Turning 47 today - Gareth Ainsworth
Flashback
Gareth Ainsworth Join QPR in the summer of 2003
The Season which began with a 5-0 Crushing of Blackpool....
Saw us sell Richard Langley
And ended with that win at Hillsbrough
The opening Game
August 9 2003 BBC QPR 5-0 Blackpool
Gareth Ainsworth scored his first League goals in a QPR shirt to help the London club to an impressive win over Blackpool.
Ainsworth, who signed from Cardiff during the close season, took just three minutes to give Ian Holloway's side the lead with the most straightforward of goals.
Gino Padula's corner drifted over the Blackpool defence and Ainsworth was left unmarked to turn in the loose ball at the back post.
On the stroke of half-time Richard Langley effectively secured the points by steering home a cross from Kevin Gallen, who then got his own reward when he bundled a rebound into the net in the 56th minute.
Ainsworth then drove a close-range strike past Phil Barnes and Steve Palmer wrapped up an emphatic win in injury time.
Blackpool had Richie Wellens dismissed for a second bookable offence after bringing down defender Clarke Carlisle.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
QPR: Day, Forbes, Padula, Carlisle, shiteeeeeeeeeetu, Langley, Ainsworth, Palmer, Bircham, Gallen, Furlong. Subs: Culkin, Sabin, Oli, Williams, Rowlands.
Blackpool: Barnes, Grayson, Hilton, Flynn, Davis, Coid, Bullock, Wellens, Danns, Sheron, Taylor. Subs: Jones, Richardson, Walker, Douglas, Clarke.
Referee: Paul Taylor (Hertfordshire)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_2/3113693.stm
His first Game/goals -
Saturday, January 30, 2010
QPR Official Site - EXCLUSIVE: GAZ LEAVES W12
Posted on: Sat 30 Jan 2010R's legend Gareth Ainsworth has left the Club after an outstanding playing career at Loftus Road.
- The popular 36 year-old touched the hearts of so many during his seven and a half years in W12.
- Speaking exclusively to
www.qpr.co.uk, Ainsworth said: "It's without doubt the most emotional day of my career.
- "I feel so much a part of this Club, so this is a very sad day.
- "The reason I am leaving is to prolong my playing career and it is with a heavy heart that I have had to make this decision.
- "I want to thank every fan of the Club for making my spell here so fantastic and unforgettable.
- "QPR will always have a special place in my heart."
- Ainsworth initially joined Rangers after being released by Cardiff City in June 2003.
- The bustling midfielder's contribution to the Rangers cause has been without question ever since, providing leadership and guile, as well as priceless assists and match-winning goals.
- An undoubted highlight during his early days at the Club arrived during a memorable afternoon in August 2003, when Ainsworth scored two sensational goals in a 3-3 draw at Rushden & Diamonds. In typical Gaz style, he celebrated with a flash of the rock 'n' roll devil horns.
- Promotion at Hillsborough capped a sweet maiden season for the ever-popular winger and his popularity amongst R's fans increased ever more as the years elapsed, scoring 11 goals in the 2005/06 campaign and finishing runner-up in the end of season Player of the Year awards.
- Despite two serious injuries during the 2006/07 campaign, Ainsworth returned stronger than ever, making 25 appearances in all competitions a year later.
- After a brief stint assisting former Manager Luigi De Canio, the experienced midfielder was handed a player / coach role by former boss Iain Dowie in the summer of 2008.
- Ainsworth went on to enjoy two stints at Caretaker boss, as well as working under former Manager Paulo Sousa.
- A loan spell at Wycombe earlier this season saw a brief upsurge in fortunes for the Adams Park outfit, with Ainsworth's Rangers appearances limited to just two in his final campaign at the Club.
- In total, Ainsworth made 152 appearances in all competitions for the Super Hoops, scoring 21 goals.
- On behalf of everyone connected to Queens Park Rangers Football Club, we would like to thank him once again for his outstanding service and commitment and wish him all the best for the future.
- *www.qpr.co.uk and QPR Player will be looking back at Gareth's career in W12 over the coming weeks - so stay tuned! QPR
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Nice Profile of QPR (Acting) Manager Gareth Ainsworth
-
South Wales Echo/Mark Bloom - Gareth Ainsworth out to shake up former club Cardiff CityTHE ‘Wild Thing’ has become sensible.
