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      QPR appoint Gareth Ainsworth as manager as ‘Wild Thing’ leaves Wycombe after thirteen years

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      QPR have appointed Gareth Ainsworth as their new manager – ending his 12-and-a-half-year reign as Wycombe boss.The R’s sacked Neil Critchley over the weekend after a torrid 12 games in charge.
      QPR have appointed Gareth Ainsworth as their new managerCredit: Getty
      And they have turned to ‘Wild Thing’ to try and steer them back up the Championship table, luring him away from Adams Park at long last.
      Former midfielder Ainsworth played 152 times for QPR and was twice caretaker boss at Loftus Road during the 2008-09 season.
      But now he is back in West London as the main man, signing a three-and-a-half-year contract.
      Ainsworth said: “This is all a little bit surreal.
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      “It has been a whirlwind two days and leaving Wycombe Wanderers was very tough because of the connection there.
      “But this is QPR and when I spoke about something special forcing me away from Wycombe, this was pretty special.
      “It’s the club where I was most known for playing and you get moments in your career that resonate with you forever.
      “I loved my time here as a player and hopefully I can go on and love my time here as a manager as well.”
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      Ainsworth joined QPR as a player in 2003 and helped win promotion in his first of six seasons at the club.
      He transitioned into a player-coach role under Iain Dowie in 2008 and then had his brief caretaker jobs before joining Wycombe for the final years of his professional playing career, then moved into the dugout to great success.
      The part-time rock star and all-round brilliant character led the Chairboys to promotion to League One in 2017-18 and then up to the Championship two years later.
      Wycombe suffered immediate relegation but came within 90 minutes of jumping straight back up again, losing the play-off final to Sunderland last year.
      Ainsworth joins a QPR side in freefall – from Championship leaders in October under Michael Beale to a side flirting with relegation after Critchley’s woeful two months in the hot seat that produced just one win from 12 matches.
      I want to get Loftus Road absolutely rocking againGareth Ainsworth
      The new boss – joined by assistant Richard Dobson and analyst Josh Hart – added: “I really want to challenge myself.
      “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 and I hope the fans will get right behind me and right behind the team.
      “To be trusted by the board here and those above me, I want to be able to pay them back in droves. I will be giving my absolute everything for this football club.”
      QPR CEO Lee Hoos said: “We are delighted to have been able to bring Gareth in so quickly.
      “I would like to thank Wycombe Wanderers for their professionalism.
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      “We have the utmost respect for them and are hugely sympathetic as we recognise the challenging nature of these circumstances.
      “We wish them only the best for the remainder of the season and the future.” More

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      ‘Oh no! That’s awful’ – Fans in hysterics as Bolton announce new stadium name change… and it’s borderline X-rated

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      BOLTON fans have been left shocked with the club’s new stadium name.The Trotters’ renamed their legendary Reebok Stadium to the University of Bolton Stadium in 2018.
      Bolton announced a new stadium name that didn’t go down well with fansCredit: Rex
      Bolton will be known as the Toughsheet Community Stadium come JulyCredit: Alamy
      And now the Wanderers will change the name again… and it’s borderline X-RATED.
      The League One club’s new home will be known as the Toughsheet Community Stadium for the next five years.
      That is after the club signed a deal with Bolton-based building product manufacturer Toughsheet.
      Bolton announced: “Bolton Wanderers are delighted to officially announce a new five-year stadium naming rights deal with Bolton-based building product manufacturer, Toughsheet.
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      “From the 1st July 2023, the stadium will be renamed the Toughsheet Community Stadium.”
      Bolton fans were left in hysterics over that “awful” decision and took to Twitter to voice their views.
      Some even refused to believe the new name is real while others simply hoped there might at least be some heavy investment included.
      One fan tweeted: “Oh no!! That’s awful!”
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      Another supporter posted: “I hope we’re getting serious money for this because this might be one of the meme-iest names you could’ve given it.”
      A third wrote: “Oh my word that is an awful name. will forever be the Reebok.”
      This fan commented: “It’s not April 1st.”
      And that one said: “This cannot be real.” More

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      EFL set for streaming revolution as Swedish giant ViaPlay set to end Sky Sports monopoly with more games on offer

