Year Flashback: QPR Welcome Mick Harford and Reject Fulham's Lee Cook Bid...Recalling The Alan Mullery Era

-
One year ago, today: June 21, 2007: QPR's Official site was talksing about rejecting a Fulham bid for Lee Cook and QPR were welcoming Mick Harford as QPR's new coach.
And 24 years ago, yesterday, QPR announced the appointment of Alan Mullery as the managerial successor to the great, Terry Venables! (Ironically, Mullery came very close to signing Mick Harford for QPR, from Birmingham, back in 1984.)

QPR Official Site - "BID REBUFFED"
QPR have rebuffed an approach from Fulham Football Club for R's winger Lee Cook.
Chairman Gianni Paladini has rejected the Cottagers' enquiry and insists the player is not for sale.
"Lee Cook is one of our prized assets and we won't be letting him go unless the price is right,'' he told www.qpr.co.uk. QPR


QPR Official Site HARFORD JOINS
The Club are delighted to announce the appointment of Mick Harford as First Team Coach.
Rangers were granted permission to speak to the 48 year-old last week and after holding talks with John Gregory over the weekend, Harford has today (Thursday) agreed to join the R's from fellow Championship rivals Colchester United.
Speaking exclusively to www.qpr.co.uk, Harford - who played for 11 different Clubs during a prestigious 21 year playing career - spoke of his delight at joining Gregory's backroom team: "I was very impressed by what John had to say when I met him. I'm very happy to be here and am now looking forward to getting started,'' he said.
"It was a difficult decision to leave Colchester, but this was an opportunity I just couldn't turn down.''
Harford continued: "This is a fantastic, well-established Club and the Manager is looking for an improvement on last season. I'm sure we'll do that.
"We'll take one game at a time, but every match we approach we will be looking to win, with good, attacking football."
Gregory was just as enthusiastic about Harford's appointment, commenting: "I'm delighted to have Mick here as part of the management team.
"I would firstly like to place on record my thanks to Colchester United's owner, Robbie Cowling, and Manager, Geraint Williams, for allowing Mick to come to us, even though his contract still had another two months to run.
"Mick played a significant role in Colchester United's success last season and I know for a fact that another of our Championship rivals were looking at his situation with regard to taking him to their Club.
"He was very much a wanted man. He is going to be a great capture for this Football Club." QPR

COLCHESTER OFFICIAL SITE - Mick Joins John Gregory
The former England international has joined Queens Park Rangers as John Gregory's number two as the London side look to improve on last season's disappointing season.
After only been here as Geraint Williams right hand man for less than a year, Mick insisted that the move was neccessary in order to reduce the travelling he was having to do to get to and from training every day.
He told CU-FC.COM, "It is a real wrench to be leaving because I have been made to feel very welcome by everybody at the club, from the moment I came to Layer Road."
Explaining how the move came about, Mick said, "QPR contacted Colchester and enquired about my circumstances and whether they could speak to me. I have a great relationship with George(Geraint Williams) and he told me of their interest."
"It was a massive decision for me even to ask for permission to talk to John Gregory and QPR and one that wasn't taken lightly," Mick continued, "but the main reason I took the job was the reduction in miles I had to drive to and from training."
Mick knew the 170 mile round trip was taking its toll on his suspect back and explained that his fears for his health were confirmed after having an operation on his back earlier this week.
"It was a minor operation to clear a couple of problems up but the surgeon said that the thirty odd hours a week I was behind the wheel were a major factor in the deterioration of the back."
"While I'm not at death's door just yet, my health is obviously very important to me and finding a solution to those back problems was something that I have thought about for a good while now."
Mick then told the official website that U's Chief Executive, Marie Partner, had discussed ways of reducing the travelling by living in Colchester, either in rented accomodation or in a hotel, but he admitted that he was keen to stay living where he was.
"We did discuss spending more time in Colchester but I must admit that I am very settled where I am, with a lot of friends and family nearby, and I wanted to remain there. I was also offered a very attractive new contract to continue as George's assistant but when your health is at risk, money isn't really a consideration."
Mick then heaped praise on the U's in general by saying,"I can't thank Colchester United enough for giving me the chance to get back in the game and I have thoroughly enjoyed the last year at the club."
"I have learnt a lot from George and the players and feel privileged to have been a part of their first season in the Championship and one of the most successful in their history. It hasn't just been the management team that have helped me though, Marie and her office staff have all helped me a great deal over the past year."
Insisting that the U's would prosper in the future, Mick said, "The second season in any new league has proven in the past to be very difficult for a lot of clubs but with the current set up, I am confident that the U's will not suffer second season syndrome and will go on to have another good season in the Championship."
"As soon as last season finished, George, myself and the whole scouting team have been working tirelessly at improving the squad and I'm sure that will continue as George looks to bring in quality players to add to the quality already in the squad.
"I would like to wish everyone at Colchester United the best of luck in the future" the ex Luton forward concluded, "and hope all the fans have enjoyed the last year as much as I have done." Colchester - . BBC - QPR Report