Gareth Ainsworth, a supporters’ favourite at Cardiff City and Queens Park Rangers, has entered the new world called football management at Loftus Road.
And he is loving every minute of it – even if none of his players are speaking to him!
Gone are the nights out with the boys, so too the mickey-taking and the camaraderie among the lads.
But Ainsworth, who used be the lead vocal in a rock band called Dog Chewed the
Handle, won’t worry as long as he takes three points off his former club Cardiff on Saturday.
“The lads don’t talk to me much these days. I don’t know whether it is out of respect or fear,” laughed the approachable 35-year old.
“They still call me ‘Gaz’, but the conversations are more guarded and shorter than they used to be. But that’s fine.
“I’m also not allowed on a lads’ night out any more, but that’s fine as well, I know what it’s all about.”
Ainsworth, it is said, has got one of the hardest jobs in football, managing moneybags Rangers.
The combined wealth of flamboyant Italian owner Flavio Briatore, Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone and steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal makes Rangers the richest club in the world.
But progress has been slow and manager Iain Dowie was sacked last month just a handful of games into the job.
Step forward Ainsworth. He might be inexperienced and warming the manager’s hot seat for perhaps just a brief time, but he has impressed the wildly ambitious Briatore.
“You give a chance to people who deserve it,” said Briatore, who has won the F1 world motor racing championship with his Renault team.
“Gareth deserves a chance. I gave Michael Schumacher a chance in Formula One, so it’s ridiculous we need someone with experience.”
As far as Ainsworth is concerned,worrying about being selected for the next game is history.
“As a footballer you worry about yourself, now I have 26 or 27 players to worry about, keep happy and organise training schedules for,” he said.
“I’m the one carrying the training cones under the arm as the players make their way to the pitches.
“I’m working longer hours too, there’s no shooting off any more after training.
“But I have to say I’m loving every moment of it. I have gone through an array of emotions – won, lost and drawn.
"But, boy is it exciting when it all comes together. It’s very intense, 24/7.
“When you’re a player you go home and put on MTV or play some computer game.
“Now, when I eventually do get home, I’m channel-hopping football matches, news stories, anything to do with football.”
Ainsworth might have only made nine appearances for City at the tail end of the 2002-03 season. But City were marching towards play-off final glory at the Millennium Stadium, ironically against QPR, and Ainsworth’s enthusiasm quickly won over Bluebirds’ fans.
“Cardiff supporters will know I gave everything when I played there and that is how I approach this job – I can’t do it any other way,” he said. “I’m QPR’s longest-serving player, so this club is dear to me in every way.” WalesonLine
FLASHBACK
The 2003-04 Season (Originally on the blog)
Final Table Full Home Away
P W D L F A W D L F A W D L F A GD Pt
1 Plymouth Argyle 46 26 12 8 85 41 17 5 1 52 13 9 7 7 33 28 +44 90
2 Queens Park Rangers 46 22 17 7 80 45 16 7 0 47 12 6 10 7 33 33 +35 83
3 Bristol City 46 23 13 10 58 37 15 6 2 34 12 8 7 8 24 25 +21 82
4 Brighton and Hove A 46 22 11 13 64 43 17 4 2 39 11 5 7 11 25 32 +21 77
5 Swindon Town 46 20 13 13 76 58 12 7 4 41 23 8 6 9 35 35 +18 73
6 Hartlepool United 46 20 13 13 76 61 10 8 5 39 24 10 5 8 37 37 +15 73
7 Port Vale 46 21 10 15 73 63 15 6 2 45 28 6 4 13 28 35 +10 73
8 Tranmere Rovers 46 17 16 13 59 56 13 7 3 36 18 4 9 10 23 38 +3 67