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      SWEDISH streaming giant Viaplay is emerging as the leading player in the next EFL TV deal.The company boasts major cash to take some of the many packages going.
      EFL football could be set to appear on streaming servicesCredit: PA
      There is growing talk that future coverage — starting in the 2024-25 season — will be split between several TV stations and opens the door to streaming.
      Sky enjoyed the lion’s share of coverage for years but it is now under threat in the bidding process.
      And lower-division clubs are open to the idea of a separate deal for them, meaning more live games.
      The EFL’s commercial team will present some of the options at a meeting later this month.
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      But Viaplay is the new name on the lips of those doing the deals.
      And the Viaplay group has been picking up sports contracts all the time.
      It snapped up the UK-based Premier Sports for more than £30million last year.
      Viaplay also plans to launch in America soon and a football package would help its cause.
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      Back in October, SunSport revealed Sky Sports had been hit by poor Championship viewing figures and reported they may axe games in their new broadcast deal.
      Insiders said that numbers were low in the first part of the season, with the highest coming in the opening match between Huddersfield and Vincent Kompany’s Burnley.
      The exact audience sizes are kept quiet but sources claim the largest was only around 600,000. More

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      Referee is hit in face by bottle thrown from stands during Charlton’s defeat to Fleetwood as Addicks face punishment

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      CHARLTON could face punishment after referee Carl Boyeson was hit by a missile aimed from the stands at The Valley.He was hit in the face by a plastic drinks bottle as he left the pitch at the end of the home side’s 2-1 defeat by Fleetwood Town.
      Charlton could face a hefty punishmentCredit: Getty
      The official did not appear to be badly harmed and immediately headed down the stadium’s extendable tunnel. 
      But Addicks’ boss Dean Holden condemned the incident and expects it to be included in Boyeson’s post-match report to the FA.
      The home fans seemed to be angered by the 79th-minute straight red card dismissal of Charlton defender Ryan Inniss  – although it was his third sending off of the season.
      Holden said: “It’s disappointing.
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      “Obviously, as a football club, we can not condone this kind of behaviour at all.
      “It doesn’t matter what has gone on out on the pitch. This should never happen.
      “I assume it will be in the referee’s report.”
      Boyeson is a long-serving 53-year-old official from East Yorkshire who refereed the 2019-20 EFL Trophy final between Portsmouth and Salford.
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      Defender Inniss could now face a five-match ban after his third dismissal of the campaign.
      Charlton boss Holden added: “I will not condemn referees because it’s a tough job.
      “But it was never a sending off. It wasn’t a goalscoring opportunity.”
      Dean Holden was unhappy with the red card decisionCredit: PA More

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      Fans all say same thing as Forest Green Rovers concede two added-time goals to somehow lose Duncan Ferguson’s first game

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      DUNCAN FERGUSON was handed a sickening start to life as Forest Green Rovers manager after his side conceded TWO stoppage-time goals in a dramatic 2-1 defeat to Shrewsbury.The Everton legend, 51, left Goodison Park to take charge of the League One’s bottom club earlier this week.
      Duncan Ferguson began life as Forest Green boss with a dramatic lossCredit: Getty
      Ryan Bowman scored the winner for Shrewsbury in the 98th minuteCredit: Getty
      And his first game in charge came away at Shrewsbury on Saturday afternoon.
      It looked for most of the match as though Ferguson was steering Forest Green to a first win in eight games after Jordon D’Andre Garrick gave his men an 18th-minute lead.
      The visitors held onto that slender advantage for almost the entire match, before disaster struck in added time.
      Rekeil Pike levelled for the hosts in the 94th minute as Forest Green’s hopes of a victory were dashed.
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      And then four minutes later, in the dying seconds of the game, Ryan Bowman lashed home the winner for Shrewsbury in a quite remarkable turnaround.
      Ferguson looked crestfallen on the touchline, with fans pouring in to blame his connection with Everton for the shocking late collapse.
      Speaking on social media, one person said: “Duncan Ferguson, you can take the man out of Everton, but you can’t take Everton out of the man”.
      Another added: “Duncan Ferguson, bringing the Everton to Forest Green”.
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      A third reacted: “Forest Green doing an Everton there for Duncan Ferguson’s first game in charge”.
      And a fourth said: “Duncan Ferguson’s Forest Green conceding late in injury time, you say? Once Everton touches you…”.
      Ferguson left Everton just days after Frank Lampard was sacked following a torrid run of results which left the team 19th in the Premier League table.
      The Toffees are expected to appoint former Burnley manager Sean Dyche as their new head coach.
      Meanwhile, Ferguson faces a huge challenge to keep Forest Green in League One.
      They sit four points adrift of safety after just five wins from 29 league games. More

