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Terry Venables Turns 65 - Born January 6, 1943
Much has been written about Venables at Spurs and with England and his short periods at Australia, Crystal Palace (the second time), Portsmouth, Middlesbrough and Leeds.
But when QPR signed him in June 1969 for a QPR record 70,000 pounds, it marked a massive turning point for QPR: Remembering him as a 27 year old; immediately appointed QPR captain...Taking all the throw ins (it seemed); and the corners...and the free kicks....Providing class and savvy and experience to a QPR team that had just gone down with a humiliating 18 points...
And under Gordaon Jago and Campbell, Venables although "just" a player was clearly a massive influence on tactics and free kicks and an on-the-field guide to theplayers.
And then when he returned to QPR as a manager replacing Tommy Docherty: The sense of KNOWING that QPR would be promoted. (Not to mention taking us to our only FA Cup Final) Brilliant coach. Good manager.. The feeling of total despair when he left QPR unmatched probably by any other managerial (or playing departure)
Venables - From Wikipedia
Playing career
Venables entered professional football in 1960 when he signed with Chelsea, playing over 200 games before leaving for Tottenham Hotspur in 1966. In 1969, he joined Queens Park Rangers before finishing his playing career at Crystal Palace. He was capped twice for England....
Managerial career
On his retirement from playing, he took over the manager's role at Palace whom he coached to two promotions in three seasons, to get them to the First Division in 1979. After a mid-table finish in 1980 he left for Queens Park Rangers, whom he led to promotion in 1983 and a very respectable 5th place in the First Division the following season. He also guided Rangers to the FA Cup final in 1982 while still a second division side, but lost in a replay against Tottenham Hotspur.
His growing reputation bought him offers from some of Europe's most prestigious clubs and in 1984 he took the role of manager at Barcelona, earning the sobriquet El Tel. During his three seasons in Catalonia, Venables led the club to the Spanish title and league cup but lost in the final of the first post-Heysel European Cup to Steau Bucharest on penalties. He was sacked in September 1987 after failing to repeat his title success at the Nou Camp. WIkipedia
See Daves Queens Park Rangers FC Website Venables Profile - Venables Profiled
Venables Career at QPR Venables Career
ONE YEAR AGO TODAY...Baidoo's "controversial" equalizer against Luton in the FA Cup.
QPR's very-different team a year ago: Royce Bignot Mancienne Stewart Kanyuka Cook Smith Lomas Ward Blackstock Jones - Subs: Cole Rehman Bircham Furlong Baidoo
[Luton's team: Beresford, Davis, Coyne, Perrett, Robinson, Vine, Feeney, Morgan, Langley, Brkovic, Barnett. - Subs: Brill, O'Leary, Boyd, Keane, Holmes.]
[QPR then lost the replay. Note: Baidoo this week returned from a one month loan at Gillingham.]
About Baidoo's Goal - UPDATE: JOHN GREGORY OFFICIAL SITE - THE HAND OF SHAB
John Gregory was happy to admit Shabazz Baidoo's equaliser should never have stood after seeing his side draw 2-2 with Luton.
Speaking in the wake of the four goal thriller at Loftus Road, Gregory told www.qpr.co.uk: "I think he used both hands to be honest.
"We had a nailed-on penalty in the first half though, so it's probably levelled itself out over the course of the 90 minutes.
"It was an afternoon full of mistakes and mishaps, but we're in the hat for the fourth round on Monday.
"I suppose when we look at the way the game went and the conditions, I'm happy with a replay.''
Gregory bemoaned the way the R's ended the first half and started the second period though, commenting: "We're disappointed - we were totally in control for 40 odd minutes. I didn't have to get out of my seat and that's saying something.
"We were bossing the game and I was thinking it was just a matter of time before we got the second goal.
"Unfortunately we fell asleep either side of the break and suddenly we're chasing the game.
"Thankfully the lads kept battling and we got the all-important equaliser.''
The last time Rangers progressed to the fourth round stage was following a replay at Kenilworth Road in 2001. "Lets hope history repeats itself,'' said Gregory.
"It's a tough place to go but we've won there already this season so why can't we go there and do it again?''
See also: Dunstable Today - QPR- Luton Match Report
Thirty-Six Years Ago Gordon Jago Replaced Les Allen as Manager
Thirty-Six years ago, January 6, 1971, QPR coach, Gordon Jago took over from Les Allen as QPR Manager, initially as caretaker manger after a series of poor results culminated in an FA Cup 3rd Round defeat! (at home to Swindon on a icy day which had QPR players slipping). Jago's performance soon led to the appointment being made "permanent." Jago had for the prior few months been coach under Allen. Had previously coached in the United State: At the time, this "foreign" connection which was then extremely rare, gave QPR a certain panache.
QPR's Manager for about 3 1/2 years. Jago led the team to safety that season; finish 5th the following season which saw Rodney Marsh sold. Led them to promotion the following season (which saw Bowles, Givens and Thomas signed). And the following season, saw them establish themselves in the First Division as Top London Club. Jago left the club after a not-so-great start the following season. (Being replaced by Dave Sexton). Basically the team that "won" the First Division Championship - with a couple of exceptions (Masson & Hollins) was the team that Jago built.
Not only did Jago do a great job. He also had the team playing great football. (with the help of his coach Bobby Campbell - subsequently "stolen" by Arsenal - and Terry Venables as player and a defacto coach.)
Jago took over at Millwall and then Tampa Bay Rowdies (teaming up again with Rodney Marsh)
A decade later, in the summer of 1984 Jim Gregory appointed Jago as General Manager to replace Terry Venables when he went to Barcelona. The idea was that there would be a team manager - maybe David Pleat under Jago. When Gregory couldn't get someone to serve under Jago, Jago was fired just over a week later.
See Gordon Jago/Wikipedia
Jago remains in the United States involved with football - for the past twenty years with indoor soccer in Dallas.
See: Kick Fans
See Interview with Jago
FORTY YEARS AGO TODAY: January 6, 1968
QPR crushed Tommy Docherty's Rotherham 6-0 - Ian Morgan 2, Roger Morgan 1, Mick Leach 2, Rodney Marsh 1.
Team:
Springett -
Clement Keetch Hazell Harris
Morgan Keen Sanderson Morgan
Leach Marsh
NICK WARD AT MELBOURNE
Ward Played for Victory Melbourne in Saturday's 2-1 win over Brisbane before going injured just before half-time with a groin injury. Match Report or "when Nick Ward, one of the visitor's more influential players, was forced off with a groin injury following an innocuous clash with Queensland stand-in captain Matt McKay just before the break." Sportal.co.nz
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