9 Bournemouth 46 17 15 14 56 51 11 8 4 35 25 6 7 10 21 26 +5 66
10 Luton Town 46 17 15 14 69 66 14 6 3 44 27 3 9 11 25 39 +3 66
11 Colchester United 46 17 13 16 52 56 11 8 4 33 23 6 5 12 19 33 -4 64
12 Barnsley 46 15 17 14 54 58 7 12 4 25 19 8 5 10 29 39 -4 62
13 Wrexham 46 17 9 20 50 60 9 6 8 27 21 8 3 12 23 39 -10 60
14 Blackpool 46 16 11 19 58 65 9 5 9 31 28 7 6 10 27 37 -7 59
15 Oldham Athletic 46 12 21 13 66 60 9 8 6 37 25 3 13 7 29 35 +6 57
16 Sheffield Wednesday 46 13 14 19 48 64 7 9 7 25 26 6 5 12 23 38 -16 53
17 Brentford 46 14 11 21 52 69 9 5 9 34 38 5 6 12 18 31 -17 53
18 Peterborough United 46 12 16 18 58 58 5 8 10 36 33 7 8 8 22 25 0 52
19 Stockport County 46 11 19 16 62 70 6 8 9 31 36 5 11 7 31 34 -8 52
20 Chesterfield 46 12 15 19 49 71 9 7 7 34 31 3 8 12 15 40 -22 51
21 Grimsby Town 46 13 11 22 55 81 10 5 8 36 26 3 6 14 19 55 -26 50
22 Rushden and Diamonds 46 13 9 24 60 74 9 5 9 37 34 4 4 15 23 40 -14 48
23 Notts County 46 10 12 24 50 78 6 9 8 32 27 4 3 16 18 51 -28 42
24 Wycombe Wanderers 46 6 19 21 50 75 5 7 11 31 39 1 12 10 19 36 -25 37
3 points for a win
Goal difference then goals scored applies when teams are level on points
QPR WIN PROMOTION
- QPR under Ian Holloway achieved the club's only promotion in the last quarter century!
- May 8, 2004, Ian Holloway's QPR won their last game of the season at Sheffield Wednesday with goals through Kevin Gallen, Paul Furlong and an own goal, to gain Automatic Promotion., just beating out Bristol City.
- Video of The Goals. It's been smooth sailing ever since!
- Kevin Gallen finished the 2004/05 season as QPR's top scorer with 17 goals, followed by Paul Furlong with 16. See Players/Appearances/Scorers in 2004-2005. Also QPR's 2003-2004 Results
Team for that final game: Lee Camp - Gino Padula, Clarke Carlisle, Matthew Rose, Richard Edghill- Gareth Ainsworth, Marc Bircham, Richard Johnson, Martin Rowlands, Paul Furlong, Kevin Gallen - Subs: Arthur Gnohere, Jamie Cureton, Steve Palmer
BBC Sheff Wed 1-3 QPR
- QPR won automatic promotion back to Division One with victory over Sheffield Wednesday in front of nearly 30,000 fans at Hillsborough.
Kevin Gallen put Rangers ahead after 35 minutes, slotting home after shots from Paul Furlong and Martin Rowlands.
- Furlong doubled his side's lead two minutes after the break, blasting the ball past Kevin Pressman.
- Jon Shaw put the Owls back in the game with a sweet shot but Chris Carr's own goal put the result beyond doubt.
- At the final whistle, the QPR fans' jubilation contrasted with the dark mood of the home supporters, who booed their team off before invading the pitch to protest against chairman Dave Allen. BBC
- Sheff Wed: Pressman, Geary, Barry-Murphy, Dean Smith, Wood, McLaren, McMahon, Cooke, Brunt, Robins, Shaw. Subs: Tidman, Olsen, Chambers, Mustoe, Carr.
- QPR: Camp, Padula, Carlisle, Rose, Edghill, Ainsworth, Bircham, Richard Johnson, Rowlands, Furlong, Gallen. Subs: Day, Palmer, Thorpe, Gnohere, Cureton. BBC
Guardian/Aidan Magee: Holloway looks to Rangers
- The dust was still settling on Queens Park Rangers' first promotion for 21 years when the battle to secure their manager Ian Holloway got under way. - Holloway's contract expired just as Mark Clattenburg blew the whistle on his side's convincing win at Sheffield Wednesday which sealed promotion to the First Division ahead of Bristol City.
- About 10,000 Rangers fans had made the trip from west London knowing that their team, with a slender one-point advantage in second place before kick-off, had to match City's result to earn automatic promotion.
- With the most important task out of the way, however, attention turned to Holloway's future and that of eight of his first-team players who will also see their contracts expire.
