Ex Charlton Athletic boss replaces former QPR man in EFL managerial merry-go-round

Former Charlton Athletic manager Michael Appleton has replaced Gareth Ainsworth at League One outfit Shrewsbury Town following the latter’s unexpected departure earlier this week.

Ainsworth only started his work at Shrewsbury Town in November 2024 but won just five of his 22 fixtures in charge of the side. The club sits bottom of the third tier, 14 points adrift from safety with just nine matches left this term.

With relegation on the cards for the Shrews, Ainsworth made a premature drop down to League Two and took up the head coach role at Gillingham. The Kent club is 19th in the fourth tier.

Ex Charlton Athletic boss appointed at Shrewsbury Town

That left Shrewsbury Town without a head coach but the club confirmed that Appleton had taken up the role until the end of the season on Wednesday evening. The 49-year-old makes his return to management following a sacking from Charlton Athletic in January 2024.

Appleton’s stint with the Addicks lasted just over four months with eight wins from 28 outings. The coach was sacked by the London side after a run of ten League One games without a win.

The position at Shrewsbury Town is Appleton’s eighth appointment of his 14-year managerial career and comes after time at Portsmouth, Blackpool, Blackburn Rovers, Leicester City, Lincoln City and Oxford United, as well as the Addicks.

Town ‘delighted’ by Appleton announcement

Town director of football Micky Moore said: "I'm absolutely delighted - along with the Chairman and board of directors - to welcome both Michael and Richard to the club.

"It's been a difficult seven days. But once Gareth Ainsworth made the decision to leave, it was important we acted quickly to find the right man to guide us through the remainder of the season.

"Michael was my number one target. And I'm thrilled that over the last 24 hours we've been able to get a deal over the line - with Michael and Richard joining us until the end of the season.

"I know the past few days have been difficult for supporters. Nobody likes confusion and uncertainty. But hopefully now, by making this quick appointment, we can all get behind Michael and Richard for the remaining nine games of the season. Thank you for your continued support."

Ainsworth spent seven years as a player at QPR and eventually took charge of the side as a caretaker boss on two occasions in 2008 and 2009. The former midfielder then took on the post as head coach at Wycombe Wanderers, where he stayed for 11 years, before returning to Loftus Road in 2023.

Gareth Ainsworth’s assistant on ‘disappointing’ QPR stint

Ainsworth lasted just seven months at QPR and was dismissed in October 2023 to be replaced by current boss Marti Cifuentes. Richard Dobson was Ainsworth’s assistant while at QPR and opened up about their time at the club just last week.

He told the Shropshire Star: “That was quite a disappointing time. I grew up watching QPR as a young lad that was my team living in west London.

“I was quite excited to go back and get an opportunity to work there, but we went there at a really bad time. They got themselves in a really bad place with Financial Fair Play. We knew they're in a relegation battle, and we've just got to keep the club up in the first season, and then we'll be able to build, but actually we couldn't.

“We knew that there was a dressing room there that was not in a good way. Half of them wanted to rip the heads off the other half. So you go into that environment totally different to Wycombe Wanderers. But you know we thought that's alright we'll move the ones out that we don't want, and we'll build with the ones that we do.”

In other news, QPR tried and failed to sign this ‘wonderful’ ex Tottenham Hotspur and Celtic man over the international break.