Wycombe Wanderers boss Gareth Ainsworth wasn't in Blackburn Rovers' thoughts at the start of their managerial recruitment process but has crept his way into contention more recently, as per the Lancashire Telegraph.

The 49-year-old was 90 minutes away from taking the Chairboys back to the Championship at the first time of asking last month following their impressive semi-final victory over MK Dons.

However, their 2-0 loss at Wembley against Sunderland consigned the League One side to another season in the third tier, a real blow for the Buckinghamshire outfit despite the fact they did well to force their way into the promotion mix in the first place.

Ainsworth could make the step up to the second tier regardless though, with the Lancashire-born man being linked with the top job at Ewood Park following Tony Mowbray's departure last month.

Two of Rovers' previous targets Carlos Carvalhal and Daniel Farke have already joined other clubs and could potentially boost the 49-year-old's chances of returning to his home county as the second-tier side ideally needing to make an appointment in time for the start of pre-season.

According to The Sun, he was one man under consideration for the vacancy at the start of May, but the Lancashire Telegraph believe he didn't come up on their radar until later on. They have also claimed that the current Wycombe manager would be open to a move to Ewood Park should the opportunity come up.

The Verdict:

Blackburn were a team that arguably punched above their weight last term considering how inexperienced their squad was and still is - and Wycombe also performed above expectations so Ainsworth could help to maintain standards if he arrives at the second-tier side.

Whether his style of play is something the supporters will want to watch remains to be seen - but the 49-year-old is known for getting results and this is important for a side that needs as much confidence as possible following the departure of Mowbray.

The latter brought years of stability to Ewood Park and that arguably led to their promotion push last term, so they need another stable figure who can be at the club for the long term.

Ainsworth has managed his current side since 2012 and with the 49-year-old proving he can remain with a club for several years, he's a strong candidate to be appointed considering Blackburn's younger players are more likely to thrive without constant managerial changes in the coming years.

With a familiar face at the helm for years to come, the likes of John Buckley and Tyrhys Dolan can continue to thrive, so it's no surprise to see him under consideration.