- Rangers are fortunate to have, in Marc Bircham, a player who lives and breathes QPR. The midfielder even hired a coach for his friends and family to watch the game.
- Bircham believes the charismatic Holloway is the embodiment and saviour of Rangers and called on the board to secure the manager's future services.
- "Hopefully we can tie him down for a good couple of years on a contract. He is essential to this club's hopes of moving forward. People have talked about players being out of contract but he is more important to QPR than any of the players. He wears his heart on his sleeve and everyone, in or out of the team, wants to play for him," Bircham said.
- For Holloway, the victory-gained through goals by Kevin Gallen, Paul Furlong and an own-goal by the substitute Chris Carr - provided just the platform to reel off some of his inimitable post-match lines.
- He had felt the need to produce a pre-match motivational speech to rival the best on offer from Sir Winston Churchill. "It was a bit of Winnie - 'we'll fight them on the beaches' and all that type of stuff," he said. "I wanted to create an atmosphere where the team were not frightened to lose and I wanted to show them that no matter what they did I am proud of them for their effort.
-"I think every dog has its day at some time or other and at the moment I feel like going 'woof'."
-Whereas Holloway will spend the summer deciding what is needed to help his team in the First Division, his opposite number at Hillsborough, Chris Turner, was left reflecting on a desperate season....
- Man of the match: Martin Rowlands (QPR) Guardian
- And a Fan Comments on the Season "Now You're Going to Believe Us"
QPR Stats for 2003/2004
Ainsworth Gareth Forward 7 1 0 0.21
Bean Marcus Midfield 1 9 0 0.03
Bignot Marcus Defence 0 0 1 0
Bircham Marc Midfield 2 10 0 0.05
Camp Lee Goal 0 0 0 0
Carlisle Clarke Defence 1 7 0 0.03
Cureton Jamie Forward 2 0 0 0.15
Day Chris Goal 0 0 0 0
Edghill Richard Defence 0 2 0 0
Forbes Terrell Defence 0 3 1 0
Furlong Paul Forward 16 7 1 0.42
Gallen Kevin Forward 17 6 0 0.35
Langley Richard Midfield 2 1 0 1
Marney Dean Midfield 0 0 0 0
McLeod Kevin Midfield 3 4 1 0.08
Padula Gino Defence 3 9 0 0.08
Rose Matthew Defence 0 3 0 0
Rowlands Martin Midfield 12 11 0 0.27
shiteeeeeeeetu Daniel Defence 0 2 0 0
Williams Tom Defence 0 0 0 0
Scored 80 Conceded 45
Stats
Soccerbase - Final 2003/2004 Football League One Table
P HW HD HL HGF HGA AW AD AL AGF AGA Points GD
Plymouth 46 17 5 1 52 13 9 7 7 33 28 90 +44
QPR 46 16 7 0 47 12 6 10 7 33 33 83 +35
Bristol C 46 15 6 2 34 12 8 7 8 24 25 82 +21
Brighton 46 17 4 2 39 11 5 7 11 25 32 77 +21
Swindon 46 12 7 4 41 23 8 6 9 35 35 73 +18
Hartlepool 46 10 8 5 39 24 10 5 8 37 37 73 +15
Port Vale 46 15 6 2 45 28 6 4 13 28 35 73 +10
Tranmere 46 13 7 3 36 18 4 9 10 23 38 67 +3
Bournemouth 46 11 8 4 35 25 6 7 10 21 26 66 +5
Luton 46 14 6 3 44 27 3 9 11 25 39 66 +3
Colchester 46 11 8 4 33 23 6 5 12 19 33 64 -4
Barnsley 46 7 12 4 25 19 8 5 10 29 39 62 -4
Wrexham 46 9 6 8 27 21 8 3 12 23 39 60 -10
Blackpool 46 9 5 9 31 28 7 6 10 27 37 59 -7
Oldham 46 9 8 6 37 25 3 13 7 29 35 57 +6
Sheff Wed 46 7 9 7 25 26 6 5 12 23 38 53 -16
Brentford 46 9 5 9 34 38 5 6 12 18 31 53 -17
Peterborough 46 5 8 10 36 33 7 8 8 22 25 52 0
Stockport 46 6 8 9 31 36 5 11 7 31 34 52 -8
Chesterfield 46 9 7 7 34 31 3 8 12 15 40 51 -22
