4 hours ago
1
Gillingham boss Gareth Ainsworth has been discharged from hospital after undergoing open heart surgery last week.
Ainsworth underwent the surgery last Friday after a medical issue was highlighted in the annual League Managers’ Association (LMA) health check at the end of last season.
The Gillingham boss told Daily Mail Sport ahead of the operation that he expected to be away for up to a month, with his long-term assistant Richard Dobson filling in.
Dobson confirmed last weekend that the operation was a success, with Ainsworth recuperating in hospital.
Speaking ahead of their match against Cheltenham Town on Saturday, Dobson revealed the 52-year-old has now been discharged from hospital.
‘I spoke to Gareth yesterday morning and he sounded really upbeat,' Dobson said.
💬 | 𝗥𝗗: "Good news. I spoke to Gareth yesterday morning and he sounded really upbeat.
"He watched the game [Colchester] the other night, he was going to watch Cheltenham and he wanted to get involved in team selection and tactics.
"I got a call again last night and he had… pic.twitter.com/WwFn4QcgcO
‘He watched the game [Colchester] the other night, he was going to watch Cheltenham and he wanted to get involved in team selection and tactics.
‘I got a call again last night and he had been discharged from hospital. Really good progress.’
Ainsworth has only lost one of his 21 games in charge of Gillingham after taking charge last season.
The club record run ended in a 1-0 defeat by Harrogate in his final match before his operation.
Gillingham were beaten 3-2 by MK Dons in the first match of Dobson's temporary spell.
The Gills suffered a late 2-1 defeat by Colchester in the EFL Trophy in midweek, but will be aiming to bounce back against League Two strugglers Cheltenham on Saturday.
Ainsworth had opened up about the surgery and the health check in an exclusive interview with Daily Mail Sport last week.
‘The LMA health check is unbelievable,’ he said. ‘It flagged something up, a valve issue in my heart, a murmur that any stethoscope can find, but I'm just lucky they found it. It’s a big operation but it’s needed. Many people are walking around with this and they don’t know, so we’re privileged to have the check.
‘It's a big op, but it's needed. I’m very positive everything will be fine, but I’ll probably have to do up a few more buttons on my shirt now!’
