[themaclad]

Gareth Ainsworth has left Wycombe Wanderers after more than a decade in charge to become head coach of Championship club Queens Park Rangers.

The 49-year-old has agreed a three-and-a-half-year contract and replaces Neil Critchley, who was sacked after just 12 games in charge.

He will be replaced at Wycombe by Colchester boss Matt Bloomfield, who has "agreed in principle" to return.

Bloomfield, 39, left Adams Park in September to take charge of the U's.

Ainsworth spent almost seven years as a QPR player before joining Wycombe in 2010, becoming their manager two years later.

Before his exit from Wycombe, he was second in the list of longest-serving managers in England's top four divisions.

'Absolutely rocking'
Only Harrogate's Simon Weaver had been at the helm for a longer period than Ainsworth, who leaves the Chairboys seventh in League One, just three points outside the play-off places.

"This is all a little bit surreal. It has been a whirlwind two days and leaving Wycombe Wanderers was very tough because of the connection there," he said.

"But this is QPR and when I spoke about something special forcing me away from Wycombe, this was pretty special.

"This is going to be a real challenge because the club is so special to me, and so huge as well. I want to get Loftus Road absolutely rocking again."

[themaclad]

Queens Park Rangers have sacked head coach Gareth Ainsworth after a run of nine Championship games without a win left them six points from safety.

The 50-year-old was appointed in February following 11 years at Wycombe.

Ainsworth won only five of his 28 games in charge, and the R's have now lost six consecutive matches including Saturday's defeat by Leicester.

Assistant boss Richard Dobson also leaves Rangers, with the club 22nd and with just eight points from 14 games.

"Making a call such as this is never easy, and it is even more difficult when you have such respect on both a personal and professional level for the individuals concerned - which we all do for Gareth and Richard," chief executive Lee Hoos said.

"Many supporters have told me in recent months that they have never wanted someone to succeed more than Gareth, which is an indication of the fondness everyone associated with QPR has for him.

"Unfortunately, results this season haven't gone the way we all wanted and we feel a change is necessary."

The appointment of a new head coach will follow "in the coming days", Hoos added in his statement.

QPR was 'crazy' when I walked in - Ainsworth
Asked by BBC Radio London after Saturday's defeat by the Foxes whether he expected to still be in charge despite another loss, Ainsworth said: "I can hold my head up high whether I'm here next week or not, saying I've given absolutely everything every single day.

"I'm proud to be the manager of this fantastic football club but at the moment we are up against some really good teams, the club has changed over the years and hopefully there's some understanding in the fans.

"If not, no worries. I can always hold my head up high and say I've given everything I could for this club and done the best I possibly could."

QPR's form at home has been particularly poor, having gone 11 Championship matches without a win in front of their own fans - a run stretching back to last season and including nine losses.

Yet their woes at Loftus Road predate Ainsworth's arrival, with just one victory in 22 games on home soil in all competitions since the start of November 2022.

Rangers have only scored four goals at home this season, and they have not scored more than once in a home game since they overcame Wigan 2-1 on 22 October last year.

Ainsworth did lead QPR to Championship survival last season, securing their place in the second tier by beating Stoke in their penultimate game, despite losing six of his first seven matches in charge.