QPR boss Gareth Ainsworth admits returning to Loftus Road last season was a career ambition fulfilled.
The former Rs winger had spent 11 years in charge of Wycombe Wanderers before getting the call from his old club in February. Having enjoyed seven years with QPR as a player, where he admits he played his best football, Ainsworth says the chance to return and repay his former club was too good a chance to turn down.
On behalf of CopyBet, Ainsworth told Tribalfootball.com: "I'd probably had a great start to my career in the lower leagues. I managed to get into the Championship with Port Vale, went to the Premier League with Wimbledon.
"I was close to international call-ups. I was close to being a name in the Premier League. But then I suffered some serious injuries while with Wimbledon.
"At the time, it would have been easy for me to to go off the radar of many people. I really was worried about where my career was going after Wimbledon. I'd gone on this upward trajectory like you wouldn't believe, but then only played a handful of games over about three years.
"Then QPR came and said 'we want to give you a chance' and looking into the history of QPR and especially with wingers, the wingers that this club has had - and I was an out and out winger - I knew it was a special place."
Ainsworth, now 50, continued: "Coming in and playing that first game against Blackpool 20 years ago... running down in front of our fans and and the Loft, realising just what a special place this was and what a historic place this was. I fell in love with the club.
"Now, whenever anyone talks about my footballing career, they always associate me with QPR. Not Wycombe not Preston, where I made my debut, not Wimbledon. It's always, 'oh he used to play for QPR'. That's special to me because of the history of this place."
It's that relationship with the club and fans that has Ainsworth determined to bring the good times back to Loftus Road.
The Rs manager added: "With QPR there's a history that comes with this club that I have to try to protect.
"The likes of Coventry and Luton and Millwall were all in the playoffs last season -but they've all been in League One in recent years. I don't want this club to be in League One again. I think it's too big to be in League One.
"I've managed a lot of games in League One and it's just not where this club belongs. So the expectation level I'm sure is lower than it has been for many a year at QPR, but it's still high enough to say we should be in the Championship and that's what I aim to do."
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