Save the Cheerleader.
S’alright, I’ve not suddenly geeked out; I’m still one of the good guys. My focus this time out is the ever-changing role of our self appointed mascot. No, not that drippy Tiger, nor the binned Jude, I’m talking Gareth Ainsworth.
Wild Thing, as he is known (probably at his own behest) has had a stop start career. Injuries have wreaked havoc through the years. But fans up and down the land have warmed to his dogged determination to get off the treatment table again and again and again.
At QPR he’s become a symbol of our dragging ourselves out of the mire of the third tier. His thirty-yard thunderbolts, tireless determination and dedication to looking like a member of the 75-76 team have afforded him legendary status.
Personally, my favourite Ainsworth moment was during a home game where we were dominating but not scoring, with 20 minutes to go he got the hook, rather than sloping off, looking at his boots, shaking his head and half heartedly clapping the crowd, he immediately broke in to a sprint towards the dugout. Not only was it as fast as he’s ever been in the hoops it was the kind of sprint that was last seen in Chariots of Fire, all high knees and pumping fist, head held high as if balancing a champagne flute…both ridiculous and marvellous at the same time and stayed with me for ever.
As one who has suffered a number of cancelled contracts and non-renewals, he’s developed a keen sense of positioning during these uncertain times. Always back in action at the end of a season and always a whirlwind of action. Extra years are tacked on to his contract almost as a habit, but when the new money arrived he must have thought the writing was on the wall.
Every appearance last season was treated as his final, applauding the faithful, waving, signing autographs…all during the game! But Gareth Ainsworth is a survivor and not as daft as he looks. Come 2008 he’d developed a permanent place on the bench under Luigi De Canio, it was difficult to find adequate football reasons for this given the many new faces popping up at Loftus road. But if you watched the bench at the end of the game…every game mind, there you saw the genius of the man. Win, Lose or draw, who was first to hug, console or celebrate with the boss, Gareth Ainsworth.
The limpet like winger has again survived a regime change. His role had developed, even to the point of securing a coaching position. But the real value to Rangers is again seen on the bench, during games. He’s become Dowie’s stress buster. During Sundays live outing against the hapless Saints, every goal or major incident was the subject of a close up of our bench as Dowie, punched, patted, hugged, squeezed or playfully mussed up the hair of our hero, who reacted pretty much the same way that the six month old Rogue Junior does to such attention.
I don’t begrudge him this Indian summer; indeed, if we continue winning the sight of Dowie absent-mindedly battering him will become a focus of much mirth and jollity amongst the regulars. Lets hope things don’t go wrong though…I’d hate to find the camera panning round to catch the lifeless form of Ainsworth, dragging along the cinder track, as a frustrated Dowie wrings his neck in frustration!
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