. The Royals have endured a poor start to the campaign, winning just once in their opening seven matches and sitting inside the relegation places.
Ainsworth has made a promising start with Gillingham, guiding them to an unbeaten opening in League Two and currently sitting second in the table. That success, coupled with his proven track record in League One with Wycombe, has only increased speculation that he could be tempted back up a division.
We can probably forget his ill-fated stint at Loftus Road with Queens Park Rangers.
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