The cowboy boots are polished, the leather jacket cleaned and the long hair combed.

Wild Thing (a.k.a. Gareth Ainsworth) is back in business, ready to strut his stuff on the stage he knows best.

Wycombe’s boss, who doubles as lead singer in a band, will be on the touchline when Wanderers host Brentford at Adams Park on Saturday, hoping to guide his team to more ‘rock and roll’ football.

READ MORE: A new look Adams Park as several facilities are improved for the Championship club

Ainsworth is still suffering from the serious back injury that forced him to miss his team’s last three games, but he cannot wait to get started again.

He said: “It was incredibly frustrating.

“I had to watch those games at home with no influence over what was happening, but Dobbo (assistant Richard Dobson) did a brilliant job in my absence.

“Fortunately, we think the same way after nine years working together and I could not ask for a better number two.

“I was delighted for him when we got those first two wins as a Championship club.”

Ainsworth aggravated an old back problem running up the stairs at Wycombe’s training ground.

He explained: “I suddenly felt a pop in my back and two hours later, I was in agony.

“The pain grew even worse when I got home, and I lost all the feeling in my left leg.

“My wife Donna was so worried that she called an ambulance, and I was rushed to hospital.

“As soon as the doctor saw me, he diagnosed a collapsed disc and said I needed surgery immediately.”

READ MORE: Gareth Ainsworth on being ‘competitive’ as Wycombe return to action this weekend

After the operation, the 47-year-old was warned he faced three months of physiotherapy and recuperation, but he still tried to join the squad for their game at Nottingham Forest.

He continued: “I got a lift to the training ground in my tracksuit and with my overnight bag packed, but our club doctor saw me and said, ‘What are you doing here? Go home now.’

“I had to tell the players I had failed a fitness test!”

Doctor’s orders also forced the boss to put on hold his starring roles as a player for Berkshire non-league club Woodley United, and as vocalist for rock band Cold Blooded Hearts, but he has now resumed his ‘day job’ as Wycombe boss.

He joked: “I don’t think I’ll be jumping around on the touchline, trying to kick and head every ball as usual, but it’s great to be back.”