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      Man Utd starlet Charlie Savage – son of Robbie – joins Forest Green Rovers on loan transfer until end of season

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      CHARLIE SAVAGE has joined League One side Forest Green Rovers on loan for the rest of the season.The Manchester United teen star, 19, has opted to carry on his development with a temporary spell away with Old Trafford under The Green’s new manager Duncan Ferguson.
      Charlie Savage has joined Forest Green on loan from Manchester UnitedCredit: Getty
      Savage, son of ex-Leicester and Blackburn midfielder Robbie, was announced as a Rovers player this afternoon after we had revealed the transfer was on the verge of being completed earlier this week..
      Speaking to FGR media, the midfielder – who will wear the number 48 shirt – said: “I’m buzzing to be here. As soon as I found out Forest Green were interested, I just wanted to get down and get started.
      “I loved the sound of the club and I actually came down here last season for work experience under Rob Edwards. I know the people and the place really well.”
      The Wales Under-21 international is in line to make his debut for the Gloucestershire outfit away to Shrewsbury tomorrow as he looks to help them fight their way off the foot of the table.
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      Savage has made one senior appearance for United as a substitute in the Champions League 1-1 draw against Young Boys in December 2021.
      After training with Ipswich in April last year, he was also on the bench under Ralf Rangnick for the Red Devils’ final game of last season in a 1-0 loss at Crystal Palace.
      Savage went on the pre-season tour of Australia and Asia and caught the eye of new manager Erik ten Hag.
      During the World Cup, midfielder Savage also played in United’s winter friendlies against LaLiga outfits Cadiz and Real Betis on their mid-season break to Spain.
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      Savage is a box-to-box midfielder who loves a tackle and isn’t afraid to get stuck in.
      However, he’s got a bit more to his game in terms of being a creative spark and is a good passer of the ball.
      Last May, Savage was handed a contract with the Red Devils until at least 2025.
      Last season, he made 23 starts for United’s Under-18s and 19 appearances for the Under-23 side. More

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      Bury back from the dead as Shakers formally apply to play in non-league next season and plot EFL return

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      BURY could finally be back up and running next season after the expelled EFL club yesterday formally submitted an application to play non-league.The Shakers — who were formed in 1885 — have submitted a business plan to the FA setting a target of returning to the EFL by 2031 and are likely to be placed in the North West Counties League.
      SunSport can reveal Bury have applied to rejoin the football pyramidCredit: PA
      The club were booted out of the Football League in 2019Credit: PA:Empics Sport
      SunSport’s Justin Allen visited Gigg Lane and is pictured with the club’s applicationCredit: The Sun
      A friendly against a Premier League or EFL club has been pencilled in for July 1Credit: PA:Empics Sport
      Bury’s last season in football saw them clinch promotion to League One at Tranmere
      Club sources have revealed to SunSport that they already have experienced and successful non-league managers who have applied to build a team with a friendly at Gigg Lane against either a Premier League or EFL club pencilled in for July 1.
      Bury have not kicked a ball at their spiritual home since 2019 when the then League One team were controversially booted out after previous owner Steve Dale failed to show proof of funds and a subsequent takeover bid collapsed — ending their proud 125-year EFL membership.
      But in October 2021 the Bury Football Club Supporters Society successfully purchased the Bury FC name, intellectual property, history, memorabilia and, crucially, their Gigg Lane stadium from the club’s administrators.
      In that time since, the stadium, which suffered vandalism and decay while it sat dormant, has been slowly but surely spruced up, mostly thanks to the help of volunteers and local businesses offering their services, hardware and equipment for free. As well as benefactors donating funds to the project.
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      SunSport has seen the impressive 230-page application that has left virtually no stone unturned as the club detail how they plan to grow steadily from a non-league team to eventually restoring their EFL status.
      The North West Counties League are tiers nine and 10 of English football’s pyramid so the club would need to win a minimum of five promotions to return to the EFL.
      Already the club are renting space inside the stadium with plans in place to install more office space to hire out.
      The ground has been opened up for community use and already 39,000 people have passed through the doors — whether it be playing football, using the community hub, watching legends games, local league cup finals and women’s football. The ground has also hosted kids’ soccer camps in the summer.
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      Bury will be installing a new pitch in March and April before hoping to host local cup finals before final preparations are made for the new season.
      The club is making its application under the name Bury Community United Football Club but are hopeful the FA will ratify its bid to be called Bury FC from the onset.
      The club, however, will be able to rebrand itself to Bury FC in 18 months anyway.
      Bury Football Club Supporters Society were handed a £1million government grant from its levelling-up fund to purchase Gigg Lane and develop the stadium for community use.
      So far, despite no first-team fixtures, they have turned over £133,000 with £50,000 in the bank.The community club will use the German model of being 51 per cent fan owned with 49 per cent made up of investors. This is to safeguard it from being taken over by rogue owners. More

