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Gillingham have confirmed their new boss following an eventful day.
Gareth Ainsworth takes over at the Gills, having left League 1 basement boys Shrewsbury, with immediate effect until the end of the 2026/27 season. He replaces John Coleman, whose departure as manager was confirmed earlier on Tuesday.
Ainsworth and long-term assistant Richard Dobson will be in the dugout for this Saturday’s League 2 fixture at Harrogate.
“The football club is delighted to announce the appointment of Gareth Ainsworth as our new first-team manager,” a statement from the Gills, released at 6pm on Tuesday, read.
“The 51-year-old has signed an agreement which runs until the end of the 2026/27 season.
“Gareth is joined at MEMS Priestfield Stadium by his long-term assistant, Richard Dobson.
“They take charge with immediate effect and will be in the dug-out for Saturday’s Sky Bet League 2 fixture at Harrogate Town.
“After making over 650 appearances during his playing career, Ainsworth progressed into management and guided Wycombe from League 2 to the Championship and, subsequently, managed Queens Park Rangers and Shrewsbury Town.
“He departs Shropshire to take the helm at Priestfield, with a compensation package having been agreed with Shrewsbury.
“Gareth will speak to the club’s media team for the first time on Wednesday before being unveiled to the local and national press on Thursday.
“(Chairman) Brad Galinson will be providing his thoughts via the club website tomorrow.”
The former Wycombe Wanderers boss had only been in charge at Shrewsbury since November, taking over a side that was bottom of League 1. He recorded five wins and 12 losses in 22 fixtures at the helm.
In a stay at Wycombe that lasted more than a decade until his 2023 departure, Ainsworth led the club to the Championship for the first time in their history. Gills fans’ favourite Adebayo Akinfenwa famously played under him in the latter stages of his career.
Announcing the departures of Ainsworth and Dobson in an open letter, Shrewsbury chairman Roland Wycherley, who had offered Ainsworth a two-year deal - regardless of what division they were in next term - said Salop had done all they could to keep their man.
He said: “I can confirm that the club has done absolutely everything in its power to persuade Gareth to stay.
“Failing that, we also asked if he would continue until the end of the season.
“Gareth’s contract contained a termination clause, which the League 2 club in question initially refused to meet.
“We made clear from that point we would not allow him to leave and that we wanted him to honour the remainder of his contract.
“But Gareth made clear he wanted to leave immediately despite acknowledging the position the club are in at this moment in time.
“At a board meeting yesterday afternoon, the League 2 club had still refused to meet the termination clause.
“But at 4.41pm yesterday, STFC received confirmation that the club had agreed to pay the full termination fee for both Gareth Ainsworth and (assistant manager) Richard Dobson.
“This took any further negotiations out of our hands – and Gareth and Richard once again expressed their desire to leave immediately.”
The Gills are now onto their third manager of this season.
They started the campaign with Mark Bonner in charge before his exit in January after a poor run over Christmas.
Indeed, since American businessman Galinson completed his takeover in December 2022, the Gills are now onto their fifth boss, with Neil Harris and Stephen Clemence also having come and gone.
Ainsworth’s first match at Priestfield will be against Colchester next Tuesday.