Grimsby 46 10 5 8 36 26 3 6 14 19 55 50 -26
Rushden 46 9 5 9 37 34 4 4 15 23 40 48 -14
Notts Co 46 6 9 8 32 27 4 3 16 18 51 42 -28
Wycombe 46 5 7 11 31 39 1 12 10 19 36 37 -25
Soccerbase
QPR 2003/2004 results and fixtures
Football League One QPR 5-0 Blackpool 09-08-2003
English League Cup Cheltenham 1-2 QPR 12-08-2003
Football League One Brighton 2-1 QPR 18-08-2003
Football League One QPR 1-0 Bournemouth 23-08-2003
Football League One Rushden 3-3 QPR 25-08-2003
Football League One QPR 3-0 Chesterfield 30-08-2003
Football League One Colchester 2-2 QPR 06-09-2003
Football League One QPR 0-0 Wycombe 13-09-2003
Football League One Wrexham 0-2 QPR 16-09-2003
Football League One Luton 1-1 QPR 20-09-2003
English League Cup Sheff Utd 0-2 QPR 23-09-2003
Football League One QPR 1-1 Bristol C 27-09-2003
Football League One QPR 4-0 Barnsley 30-09-2003
Football League One Grimsby 0-1 QPR 04-10-2003
Football League Trophy QPR 2-0 Kidderminster 14-10-2003
Football League One Peterborough 0-0 QPR 18-10-2003
Football League One Port Vale 2-0 QPR 21-10-2003
Football League One QPR 1-1 Tranmere 25-10-2003
English League Cup QPR 0-3 Man City 28-10-2003
Football League One Stockport 1-2 QPR 01-11-2003
Football League Trophy QPR 2-1 Dag & Red 04-11-2003
English FA Cup Grimsby 1-0 QPR 08-11-2003
Football League One QPR 1-0 Brentford 11-11-2003
Football League One QPR 3-0 Plymouth 15-11-2003
Football League One Swindon 1-1 QPR 22-11-2003
Football League One QPR 3-0 Sheff Wed 29-11-2003
Football League Trophy QPR 2-1 Brighton 07-12-2003
Football League One QPR 4-1 Hartlepool 13-12-2003
Football League One Oldham 2-1 QPR 20-12-2003
Football League One Notts Co 3-3 QPR 26-12-2003
Football League One QPR 2-0 Colchester 28-12-2003
Football League One QPR 1-0 Rushden 03-01-2004
Football League One Blackpool 0-1 QPR 10-01-2004
Football League One QPR 2-1 Brighton 17-01-2004
Football League Trophy Southend 4-0 QPR 20-01-2004
Football League One Bournemouth 1-0 QPR 24-01-2004
Football League One Chesterfield 4-2 QPR 31-01-2004
Football League One QPR 3-2 Notts Co 07-02-2004
Football League One Brentford 1-1 QPR 14-02-2004
Football League One QPR 1-1 Peterborough 20-02-2004
Football League One QPR 3-2 Port Vale 02-03-2004
Football League One QPR 1-1 Oldham 06-03-2004
Football League One Hartlepool 1-4 QPR 13-03-2004
Football League One QPR 2-0 Wrexham 16-03-2004
Football League One Wycombe 2-2 QPR 20-03-2004
Football League One QPR 1-1 Luton 27-03-2004
Football League One Bristol C 1-0 QPR 03-04-2004
Football League One Tranmere 0-0 QPR 06-04-2004
Football League One QPR 3-0 Grimsby 10-04-2004
Football League One Barnsley 3-3 QPR 12-04-2004
Football League One QPR 1-1 Stockport 17-04-2004
Football League One Plymouth 2-0 QPR 24-04-2004
Football League One QPR 1-0 Swindon 01-05-2004
Football League One Sheff Wed 1-3 QPR 08-05-2004
SOCCERBASE
Player Appearances
PLAYER LEAGUE FA CUP LEAGUE CUP OTHER
APPS / GLS APPS / GLS APPS / GLS APPS / GLS
Gareth Ainsworth (M) 21 (8) 6 1 (0) 0 2 (1) 1 2 (0) 0
Warren Barton (D) 2 (1) 0 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0 2 (0) 0
Marcus Bean (M) 23 (8) 1 1 (0) 0 1 (0) 0 3 (0) 0
Marcus Bignot (D) 6 (0) 0 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0
Marc Bircham (M) 36 (2) 2 0 (0) 0 3 (0) 0 2 (0) 0
Lee Camp (G) 12 (0) 0 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0