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      League One farce as ref sends off WRONG Bolton player for apparent punch vs Forest Green with fans and players bemused

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      THERE were farcical scenes in League One on Tuesday evening after a ref sent off the wrong player.Bolton vs Forest Green was marred by the referee showing red to the host’s Dion Charles.
      Bolton’s Dion Charles was wrongly shown a red card instead of Elias Kachunga against Forest GreenCredit: Getty

      Kachunga appeared to punch an opponent as Charles focused on the footballCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk
      The two sides clashed on a freezing night at the University of Bolton Stadium.
      And the hosts got off to a flyer when Charles fired them ahead with just six minutes on the clock.
      However, the fan favourite soon became the victim of mistaken identity when he was shown a straight red card in the 28th minute.
      Charles was merely a bystander when an incident occurred between team-mate Elias Kachunga and Forest Green defender Brandon Cooper.
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      The pair tangled in the box as Charles waited for a ball to be played in.
      And video replay showed Kachunga appearing to punch his opponent in the midriff.
      But as play was paused by the linesman, referee Tom Nield got the wrong end of the stick.
      Instead of making a beeline for Kachunga, the official instead made his way over to Charles.
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      Charles’ night started well when he scored a sixth minute openerCredit: Getty
      Despite playing with 10 men for over an hour, Bolton held on for a 1-0 winCredit: Getty
      The prolific striker was having a drink of water on the sideline when Nield showed him a red card, prompting major confusion.
      Fans chanted “you’re not fit to referee” as Charles protested his innocence to no avail.
      And many others flooded Twitter to question the decision, including Bolton’s official account.
      The admin uploaded a post saying: “Dion Charles has been sent off. Some confusion around the ground, we’re not sure what’s happened there!?”
      Jokers Specsavers got in on the fun, replying: “We’re heading over immediately.”
      One fan declared: “EFL unfit for purpose. 100 per cent appeal that.”
      Another noted: “Unbelievable that Kachunga hasn’t owned up it’s him after seeing the red card.”
      One added: “Of all the mistakes to make, sends off our top scorer and leaves our worst player on.”
      Bolton boss Ian Evatt was stunned by the decision.
      He said afterwards: “We cannot deny that Elias has let everybody down, showing that lack of discipline is not acceptable and he’s apologised to the group.
      “For the linesman to spot it is a good spot but then to get a player involved and sent off who was 15 yards away from the incident is baffling.
      “There is enough finance in the game for us to be able to have VAR for every division in the English pyramid. This is equally important to us as it is to any Premier League team.”
      Despite being a man down for the rest of the game, Bolton managed to hold on to their slim advantage despite a second-half push from the visitors.
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      It saw Bolton end the game with just 37 per cent possession, but more crucially with all three points.
      Bolton remain fifth in the League One table as a result, with Forest Green still bottom. More