Meanwhile, ex-QPR manager, Gary Waddock was talking about his challenge at Aldershot
- Waddock Speaks


Recalling Alan Mullery:
Twenty-Four Years ago, yesterday, Chairman Jim Gregory announced the appointment of Alan Mullery as QPR's new manager. Mullery's task wasn't aided by the fact that he was replacing the very popular and brilliant Terry Venables. Mullery wasn't even the first successor. In the summer Gordon Jago had been hired - and then axed a week later! And QPR had tried to hire David Pleat from Luton. Mullery was at QPR for six months and 17 games before being axed (after a 2-0 home win against Stoke). In his six months, saw the departure of Clive Allen and the arrival of Gary Bannister and John Byrne. It saw the great 1-1 draw at Liverpool; an amazing 5-5 comeback against Newcastle at Loftus Road; and the appalling 0-4 collapse to Partisan Belgrade after a 6-2 "home" win by QPR.
Mullery was axed. The initial replacement was hoped to have been ex-Leeds and England Manager, Don Revie. When that fell through, Frank Sibley took over for the rest of the season - and QPR stayed up by one point - Final Table

The Mullery Record - QPR 1984/1985 Results
English Division 1 (old) QPR 3-1 West Brom 25-08-1984
English Division 1 (old) Watford 1-1 QPR 28-08-1984
English Division 1 (old) Liverpool 1-1 QPR 01-09-1984
English Division 1 (old) QPR 3-0 Nottm Forest 08-09-1984
English Division 1 (old) Tottenham 5-0 QPR 15-09-1984
UEFA Cup KR Reykjavik 0-3 QPR 18-09-1984
English Division 1 (old) QPR 5-5 Newcastle 22-09-1984
English League Cup York 2-4 QPR 25-09-1984
English Division 1 (old) Southampton 1-1 QPR 29-09-1984
UEFA Cup QPR 4-0 KR Reykjavik 02-10-1984
English Division 1 (old) QPR 2-3 Luton 06-10-1984
English League Cup QPR 4-1 York 09-10-1984
English Division 1 (old) Ipswich 1-1 QPR 13-10-1984
English Division 1 (old) QPR 2-1 Coventry 20-10-1984
UEFA Cup QPR 6-2 Partizan Belgrade 24-10-1984
English Division 1 (old) Norwich 2-0 QPR 27-10-1984
English League Cup QPR 1-0 Aston Villa 30-10-1984
English Division 1 (old) Sunderland 3-0 QPR 03-11-1984
UEFA Cup Partizan Belgrade 4-0 QPR 07-11-1984
English Division 1 (old) QPR 0-0 Sheff Wed 10-11-1984
English Division 1 (old) Arsenal 1-0 QPR 17-11-1984
English League Cup Southampton 1-1 QPR 20-11-1984
English Division 1 (old) QPR 2-0 Aston Villa 24-11-1984
English League Cup QPR 0-0 Southampton 27-11-1984
English Division 1 (old) Leicester 4-0 QPR 01-12-1984
English Division 1 (old) QPR 2-0 Stoke 04-12-1984
Soccerbase

See also: - Mullery's website ----
Mullery Wikipedia Profile ----Alan Mullery Speaker

Also...

Flashback Two Years, today:: The first of "The Trial" ("Not Guilty") Verdicts started being returned - Verdicts.

Meanwhile, Leeds were reportedly expressing interest in Danny Shittu and Shittu's agent was answering whether Shittu wanted to leave QPR.
Ben Kosky/Kilburn Times