QPR Snippets: Marking Two Years of Chairman Paladini....QPR Birthday...Ben Sahar on Returning to Chelsea and Avram Grant

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Chairman Gianni Paladini Completes His Second Year as Officially QPR Chairman
Today, September 28, marks the second year anniversary since Gianni Paladini officially became Chairman of Queens Park Rangers Football Club. (Subsequently, Antonio Caliendo became Chairman of QPR Holdings Ltd.) The official assumption of the Chairmanship came just over a month after the August 24th Board meeting which saw then-Chairman Bill Power voted out of the Chairmanship

QPR OFFICIAL SITE - 28 September 2005 Statement GIANNI PALADINI
Gianni Paladini has been appointed Chairman of Queens Park Rangers Football Club and QPR Holdings Ltd.
Interim Chairman Gualtiero Trucco has stepped down and the Board of Directors have unanimously chosen Paladini to take on the role on a full-time basis.
The changes were agreed at a Loftus Road Board Meeting on Wednesday afternoon and Paladini is delighted by the honour of this 'challenging but exciting' role.
"The Monaco investors have recommended that I be appointed Chairman and I am deeply honoured that the Directors have allowed me this opportunity.
"I hope now that after a period of instability we can all look forward to the brightest of futures at Loftus Road.
"We have a wonderful manager, an exciting and improving squad and a real opportunity to push for a place in the play-offs and even the Premiership.
"I believe these are wonderful times to be a QPR supporter and I just want to play whatever part I can in bringing both success and stability to this Club.
"I fully appreciate that supporters will have been a little bewildered by recent events and I wish that so much of what has happened could have happened differently.
"But I believe we now have the right people in place, both on the pitch and behind the scenes, to take this club forward.
"I would like to thank every single fan for their continued, passionate support for QPR and I would also like to pay tribute to all the staff here.
"Life hasn't been particularly easy for them recently either but every single one continues to work as hard as ever for the benefit of this club.
"It has never been clearer to me that, both in the stands and behind the scenes, this is a wonderful place full of very special people." QPR

[Also: Alex Wade, The Times, September 30, 2005 - Profile of/Interview with Paladini, a couple of days after Paladini's official appointment as Chairman. Alex Wade, The Time, "Chairman sees himself as agent for QPR revival"


Nine Years Ago Today, Ray Harford resigned as QPR Manager

The Independent - September 29,1998 - by Alan Nixon - Harford resigns as QPR manager
Ray Harford yesterday resigned as manager of troubled Queen's Park Rangers and brought his unhappy reign to an end within in a year.
Harford left after thinking over his future at the weekend following a humbling 4-1 defeat at Oxford United.
Coach at Blackburn Rovers when they won the title, Harford has had considerable problems at Rangers where he feels that he has been denied transfer funds. The signing of Vinnie Jones was made over his head and lately the fans have turned against the manager and his struggling team. A compensation figure has yet to be agreed, but rather than wait to haggle Harford has decided to leave.
Harford's chance of being given an escape route to Newcastle United disappeared when Kenny Dalglish was sacked a month ago.
Harford, who left West Bromwich Albion in the middle of last season to join the QPR, has achieved only one victory with the Loftus Road side in nine games this season. The club, second from bottom in the First Division, have appointed Iain Dowie, the Northern Ireland international striker, as caretaker manager. A statement from the club said: "Ray felt at this difficult time it was in the club's best interests he should step down." The Independent

[Ian Dowie - rather than Vinnie Jones - took over as caretaker manager. Two weeks later, Gerry Francis was appointed QPR manager. Ray Harford went on to coach elsewhere, before sadly, dying, only in his later fifties, in August, 2003. See also Ray Harford Profile/Wikipedia


STEFAN MOORE Turns 24
Stefan Moore Turns 24: Born September 28, 1983.
Forward signed from Aston Villa at the beginning of last season. Spent some time last season on loan at Port Vale. Career See Also Wikipedia/Stefan Moore


BEN SAHAR's PERSPECTIVE - Jewish Chronicle on Chelsea's Appointment of Avram Grant
"....Chelsea’s Israeli teenage striker Ben Sahar, on loan at QPR, told JC Sport: “Avram’s appointment is great for Israeli football. He is managing one of the biggest clubs in the world and I wish him all the best. I return to the club in two months and want to get in on merit, not because I know him. I want to play for Chelsea whoever the manager is.” Jewish Chronicle