-
Over the years, QPR's #1 Rivals have been Chelsea (although Chelsea's #1 Rivals has not usally been QPR.) For the first three quarters of the twentieth century, s, Chelsea were clearly the "top dog" although it was not until 1968/1969 that the two clubs first met in a league game (QPR losing 0-4 to Chelsea at Loftus Road). [Note: only a couple of days ago, did I learned that the two sides had also played each other during WWI and WWII games]. Further QPR defeats to Chlesea occurred with a 1968/1969 end-of-season 1-2 loss at Stamford Bridge. The following season came Chelsea's 4-2, Peter Osgood's FA Cup Quarter Final hatrick at Loftus Road.
But then things improved for QPR Fans! For most of the 1970s, the 1980s and the first half of the 1990s, QPR were generally, the more successful of the two clubs. Only in the past 15 years - and especially the last few years - have Chelsea really surged past QPR (helped in the last few years by the influx of Abramovich money]
Despite the two teams' rivalries, QPR over the years have signed innumerable former Chelsea players who many made very strong contributions to the team and became QPR heroes. (Over the past 40+ years, Chelsea have probably been the #1 source of players for QPR): (Think Les Allen, Ian Watson, Ian Harris, David Webb, Steve Wicks, Terry Venables, Ray Wilkins, John Hollins, Gavin Peacock, Barry Bridges, Roy Wegerle, John Spencer, and Paul Furlong to name just some. Also, Derrek Richardson, Garry Chivers, Ian Walker, Alan Wilks, Tommy Langley, and a fair number of others). In the past couple of years, the loans of Ben Sahar, Sinclair, Michael Mancienne and Smith could be added to this list. Throw in a couple of managers: Tommy Docherty (twice) and Dave Sexton and the list is pretty full.
(A far smaller number of QPR players have subsequently played fo Chelsea: Clive Allen, Steve Wicks, Gavin Peacock, Alan Mayes, Mark Stein and a few others)
Then, two or three years ago, for many fans, things took a turn for the worse, as a Chelsea-QPR "relationship" developed. Having Chelsea players wear QPR hoops has never really been a serious problem for QPR fans. But there were rumours about QPR becoming a sort of B team/a feeder team for Chelsea, in sort of a continental style of football clubs. Last year's training ground game against a Chinese team (which culminated in what became known as "The China brawl") was viewed by some as QPR helping out Chelsea and facilitating Chelsea's China outreach, by playing China.
For QPR to have be grateful to Chelsea and to hear such laudatory comments being said about Chelsea by QPR officials such as Chairman Paladini and manager Gregory: That stuck in the chaw.
Friday, January 12, 2007 - Evening Standard/Raoul Simons - A fear of Roman's Rangers
How much should be read into Jose Mourinho's comments about wanting Chelsea to field a B team in the Football League? Relations are getting increasingly cosy between Roman Abramovich's club and near-neighbours Queens Park Rangers. Mourinho and John Gregory are on friendly terms and the latter's club has already felt the benefits of loanees Jimmy Smith and David Mancienne. Chelsea believe the moves have helped the duo's progress and are expected to make others available. Football League rules limit QPR to signing no more than four loan players from a single club but - given their uncertain financial position - concern is growing in Rangers circles that Loftus Road could soon become home to "Chelsea reserves". Standard
January 2007 - Clubcall - Gregory hail Chelsea union
John Gregory is hopeful Queens Park Rangers can maintain their union with Premiership champions Chelsea after picking up Jimmy Smith and Michael Mancienne.
The on-loan Blues pair have shone for Rangers this term despite an inconsistent season and Gregory has constantly sung the pair's praises.
And the R's boss is hopeful the arrival of the pair is the first step of a developing relationship.
"The relationship we have with Chelsea is a thriving one," said Gregory.
"They conduct themselves particularly well with us and have shown us tremendous respect.
"Chelsea have a representative watching Jimmy and Michael at every one of our games.
"Jimmy and Michael play with so much passion for Rangers. They are not even our players, which proves that they are fantastic professionals." Clubcall
Ben Kosky/Kilburn Times - January 16, 2007 - Paladini: we are not a feeder club
CHAIRMAN Gianni Paladini has vowed QPR will never become a feeder club to bitter rivals Chelsea after a media report suggested that the two clubs were becoming 'increasingly cosy'.
Rangers have just agreed a deal to extend the loan of Chelsea defender Michael Mancienne to the end of the season, while team-mate Jimmy Smith is also staying at Loftus Road until May.
A recent column in the Evening Standard hinted that other loan deals involving the two clubs were imminent - and even mischievously implied that QPR could 'become' the Blues' reserve team.
