QPR and Chelsea: The Humiliation/"Long National Nightmare" is Over

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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