Lionel Ainsworth
Encyclopedia
Lionel Glenn Robert Ainsworth (born 1 October 1987 in Nottingham
) is an English
footballer who currently plays for Shrewsbury Town
in Football League Two
. He plays as a right winger. Lionel made his league debut for Shrewsbury Town on 7 August 2010 with a man of the match performance in a 3-1 victory against Bradford City on the opening day of the 2010/11 league 2 season in front of 6,993. Lionel scored his first goal for Shrewsbury Town against Rotherham United on 4 September 2010, the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win at Greenhous Meadow attendance 6,206. Lionel got his first hat-trick for Shrewsbury Town in a 5-1 win against Lincoln City on Tuesday 8th February 2011. A string on man of the match performances at the beginning of the 2011/12 season and also playing a big part in Shrewsbury's League Cup run terrorising his ex club Derby County along with Premier League Swansea City set up a 3rd round clash with Arsenal has made Lionel a real crowd favourite at Shrewsbury.
, signing his first professional contract on 4 August 2005. He made his first team debut on 25 February 2006 in a 1–0 home win over Plymouth Argyle
, coming on as a late substitute for Kevin Lisbie
. His second and final first team appearance for Derby came in a 5–0 defeat to Reading
on 1 April 2006, again as a substitute.
Ainsworth spent the first four months of the 2006–07
season on loan at League One
side Bournemouth
, but made only nine appearances. In January 2007 he joined Conference
side Halifax Town
for a month, scoring his first senior goal on his debut against York City
. Soon after his return to Derby he joined League Two
side Wycombe Wanderers
on loan until the end of the season, where he made seven appearances before being recalled in April.
, who were about to start their second season back in the Football League
. He quickly established his place in the side and featured in every first team match bar one, during his time with the Bulls. In only his second match he scored his first senior hat-trick in a 4–1 League Cup
first round win over Yeovil Town
. He went on to score another hat-trick, this time in a 3–2 league win at Stockport County
. Ainsworth's last match for Hereford saw him score a 3rd minute winner against Leeds United
, in the FA Cup First Round
.
sign him initially on loan and then permanently on 5 January 2008 for an undisclosed six figure fee. The Hornets had already loaned Toumani Diagouraga
and Theo Robinson
to Hereford, and manager Aidy Boothroyd extended these loans to the end of the season as part of the Ainsworth transfer deal. He also gave Hereford first option on Diagouraga, which the Bulls duly utilised in the summer of 2008. Ainsworth signed a contract until the end of the 2009–10 season.
On 16 November 2008, Watford caretaker manager Malky Mackay
named Ainsworth as one of three players that were to be loaned to other clubs to gain match fitness. Four days later Ainsworth rejoined Hereford United on a month's loan, on the anniversary of his final match for the Bulls. Lionel scored three more goals for United in the 2008-09 season including a brace and two assists against Oldham Athletic
in a 5-0 hammering. Following that performance Lionel was recalled to Watford with one game still left on his loan deal.
side Huddersfield Town
on a two-and-a-half-year contract. His debut came as a substitute for Keigan Parker
in the 1–0 defeat by Yeovil Town
at Huish Park
on 27 January 2009. His first start for the Terriers came in the 1–0 win over Peterborough United
on 31 January 2009.
After a period of being left out of the side altogether, Ainsworth moved on loan to fellow League One side Brentford
on 27 January 2010. He made his debut in the 4–0 win over Gillingham
at Griffin Park
on 6 February 2010.
After making his first start for the Bees, he got in trouble with the club's manager Andy Scott
, who substituted him. He angrily went off the pitch and afterwards Scott said that Ainsworth wouldn't play for the club again for showing disrespect to the club and its fans, so Ainsworth was sent back to Huddersfield.
A season of mixed fortunes has led to Ainsworth looking for a transfer away from Huddersfield. Rival clubs Shrewsbury Town & Hereford United were rumoured to be interested in Lionel. At a fans forum on 21/07/10 Hereford's manager Simon Davey
confirmed he had made an approach to Huddersfield for Lionel. He has now signed a two year deal with Shrewsbury Town on a free transfer with Huddersfield gaining 20% on any future sell on fee by Shrewsbury.
and England U-18
level. Ainsworth received his first call up for the England U-19
team shortly after backing into the first team at Derby County
.
at the beginning of the year. He was charged with affray
on 11 March. The accusation was that he was involved in an incident some seven weeks following the death of Mr Munn, his cousin. Also arrested and charged were Ainsworth's uncle (Munn's father) and cousin (Munn's brother).
His arrest forced him to miss Huddersfield's match against Milton Keynes Dons
at stadium:mk on 10 March. He was due to stand trial in November 2009, but the charges were dropped on 19 November 2009.
