Gareth Ainsworth: QPR boss hopes to revive 'great connection' with fans

Gareth Ainsworth has agreed a three-and-a-half-year contract with QPR, and replaces Neil Critchley

Gareth Ainsworth hopes to revive his close relationship with Queens Park Rangers fans after being appointed as manager of the Championship club.

The 49-year-old, who scored 21 goals in 152 games during a seven-year playing spell with the R's, left Wycombe to return to Loftus Road on Tuesday.

"QPR fans took me into their hearts," he told BBC Radio London.

"They would give me everything and it was a great connection we had. I'm hoping I can get that back."

He added: "I am a northern lad but they accepted the work ethic and never-say-die attitude, and it worked both ways.

"The club is so special to me. I can't wait to get stuck in and try to get some points on the board."

Ainsworth joined QPR from Cardiff City in the summer of 2003, and the winger helped the west London club win promotion from League One during his first season.

He also had two spells as caretaker player-manager, from October to November 2008 and April to May 2009, before leaving to join Wycombe, initially on loan, in November 2009.

Ainsworth inherits a QPR side who have gone 10 league games without a win and are eight points above the Championship relegation zone in 18th place.

He says he knows "it is going to take results and performances" to win over supporters, and will demand total commitment from his players to turn around the side's fortunes.

"I am going to want a work ethic where coming off the pitch you have given absolutely everything. You crawl off that pitch, because that is what it means to play for this club," he added.

"I want a togetherness, a spirit and some energy. I loved it when I was here and I want to try and instil some of that back in here.

"I know that if we do give everything and we can perform to the potential that these players can perform to, then there is no worries about picking points up. They will come."

'Turning the tide' for Rangers

Ainsworth had caretaker spells in charge of QPR in 2008 and 2009, following the dismissals of Iain Dowie and Paulo Sousa

Ainsworth will begin his spell in charge with a home match against play-off-chasing Blackburn Rovers on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Rangers were top of the Championship on 22 October under previous boss Michael Beale but have slid down the table following a run of one win in 17 games, which resulted in the sacking of Beale's successor Neil Critchley on Sunday.

"I am totally au fait with how the Championship is going to be," Ainsworth said.

"We need to hit the ground running quick because we are into the last quarter of the season and we need to make sure we are getting points on the board because it has been too long without a win here.

"Hopefully we can start turning that tide because we have some brilliant players here.

"I'll be taking it game-by-game but I'm not stupid either. I know everyone wants this club to be a Championship club next season and there is no hiding that."

Ainsworth had been the second-longest serving manager in the English Football League at Wycombe, and said it was an "unbelievably difficult" decision to leave Adams Park.

He was appointed by the Chairboys in 2012, and led the club to promotion to the Championship for the first time in 2019-20.

They were relegated straight back to the third tier after finishing 22nd and lost in the League One play-off final to Sunderland last season but are in the hunt for a top-six finish once again.

"I don't want anyone at Wycombe thinking this was an easy decision, because it wasn't," Ainsworth said.

"I am so proud of what we have done and I think Matt Bloomfield coming in is perfect for them. I just wanted to take on this challenge, which is a huge challenge.

"It was something that was really tough to turn down. Now it is a whole new challenge with this group of players and fans that hopefully I can succeed in."

Ainsworth (right) scored 20 goals in 141 league outings for QPR