Stamford Bridge boss José Mourinho recently spoke of his wish to enter a reserve side in the Football League - an idea that received the backing of his Rangers counterpart John Gregory.
Paladini assured the Times: "We will never be Chelsea's feeder club. Our identity is Queens Park Rangers and there's no way in the world we'll merge with any other club.
"We aren't ever going to have a team of 11 Chelsea players. There will only be two or three, maximum, in the QPR side - and they've got to be players we want, not players Chelsea want to lump on us."
Smith, 20, and 19-year-old Mancienne joined Rangers on loan in the weeks following Gregory's appointment and have featured in virtually every game since.
They were the first players to join the Rs from Chelsea since goalkeeper Rhys Evans spent a lengthy loan period at Loftus Road in the 2001-02 campaign.
But any formal link-up between the two clubs would undoubtedly horrify the vast majority of QPR fans, weaned on many years of keenly-contested rivalry with Chelsea until the start of Rangers' decline in the mid-1990s.
Paladini added: "We've looked at getting players on loan from Tottenham or Arsenal, but sometimes they already have arrangements with other clubs.
"Chelsea are just around the corner, which means Smith and Mancienne don't have to move. It's much easier for them to come to QPR and we get two quality players who are doing well for us.
"I think this is good business and there's always a possibility we could buy the players at some point if we can afford it. Obviously we wouldn't be able to spend £5m or £6m."
Mancienne - who was referred to in the Standard column as 'David' Mancienne - has been named in the England under-19 squad for next month's friendly with Poland.
Rangers striker Ray Jones has also been called up for the match at AFC Bournemouth on February . Kilburn Time
The Briatore/Ecclestone/Mittal takeover basically marked an end to this and while the QPR board continued to say nice things about Chelsea, it did mark an end to the concerns of QPR fans. Last season's 3rd Round FA Cup tie against Chelsea both marked the end of this Chelsea-QPR "raprochment" and reawakened QPR fans to the realities of the QPR-Chelsea "relationship. "So now, while obviously Chelsea remain far ahead of QPR, and have numerous players that would be very welcome at Loftus Road (if QPR could afford them!) at least no longer is there a fear of a seperate QPR identity being lost!
See Also:
From Soccerbase: QPR vs Chelsea Encounters
QPR Report re QPR vs Chelsea
Welcome to QPR REPORT - A completely unofficial and unaffiliated fan site focusing on G-d's Chosen Team, Queen's Park Rangers (QPR) FC. (Visit also QPR Report Messageboard and Follow on Twitter.) QPR Report accepts no sponsorship, advertising or financial contributions. In 2008, QPR Report was named as one of the top two blogs in the Football League
QPR Report Twitter Feed
Friday, July 18, 2008
QPR and Chelsea: The Humiliation/"Long National Nightmare" is Over
Blog Archive
-
▼
2008
(1621)
-
▼
July
(129)
- Gorkss Signs for QPR...Blackpool Withdraw Their Co...
- Ben Watson Update...Paul Bruce, QPR Coach? ...Nard...
- Parejo-QPR Loan Updates
- Updated - QPR Ostensibly Chasing Real Madrid's Dan...
- More Money Coming to QPR! Another Sponsor Announce...
- From Blackpool: Confirmation of Gorkss to QPR - Na...
- The Stomache-Churning, Sinking-Feeling of Deja Vu:...
- Gorkss May Actually Be Joining QPR!
- Teams for Tonight's Kimarnock Friendly
- Mahon and Blackstock Look Forward, Praise Dowie, E...
- Explaining The Gorkss and Nardiello Deals and Dela...
- QPR Report Profiled/Q&A (Part II)
- Kilmarnock Tonight...Coventry's Morrison and Crani...
- QPR Injury Update: Connolly, Cerny Vine, Di Carmin...
- Gorkss to QPR, Nardiello and Rehman to Blackpool -...
- Cerny Set for QPR Debut ...Starting Goalie Not Yet...
- Remembering De Canio and Language Issues
- Blackpool and QPR Both Want Gorkss Transfer Concluded
- Snippets: Q&A With Dennis Signy On The Old QPR of ...
- Remembering The ABC Loan
- Rodney Marsh Responds
- QPR's Ramage Looks Foward to the Season
- QPR's Week in Review
- Flashbacks: Walton and Camp Sign for QPR...Then QP...
- The Geat Stan Bowles Fondly Looks Back and Optimis...
- QPR Crash in Scotland - Reports and Dowie's Reacti...
- QPR's Championship Prospects Assessed
- QPR's ABC Loan Resolution - Update
- QPR Set for Falkirk...Reserves Lose to Hayes...You...
