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Gareth Ainsworth has had two life-changing moments this year. The first he agonised over, and the second put it all into perspective. Let's begin with the agony.
In March, Shrewsbury Town offered him a new contract, as a reward for his efforts despite being unable to lift the club off the bottom of League One in the five months he had been in charge. He had been thrown in at the deep end in Shropshire, and five wins in 22 games was enough to receive the offer of a two-year extension.
But then he got a call that he could not turn down. No matter that the club offering it were also battling relegation in the division below.
Gillingham were 19th in League Two when the call came. But the plan laid out by their American owners, husband and wife Brad and Shannon Galinson overrode any fears.
‘I wanted the Galinsons to do it right because I really respected Shrewsbury,’ Ainsworth tells Daily Mail Sport.
‘People have said “oh, he jumped ship”. But no, the opportunity to be closer to home and the plans they have for this club really attracted me. Shrewsbury would have backed me but the Galinsons attracted me more to what they were planning.’
Gareth Ainsworth has had a hugely impressive impact at Gillingham since taking over in March
The Gills are third in League Two and recently went on a club record unbeaten league run
The move is one that has paid off so far, with Ainsworth transforming Gillingham's fortunes.
An iconic EFL figure given his success in the game and rock star vibe - which includes his own music career - he has lost only one of his 21 games in charge, Saturday’s 1-0 defeat by Harrogate. That defeat ended a 21-game unbeaten run in the league.
It leaves the Gills third in League Two, and after finishing 17th, 12th and 17th in the past three seasons, Ainsworth is shining.
‘It's gone really well,’ he says. ‘The way the boys have bought into everything has been fantastic. We've ended up with a good team ethic and a good squad where everybody has contributed and that's been really important. The 21 players I've got I could put anyone in and get what I want. I don’t think many managers could say that.’
Now we should get on to the second life-changing event. Ainsworth, who was League Two's Manager of the Month in August, joins Daily Mail Sport at a time where football is now on hold.
On Friday he will undergo open heart surgery after a medical issue was highlighted in the annual League Managers’ Association (LMA) health check at the end of last season.
Ainsworth expects to be away for up to a month, with his long-term assistant Richard Dobson to fill in, but remains upbeat.
‘The LMA health check is unbelievable,’ he explains. ‘It flagged something up, a valve issue in my heart, a murmur that any stethoscope can find, but I'm just lucky they found it. It’s a big operation but it’s needed. Many people are walking around with this and they don’t know, so we’re privileged to have the check.
‘It's a big op, but it's needed. I’m very positive everything will be fine, but I’ll probably have to do up a few more buttons on my shirt now!’
Ainsworth took Wycombe from the depths of League Two all the way to the Championship
He is briefly stepping away from the game though as he undergoes open heart surgery
Despite the positive start, Ainsworth isn't getting carried away. Last season, Gillingham were top of League Two at the end of September under Mark Bonner, but their form collapsed and he was sacked in January.
His impact is all the more impressive though, given that since the Galinsons took over the club in December 2022, success hasn’t accompanied their ambitious investment. Ainsworth is the club’s fifth permanent manager during that time after Neil Harris, Stephen Clemence, Bonner and John Coleman.
‘They were the big thing that attracted me,’ Ainsworth adds of the family. ‘I'd worked with Americans at Wycombe in the Couhigs (who now own Reading) and they were fantastic. The Galinsons are very similar in terms of energy and positivity.
'The big statement they said to me is “we've made mistakes, we understand we've made mistakes and we want you to come in and manage everything, and we'll give you the backing with our learning”.’
Ainsworth, in his own words, is an ‘old fashioned manager’, and the 52-year-old has oversight of all aspects of the club, including the medical department, recruitment, sports science and even logistics for away trips.
‘That's really important,’ he explains. ‘It's a lot of work for me, but I prefer it that way, because I’m a manager and I believe I'm responsible for all of that and the performance on a Saturday.
‘If you're a head coach and you've not been responsible for picking the players or the logistics, how can you get all the stick for a bad result? It must be shared. If I lose on a Saturday, I'll take all the stick because that's my job. I'm probably a dying breed, but that's how I wanted it.’
Ainsworth had spoken to Gillingham before Bonner’s appointment in the summer of 2024, and when he did arrive in March there was talk of a two-year plan.
Ainsworth made the decision to drop down from League One with Shrewsbury when he joined
He is full of praise for Gillingham's American owners Shannon (left) and Brad (right) Galinson
‘There was no target of we must be in this league, we must be here, we must be there. Win, lose or draw, there's got to be consistency and an identity about the club. I said to the owners that I'm taking over at 19th in League Two, I guarantee you in two years, we'll be in a better position and a better club.’
A key skill of Ainsworth has been revitalising players already at Gillingham who had not hit the heights they are capable of, with Bradley Dack one example he cites.