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
) is an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
footballer who currently plays for Shrewsbury Town
Shrewsbury Town F.C.
Shrewsbury Town Football Club is an English Association football club based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, who play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club was formed in 1886 and has played in all the bottom three divisions in various guises since being elected into the Football...
in Football League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
. He plays as a right winger. Lionel made his league debut for Shrewsbury Town on 7 August 2010 with a man of the match performance in a 3-1 victory against Bradford City on the opening day of the 2010/11 league 2 season in front of 6,993. Lionel scored his first goal for Shrewsbury Town against Rotherham United on 4 September 2010, the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win at Greenhous Meadow attendance 6,206. Lionel got his first hat-trick for Shrewsbury Town in a 5-1 win against Lincoln City on Tuesday 8th February 2011. A string on man of the match performances at the beginning of the 2011/12 season and also playing a big part in Shrewsbury's League Cup run terrorising his ex club Derby County along with Premier League Swansea City set up a 3rd round clash with Arsenal has made Lionel a real crowd favourite at Shrewsbury.
Derby County
Ainsworth started his career at Derby CountyDerby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
, signing his first professional contract on 4 August 2005. He made his first team debut on 25 February 2006 in a 1–0 home win over Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
, coming on as a late substitute for Kevin Lisbie
Kevin Lisbie
Kevin Anthony Lisbie is an English footballer who plays for Leyton Orient. He qualifies to play international football for Jamaica.-Charlton Athletic:...
. His second and final first team appearance for Derby came in a 5–0 defeat to Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
on 1 April 2006, again as a substitute.
Ainsworth spent the first four months of the 2006–07
2006-07 in English football
The 2006–07 season was the 127th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* The number of divisions at Level 8 of the English football league system increased from four to five...
season on loan at League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
side Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
, but made only nine appearances. In January 2007 he joined Conference
Football Conference
The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional...
side Halifax Town
Halifax Town A.F.C.
Halifax Town Association Football Club were an English football team who most recently played in the Conference National, although prior to that they participated in the Football League for over eighty years...
for a month, scoring his first senior goal on his debut against York City
York City F.C.
York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions...
. Soon after his return to Derby he joined League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
side Wycombe Wanderers
Wycombe Wanderers F.C.
Wycombe Wanderers Football Club is an English professional football team from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, which has been promoted to Football League One after finishing third in Football League Two in the season 2010–11. The club's nicknames are "The Chairboys" and "The Blues", and they play...
on loan until the end of the season, where he made seven appearances before being recalled in April.
Hereford United
He was released by Derby at the end of the 2006–07 season and was signed by Hereford UnitedHereford United F.C.
Hereford United Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Hereford. Founded in 1924, they are competing in Football League Two in the 2011–12 season. Hereford have played at Edgar Street for their entire history and are nicknamed 'The Whites' or 'The Lilywhites',...
, who were about to start their second season back in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
. He quickly established his place in the side and featured in every first team match bar one, during his time with the Bulls. In only his second match he scored his first senior hat-trick in a 4–1 League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
first round win over Yeovil Town
Yeovil Town F.C.
Yeovil Town F.C. are an English association football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. The club play in League One after having won the League Two championship in 2004–05...
. He went on to score another hat-trick, this time in a 3–2 league win at Stockport County
Stockport County F.C.
Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...
. Ainsworth's last match for Hereford saw him score a 3rd minute winner against Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
, in the FA Cup First Round
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
.
Watford
His performances for Hereford saw WatfordWatford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
sign him initially on loan and then permanently on 5 January 2008 for an undisclosed six figure fee. The Hornets had already loaned Toumani Diagouraga
Toumani Diagouraga
Toumani Diagouraga is a French footballer of Malian descent who plays for Brentford as a central midfielder.-Career:Diagouraga was born in Paris to Malian parents and was spotted by a Watford scout, subsequently joining the Hornets Academy. He signed professional terms in November 2004 aged 16,...
and Theo Robinson
Theo Robinson
Theo Laroyan R. S. Robinson is an English footballer who plays for Football League Championship side Derby County.-Watford:...
to Hereford, and manager Aidy Boothroyd extended these loans to the end of the season as part of the Ainsworth transfer deal. He also gave Hereford first option on Diagouraga, which the Bulls duly utilised in the summer of 2008. Ainsworth signed a contract until the end of the 2009–10 season.
