'It is going to be weird' - Matt Bloomfield on facing Gareth Ainsworth this weekend

Wycombe Wanderers manager Matt Bloomfield has admitted it will be ‘weird’ to be up against his former teammate and boss Gareth Ainsworth this weekend.

The Chairboys, who sit top of the League One table, travel to bottom-of-the-table Shrewsbury Town, who are now under the stewardship of the 51-year-old.

He took over from Paul Hurst on November 13, winning one and losing two of his games so far.

His only victory did come in his first match in charge, which was in a brilliant 3-2 win over promotion-pushing Birmingham City, with ex-Wycombe man Aaron Pierre scoring the opening goal.

For Bloomfield, he will return to the stadium where his tenure as Wycombe manager began in February 2023, where he replaced Ainsworth who had departed to Queens Park Rangers.

It will also be the 40-year-old’s 101st game in charge of the Chairboys.

Speaking ahead to Wycombe’s trip to Shrewsbury on December 14, he said: “It is going to be weird as we spent so many years together in the same changing room, fighting for the same cause for the same badge.

“I have said this so many times and I will never get tired of saying it, but I will always admire and respect the gaffer [Ainsworth] and Dobbo [assistant manager Richard Dobson] for what they did for our club.

“They are incredible people, and it will be a weird afternoon going up against them, but, we’re going to relish it.

“To be on opposite dugouts will be strange, but this game gives you different experiences and for us, I think it’s about how we concentrate on the game.

“It’ll be a tough test, as they had that incredible result against Birmingham a couple of weeks ago.

“But the story surrounding it and the outside noise is irrelevant come 3pm on Saturday, and we need to make sure we turn up with the right identity, style and philosophy that we have used already this season.”

Wycombe go into the clash at the New Meadow 16 games unbeaten in the league, as they sit joint top with second-place Wrexham on 40 points.

However, Bloomfield’s team are winless in their last three games which has seen the Adams Park team draw away at Exeter City and at home to Reading in the league, before being eliminated from the EFL Trophy to 10-man Swindon Town on Tuesday.

The latter was only Wanderers’ fifth loss in 27 games this season.

Wycombe won on their last visit to Shrewsbury back in April.

He added: “Under the gaffer [Gareth Ainsworth], we prided ourselves in being ready and we know Shrewsbury will be tactically and physically ready.

We know they will be tough and they have a good goal threat.

“We know each other inside out so we know we have to be ready for it.”

“No game in this league is easy.”

The match will kick-off at 3pm.