Clarke Carlisle (D) 32 (1) 1 1 (0) 0 2 (0) 0 3 (0) 0
Jake Cole (G) 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0
Nick Culkin (G) 5 (0) 0 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0 3 (0) 0
Jamie Cureton (F) 2 (11) 2 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0
Wes Daly (M) 0 (2) 0 0 (1) 0 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0
Chris Day (G) 29 (0) 0 1 (0) 0 3 (0) 0 1 (0) 0
Richard Edghill (D) 15 (5) 0 0 (0) 0 2 (0) 0 1 (1) 0
John Fletcher 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0
Terrell Forbes (D) 30 (0) 0 1 (0) 0 3 (0) 0 4 (0) 0
Paul Furlong (F) 31 (5) 16 0 (0) 0 2 (0) 0 1 (1) 0
Kevin Gallen (F) 44 (1) 17 1 (0) 0 3 (0) 0 2 (2) 0
Arthur Gnohere (D) 17 (1) 0 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0 1 (0) 1
Marien Ifura (D) 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0
Richard Johnson (M) 10 (1) 0 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0
Richard Langley (M) 1 (0) 1 0 (0) 0 1 (0) 1 0 (0) 0
Dean Marney (M) 1 (1) 0 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0 1 (0) 0
Kevin McLeod (M) 26 (9) 3 1 (0) 0 2 (0) 0 1 (0) 1
Dennis Oli (F) 0 (3) 0 0 (1) 0 0 (0) 0 1 (1) 0
Richard Pacquette (F) 0 (2) 0 0 (0) 0 1 (0) 0 2 (0) 1
Gino Padula (D) 36 (0) 3 0 (0) 0 3 (0) 0 3 (0) 1
Steve Palmer (D) 24 (11) 4 1 (0) 0 1 (0) 0 2 (2) 1
Matthew Rose (D) 15 (5) 0 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0 1 (1) 0
Martin Rowlands (M) 41 (1) 10 1 (0) 0 2 (0) 2 3 (0) 0
Eric Sabin (F) 3 (7) 1 1 (0) 0 0 (2) 0 2 (1) 0
Dan shiteeeeeeeeetu (D) 18 (2) 0 0 (0) 0 2 (0) 0 2 (0) 0
Tony Thorpe (F) 22 (9) 10 1 (0) 0 0 (0) 0 1 (2) 1
Ben Walshe (M) 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0
Tom Williams (D) 4 (1) 0 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0
NB: Players with a zero in every column only appeared as unused substitutes
www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=2093&teamTabs=statsPost by Macmoish on 19 minutes ago
BBC
QPR clinch promotion
DIVISION TWO UPS & DOWNS
Up: Plymouth & QPR
Play-offs: Bristol City, Brighton, Swindon & Hartlepool
Down: Wycombe, Notts County, Rushden & Grimsby
QPR edged out Bristol City to claim automatic promotion from Division Two with a 3-1 win at Sheffield Wednesday.
The Robins won 2-1 against Blackpool but will have to be content with a play-off place.
Swindon and Hartlepool also booked their play-off places with a 1-1 draw at the County Ground that left Port Vale missing out on goal difference.
Vale's 2-0 win at Rushden consigned their hosts to relegation along with Grimsby who lost at Tranmere.
Kevin Gallen and Paul Furlong gave Rangers a scent of a first promotion in 21 years, and after Jon Shaw pulled one back for Wednesday, the result was confirmed by a Chris Carr own goal.
At the whistle thousands of travelling supporters swarmed the Hillsbrough pitch to celebrate promotion.
The scenes were a far cry from those at Ashton Gate where the home fans were left with the consolation of a play-off place.
PLAY-OFF DATES
15 May: H'pool v Bristol City
16 May: Swindon v Brighton
19 May: Bristol City v H'pool
20 May: Brighton v Swindon
A quickfire first-half Christian Roberts brace sent City's supporters into delirium, but as news of QPR's scoreline came through they soon realised that their hopes were dashed.