Dack was strongly linked with a Premier League move during a successful six-year spell at Blackburn, but he endured a difficult period of his career due to injury before returning to his boyhood club ahead of last season. After a mixed campaign, the midfielder, now 31, has been integral this time around, netting three times in nine games - and he has become a major influence on the dressing room.
The summer was one of evolution, rather than revolution, as seven players arrived, although Ainsworth is keen to point out the importance of adding two trusted lieutenants from his time at Wycombe in Sam Vokes and Garath McCleary.
Ainsworth, who has also managed QPR, similarly believes the nine games he oversaw at the end of last season is a key factor in Gillingham’s strong start, with that period reaping 15 points.
'If you sign a contract in the summer you're chasing your tail sometimes. It was only six weeks, but I was able to get a feel of the place and then I knew exactly what I was walking into on day one of the 2025-26 season.’
His Wycombe team was characterised by an incredible team spirit and he is seeing signs of that already - and several Gillingham players have spoken about the positive energy and improving standards at the club.
‘There is now accountability in the boys from themselves and a demand from each other,’ Ainsworth adds. 'That's how it should be. Roy Keane once said great players demand from great players and there is definitely some synergy from the Wycombe days.
Ainsworth has helped to revitalise players who had lost their way a bit, like Bradley Dack
When Ainsworth joined Gillingham there was much talk about a two-year plan at the club
'That success we had I can only dream of replicating here but if we get anything close to it, we’ve done well.’
Ainsworth helps to create these environments via various methods he admits can be 'off-piste'.
At Wycombe, he took his squad to the Somme Battlefield and recreated some of the Football Battalions’ steps, while at QPR he enlisted a Maori cultural expert to perform the Haka for his squad and teach them about its history to promote unity and leadership.
Ainsworth dubs these ‘development days’ and sees them as key to creating bonds between his players and enriching them.
Gillingham's squad recently spent time at Kent County Cricket Club where they engaged in multiple team-building activities, including a game of cricket when Dack and Vokes shone. They also took part in a Q&A with former England star and Kent legend Min Patel - and Ainsworth was delighted with how his side brought into the experience.
Another similar move saw the Gills boss reject the opportunity of a pre-season tour this summer to instead invest money in improving the changing room at their training ground.
‘This club has been a little bit tired over the years and needed some revamping,' he explains. ‘They now walk in every morning and see their name; there's even a funky blue light there. And it's like, right, this is your place, look after it, you belong here. I know I now get more from them on a Saturday.’
Ainsworth’s passion for his role, determination to succeed and charisma shines through across our conversation.
Gillingham's squad recently spent time at Kent County Cricket Club for a 'development day'
Ainsworth's long-time No 2 Richard Dobson will take charge of the Gills during his absence
For now, he will have his surgery and recuperate as Dobson steps in, something he did before when Ainsworth tested positive for Covid in 2021 - and he also missed a game in 2020 after undergoing back surgery.
And, although Gillingham’s unbeaten run has come to an end, Ainsworth has a typically glass half-full mentality.
‘I think my little break is going to be positive,’ he concludes. ‘Some of my staff step up and run the place for a bit, but when I walk back in there'll be another revamp of energy.
‘If there was a game to lose, last Saturday wasn't the worst one, because it brings the unbeaten run to an end which means there's no pressure for Richard Dobson, who is so capable.
‘We're off an unbeaten run though so let's start another one. We don't want to drop our standards, and the boys know that's what I expect.
‘They will respond to the staff while I'm away and I certainly know the response I'll get when I'm back. There might be a few more buttons done up, but I'll definitely be the same guy.’
The Midnite derby
In one of the more unique battles in the EFL, Tuesday saw Southampton take the bragging rights in their ‘Midnite derby’ against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.
Southampton's training kit is sponsored by the bookmaker Midnite, who are Sheffield United’s principal partner and adorn the front of their shirts.
For the 460-mile-round trip, Midnite put on free coach travel for Saints fans with a twist, dubbing it The Midnite Express, and three club legends in Matt Le Tissier, James Beattie and Francis Benali joined those making the arduous journey.
And it was well worth it, as not only were fans treated to a unique mix of DJ sets, Q&As and football quizzes on board, but Ross Stewart netted a second half brace to secure an important 2-1 win for Will Still’s side.
Several Southampton fans were joined by club legends Matt Le Tissier, James Beattie and Francis Benali for their lengthy away trip to Sheffield United this week
Can Cotterill inspire Cheltenham?
It’s been a dire campaign for Cheltenham Town so far, with the Robins bottom of the EFL and in danger of dropping down to Non-League for just the second time this century.
Michael Flynn paid the price earlier this month and a 7-1 thrashing by Grimsby Town on Saturday summed up the state the club is in.
They have now turned to the experienced Steve Cotterill, Cheltenham’s most successful manager of all-time after he took them from the Southern Premier Division to the EFL for the first time in their history between 1997 and 2002.
Cotterill was most recently in charge of Forest Green Rovers and given Cheltenham’s start to the season, he will have to summon all his magic and know-how to turn things around.
