July 6 Flashbacks: - De Goey Joins...QPR's 2005 AGM and Holloway's Summer Signings....2002 Signings of Bircham, Culkin and Padula

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The pendulum that supporting QPR has been: Optimism...pessimism.... optimism... pessimism...

One Year ago, July 6, 2007 : QPR announce the appointment of their new First Team Coach: Ex-Chelsea & Holland goalkeeper: Ed De Goey(seems like an eon ago). - De Goey Appointed


Flashback Three Years Ago: July 2005
Three years ago, July 2005, fans were pretty optimistic about the forthcoming season. QPR had completed their first season back in the "Second" Division - even for a while, pushing for promotion for a while; things looked positive on and off the field. Bill Power was Chairman. Ian Holloway was manager. Mark Devlin was CEO. And Gianni Paladini was also involved. The one dampener was the increase in season ticket prices!

Three years ago today, QPR held its AGM. . Reports on what was said at the AGM by the Board and a Q&A with Ian Holloway: - QPR1st AGM Report and QPR Net report on Holloway's comments. With hindsight, it was certainly the calm before the storm.

New QPR signings at that time of this July 2005 AGM: Ian Evatt, Tommy Doherty, Simon Royce and Steffan Moore had already signed. Soon to join them: Ugo Ukah joined with Marc Nygaard following, after Andre Flo deal didn't happen. Among those departing QPR, was Gino Padula, who joined Nottingham Forest.
Among the Holloway comments at the AGM: Holloway praising his four new signings, Re Steffan Moore: "He’ll chase paper bags in the wind in the park for you all day long." Holloway also commented on his recent signing of Dean Sturridge and his two Arsenal signings Matthew Hislop and "I’ve never been so excited about a young player as I am about Dominic Shimmin." and his "six young players ...make the step up to the first team. ...Matthew Hislop, Scott Donnelly, Shabazz Baidoo, Stefan Bailey, Jake Cole and Dominic Shimmin. If I can’t bring at least two or three of those forward I might as well go home." - QPRNet

QPR were also excited about their new training ground at Harlington (formerly used by Chelsea)

Later that summer, QPR went on to win the Copa Ibiza "Tournament" beating Coventry 3-2 in the Final! The QPR Team: Cole, Bignot, Santos, Evatt, Rose, Miller, Birch, Chambers, Brown, Furs, Gallen Subs: Royce, Shimmin, Hugo, Hislop, Cook, Bean, Shittu, Sturridge, Moore and Doherty.
In pre-season July Friendlies, QPR played Charlton and lost 3-0. and played Iran and won 3-0. Then just a few weeks later, things unravelled.

See Also "Looking Back to QPR's "Golden Summer" - June 2005"


Six years ago today: Bircham, Culkin and Padula in the QPR News

BBC - Saturday, 6 July, 2002,Bircham snubs Premiership
Millwall's Marc Bircham has turned down Birmingham and Charlton in order to fulfil his dream of playing for QPR. The out-of-contract midfielder was wanted by both Premiership clubs but instead opted to sign for Second Division Rangers.
I've always been a Rangers fan and my family are all supporters too and that has been the biggest factor
The lure of playing for the club he has always supported proving too strong for Canadian international Bircham.
"It's all positive and I'm really happy with things," said Bircham after signing a two-year deal with the club.
"A few other clubs were interested and I don't really want to drop down to the Second Division, but it's QPR.
"I've always been a Rangers fan and my family are all supporters too and that has been the biggest factor.
"They are all really pleased and I can honestly say there will probably be about 50 of them coming to games when I'm playing for Rangers."
Prior to signing his deal Bircham admitted that the lure of QPR was extremely tempting despite their Division Two status.
"I wouldn't speak to any other Second Division club apart from QPR, that's for sure, because I wouldn't normally want to drop down," he said. "I've spoken to a few clubs but when I went to Rangers they played on my heartstrings a bit... BBC

BBC, July 6, 2002 - "QPR are set to add to their summer signings with the capture of goalkeeper Nicky Culkin and defender James Panayi" (one happened; one didn't) BBC

And a couple of days previously: Argentine Padula joins QPR
Queens Park Rangers have signed Argentine Gino Padula on a one-year contract.
The 25-year-old former Walsall and Wigan man has been persuaded to come back to England by Rangers boss Ian Holloway. BBC

Signings


Hopefully in years to come, fans will look back on the summer of 2008 and say this was just the start of QPR's glorious new era!