However, they will get a second bite of the cherry in the play-offs against Hartlepool.
Swindon and Hartlepool met knowing a draw would be good enough to send both teams through at Port Vale's expense, and when Pool's Adam Boyd cancelled out Sammy Igoe's opener the teams played out for a point apiece.
Vale won at Rushden to send their hosts down, and for much of the afternoon it seemed as if Chesterfield would be joining them in the Third Division.
But Glynn Hurst's winner two minutes from time against Luton saw the Spirerites climb out of the drop zone, with Grimsby going down having let a 1-0 lead slip against 10-man Tranmere.
news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_2/3690955.stm
Originally on the blog some years back
- Look back at 2003 Season
www.qprreport.blogspot.com/2013/08/10-years-ago-today-qprs-division-iii.htmlLast Edit: Nov 11, 2014 at 5:38am by Macmoish
Read more:
qprreport.proboards.com/thread/40390/flashback-reminder-2003-2004-season#ixzz5EiM8uUcken.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gareth_Ainsworth
1989–1991 Blackburn Rovers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1991–1992 Northwich Victoria 14 (4)
1992 Preston North End 5 (0)
1992–1993 Cambridge United 4 (1)
1992–1993 → Northwich Victoria (loan) 5 (0)
1993–1995 Preston North End 82 (12)
1995–1997 Lincoln City 83 (37)
1997–1998 Port Vale 54 (10)
1998–2003 Wimbledon 36 (6)
2002 → Preston North End (loan) 5 (1)
2002–2003 → Walsall (loan) 5 (1)
2003 Cardiff City 9 (0)
2003–2010 Queens Park Rangers 141 (36)
2009–2010 → Wycombe Wanderers (loan) 2 (0)
2010–2013 Wycombe Wanderers 112 (16)
Total 555 (108)
Teams managed
2008 Queens Park Rangers (caretaker)
2009 Queens Park Rangers (caretaker)
2012– Wycombe Wanderers
Ainsworth old personal site
www.garethainsworth.com/Flashback Bump..As previously posted...
Turns 38 today and still going...
Yesterday's Buckingshire Advertiser
Ainsworth rules out coaching role at Wanderers after promotion win
May 7 2011 By Greg Burns
BLUES skipper Gareth Ainsworth said he is not ready to step into the vacant coaching position at Wycombe Wanderers.
Ainsworth will turn 38 on Tuesday but played 43 out of Wycombe's 46 league games this season.
The winger has never hidden his desire to go into management once he finally hangs up his boots and Blues assistant boss Martin Kuhl's resignation last month has left a vacancy in the Wycombe coaching set-up.
But Ainsworth, whose contract runs out this month, said he is not a believer in player/coach roles.
He said: "I think it probably come too early. I did the coaching and playing at QPR and that probably told me that it is too difficult.
"I am 100 per cent in everything I do and I don't think I could give 50 per cent to one or the other. I am 100 per cent as a player or 100 per cent as a coach and at the moment and I still want to play.
"To play that many games is something I didn't think I would do this season. I probably have broken a record for the most subbed player this season.
"The gaffer looks after me because I have the odd day off when everyone else is training. To play so much and be injury free for most of the season is great."
Ainsworth has written himself into Wycombe legend with his timeless performances and 10 league goals this season.
His achievements have not gone unnoticed after he was named in the League Two team of they year.
After sealing an immediate return to League One with Wanderers, Gaz hailed it as one of the highlights of his career.
He said: "It ranks up with all my achievements. Promotion with Wycombe Wanderers is right up there and to have had the privilige of being captain and leading out that bunch of lads has been fantastic.
"I love the game and the competition. I will play as long as people will play me and every Saturday I love getting on the pitch and putting myself against an opponent.
"I am emotionally and physcially shattered because it has been a long season."
www.buckinghamshireadvertiser.co.uk/wycombe_wanderers/be_wycombewanderers_latestnews/2011/05/07/ainsworth-rules-out-coaching-role-at-wanderers-after-promotion-win-82398-28654392/Read more:
qprreport.proboards.com/thread/22482/gareth-ainsworth-turns-46#ixzz5nVNaW8c2