- QPR Youth Hold Chelsea With Malloy Hatrick for QPR...
- QPR Offering QPR Membership and Exclusive W12 Club...
- From Queen's Park Rangers to Queens Park Rangers
- Assessing QPR After Northampton...Recalling QPR's ...
- QPR's Away Strip Unveiled - (Reddish With Some Blu...
- No! Real Madrid's Salgado NOT Coming to QPR
- Redknapp on QPR Cranie Interest...Watson to Someon...
- Twenty-Five "Factoids" About QPR
- Snippets - Dowie Wants Gorkss Resolution...Suppose...
- QPR's Northampton Victory - Reports and Comments
- QPR Announce Squad Numbers
- Ex-QPR Update: Matt Pickens Hopeful...Alan McDona...
- Gorkss or Bust....Nardiello on Expecting to Leave
- Snippets: Shimmin Trialing With St. Mirren...No W...
- Rodney Marsh Rates QPR' s Prospects - and on Gerry...
- QPR Report "Profiled"
- Luton's QPR Contingent Continues to Grow
- Gorkss Training With QPR...Flowers High Spirits at...
- Championship Prospects Preview and Current Promoti...
- Ex-QPR Loan, Martin Cranie Supposedly Set for Loan...
- Ian Dowie Speaks About QPR's Overseas Signings and...
- QPR's Youth Player Harry Smart at Leatherhead...QP...
- Loan Goalie, Jake Cole Goes Off Injured...Another ...
- Ex-QPR Chairman Bill Power's Swindon Reimbursement...
- QPR's Loyal Supporters Association (LSA) Finds a N...
- Highlights From a Week of QPR News and Rumours
- When Ecclestone Gave The QPR Team Talk...and The B...
- One Time QPR "Wonder Kid" Turns 30...Flashback - Q...
- The Dowie Era Opens With a Win
- Supposedly QPR's New Second Strip
- Ben Watson Set to Sign for QPR?...Lee Cook - Year ...
- One-Time QPR Target, Peter Thompson Moves...Ex-QPR...
- More From QPR re Season Tickets and Fans...Dowie ...
- QPR's New Third-Team Kit: Black with a Dash of Yellow
- QPR: "Phenomenal" Season Ticket Sales
- Reviewing QPR's Summer...Previewing QPR's Signings
- QPR and Chelsea: The Humiliation/"Long National Ni...
- Respect and Handshakes Before Every Game
- Snippet: Norwich in for "QPR's" Gorkss?...QPR 'Rev...
- Commodity Barons and Football Clubs (Such as QPR) as
- Dowie on Nardiello, Rowlands, Bolder, More Signing...
- Club Factoid...Gulf Weekly Adopts Hoops and Profil...
- Another QPR Fan Site Profiled: Queens Park Rangers...
- QPR Important to Harrow
- Further Les Ferdinand Comments About QPR
- Flashback: July 2007 - ABC Loan Concerns and Alleg...
- Updated QPR Staff Directory
- Award Winning Fan Magazine AKUTRs Update
- Interviews with Ex-QPR World (and QPR-Supporting) ...
- Past and Prospective QPR: Gorkss Update...Curtiss...
- A Detailed Look at the QPR "Revolution"
- Ex-QPR Snippets: Danny Cullip Goes Non-League...To...
- QPR to Dowie: Get QPR Promoted...Then Be Replaced!
- Just Three QPR "Survivors" Out of Thirty-Five From...
- Coming Soon: Football League's Latest Agents' Fees...
- Updated: QPR Bidding for Real Madrid's Defender Mi...
- Snippet: Jake Cole Loaned to Oxford...Ex-QPR John ...
- Another QPR Fan Site's Perspective of QPR's Prospects
- Gorkss Update.....QPR to Benefit From Shittu Sale
- Newcastle's Chairman Wants to Emulate QPR
- Dowie on Rowlands Staying (as Captain) and Injury ...
- No Lee Cook to QPR?
- Gorkss Not Done...Bolder and Nardiello Blackpool S...
- Ainsworth: No Pressure...Gorkss Investigation Cont...
- Preview and Background of QPR's Pre-Season Away Op...
- Snippets: Ex-QPR New Thailand Manager....Antonio C...
- QPR Fans Raise Thousands For Charity - and Get to ...
- Snippets: Morrison to QPR?...Reversed: Reporters Q...
- Seven Years Ago: QPR at Their Nadir...Takeover Eff...
- One Year Flashback - Sensationalist Headline "QPR ...
- Ex-QPR Hatrick Hero Chris Kiwomya Leaves Arsenal f...
-
▼
July
(129)