On 16 November 2008, Watford caretaker manager Malky Mackay
Malky Mackay
Malcolm George "Malky" Mackay is a Scottish football manager and former player, who played as a central defender. He is currently the manager of Cardiff City. Mackay began his playing career in Scottish football, with Queen's Park and Celtic. He joined English side Norwich City in 1998, remaining...
named Ainsworth as one of three players that were to be loaned to other clubs to gain match fitness. Four days later Ainsworth rejoined Hereford United on a month's loan, on the anniversary of his final match for the Bulls. Lionel scored three more goals for United in the 2008-09 season including a brace and two assists against Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
in a 5-0 hammering. Following that performance Lionel was recalled to Watford with one game still left on his loan deal.
Huddersfield Town
On 23 January he was signed by Football League OneFootball League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
side Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
on a two-and-a-half-year contract. His debut came as a substitute for Keigan Parker
Keigan Parker
Keigan Parker is a Scottish footballer who plays for non-league A.F.C. Fylde.-St. Johnstone:Parker, a striker, started his career with Scottish club St. Johnstone, where he made a promising start to his career and was being tipped by many to have a big future. While at St. Johnstone, he gained...
in the 1–0 defeat by Yeovil Town
Yeovil Town F.C.
Yeovil Town F.C. are an English association football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. The club play in League One after having won the League Two championship in 2004–05...
at Huish Park
Huish Park
Huish Park is a football ground in the suburbs of Yeovil, Somerset, England and is the home ground of Yeovil Town Football Club. The stadium replaced the club's previous ground, The Huish famous for numerous FA Cup giant-killings was officially opened on 4 August 1990, with a match against then...
on 27 January 2009. His first start for the Terriers came in the 1–0 win over Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
on 31 January 2009.
After a period of being left out of the side altogether, Ainsworth moved on loan to fellow League One side Brentford
Brentford F.C.
Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
on 27 January 2010. He made his debut in the 4–0 win over Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
at Griffin Park
Griffin Park
Griffin Park is a football ground situated in the London Borough of Hounslow, west London. It has been the home ground of League One side Brentford since it was built in 1904. It is known for being the only English league football ground to have a pub on each corner, and is situated in a...
on 6 February 2010.
After making his first start for the Bees, he got in trouble with the club's manager Andy Scott
Andy Scott (English footballer)
Andrew "Andy" Scott is an English former professional footballer whose clubs included Sheffield United, Brentford, Oxford United and Leyton Orient. He is currently manager of League Two team Rotherham United, after being sacked from Brentford in February 2011. During his playing career, Scott was...
, who substituted him. He angrily went off the pitch and afterwards Scott said that Ainsworth wouldn't play for the club again for showing disrespect to the club and its fans, so Ainsworth was sent back to Huddersfield.
A season of mixed fortunes has led to Ainsworth looking for a transfer away from Huddersfield. Rival clubs Shrewsbury Town & Hereford United were rumoured to be interested in Lionel. At a fans forum on 21/07/10 Hereford's manager Simon Davey
Simon Davey
Simon Davey is a Welsh former footballer and football manager. He played for Swansea City, Carlisle United and Preston North End and had a short loan spell with Darlington, making a total of 271 appearances in the Football League...
confirmed he had made an approach to Huddersfield for Lionel. He has now signed a two year deal with Shrewsbury Town on a free transfer with Huddersfield gaining 20% on any future sell on fee by Shrewsbury.
International career
Ainsworth has represented at youth level playing for England at England U-17England national under-17 football team
-Elite Qualifying Group 3:-Group stage:-Fifth place play-off:-FA International U17 Tournament:-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the 2012 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship qualifying round....
and England U-18
England national under-18 football team
-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the friendly match against Slovakia.-Recent call-ups:The following players have also been called up to the England under-18 squad and remain eligible.-References:...
level. Ainsworth received his first call up for the England U-19
England national under-19 football team
-Other matches:-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the friendly match against Denmark.- Recent call-ups :The following players have also been called up to the England under-19 squad and remain eligible.-Past squads:...
team shortly after backing into the first team at Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
.
Arrest
Ainsworth was arrested in early March 2009 in connection with the death of Liam Munn in NottinghamNottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
at the beginning of the year. He was charged with affray
Affray
In many legal jurisdictions related to English common law, affray is a public order offence consisting of the fighting of two or more persons in a public place to the terror of ordinary people...
on 11 March. The accusation was that he was involved in an incident some seven weeks following the death of Mr Munn, his cousin. Also arrested and charged were Ainsworth's uncle (Munn's father) and cousin (Munn's brother).
His arrest forced him to miss Huddersfield's match against Milton Keynes Dons
Milton Keynes Dons F.C.
.Milton Keynes Dons Football Club is an English professional football club founded in 2004 and based since 2007 at Stadium mk, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire...
at stadium:mk on 10 March. He was due to stand trial in November 2009, but the charges were dropped on 19 November 2009.