Ali Russell: No Near-Term Plans to Move...Ainsworth on QPR After Sheffield United Game...Connolly on QPR... Ray Jones Commemoration

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Ben Kosky/Kilburn Times - No place like home

QPR have no plans to leave Loftus Road in the near future, according to the club's deputy managing director Ali Russell.
Rumours of Rangers' departure from their home of the last 45 years have been circulating for some time and increased following the takeover by Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone.
But Russell says the club have not ruled out redeveloping Loftus Road if they achieve their ambition of Premier League football - and, if that were not possible, they would prefer to remain in the Shepherd's Bush area.
"I don't think we'd be spending the money we've spent on the stadium this summer if we were planning to move out next year," Russell told the Times.
"Once the stadium is sold out five times over, we'll look at opportunities and there might be opportunities at the stadium itself - it's too early to write off what we might be able to do here.
"We've got to stay focused on getting to the Premier League, and the location here is very important to the owners. They bought into it because of the club's history and the fact that it's synonymous with this area.
"We feel very positive about playing at Loftus Road - it gives us a good atmosphere and creates a 12th man on the pitch."
Rangers were encouraged by their opening day attendance of just under 15,000, but Russell - who is also the club's commercial and marketing director - is confident of bringing more fans through the turnstiles.
"Traditionally, we've had a very active role in the community," added Russell.
"We're investing in our Football in the Community scheme to help us extend that role further and engage with people who might have got out of the habit of going to QPR.
"We want to give them a motivating reason to get down to Loftus Road and we'll welcome them with open arms."
QPR were the third highest spenders on agents' fees in the Championship during the second half of last season, according to figures released by the Football League.
Rangers forked out £310,000 in payments to agents between January and June, a total topped by only Stoke and Leicester, who exited the Championship in opposite directions.
That figure was an increase of almost £100,000 on QPR's payments in the first half of last season and the overall outlay by Championship clubs last year rose by around £1.75m compared to the 2006-07 campaign.
Unsurprisingly, the Rs were also involved in far more player registrations and contract dealings - 46 - than any other club in the Football League during the same period. Kilburn Times


Gareth Ainsworth -Kilburn Times
IN a funny way, I think what happened at Sheffield United on Saturday has helped to take the pressure off us a bit.
We're not the 'Chelsea of the Championship' as some people have said - other teams have spent a lot more than we have - and we weren't ever going to win all 46 games with a string of 20-pass goals.
This is the hardest league to get out of and, if anyone was getting carried away by some of the stuff that's been said in the press, this result will bring them down to earth with a bump.
Obviously we'd prefer never to lose 3-0 but, if it's going to happen, we'd rather it was now so that we can learn the lessons and work on what went wrong.
We're trying to play football but at the same time we can't afford to lose in a scrap and an awful lot of the 50-50s went Sheffield United's way in that first half.
Fair play to them and Billy Sharp - he took his goals well - but it was always going to be difficult when we were chasing the game and, even though we had chances in the second half, it was all a bit too late.
Now we have to make sure we bounce back this weekend against Doncaster and keep the home form we built up last season going.
Of the three teams that came up from League One last season, I'd say Doncaster are probably the one we know least about - but we do know they're a good footballing side with a lot of young players coming through.
I'm counting our blessings that we're at home again on Tuesday in the Carling Cup because I've been to Carlisle a fair few times and, let me tell you, it's a horrible place to go for a midweek game, simply because it's so far.
Carlisle's home form gets them results every season, but thankfully it's them who have to come a long way and we need to take advantage of that.
They nearly got promoted last season and I'm sure it'll be quite a battle, but we want to do well in the cups and, as we did at Swindon, we'll have a strong side out.
Finally, it's a year ago this weekend since we lost one of our team-mates, Ray Jones, and when that happens it puts everything into perspective.
Among all the great young players we've got at the club now - some from different countries - Ray was one of our own and he would have been a part of the QPR revolution.
I'm proud to have played and worked with Ray Jones - he's fondly remembered and, whatever changes have taken place at QPR in the last year, he will never be forgotten.
This Saturday is all about quietly remembering Ray and what he achieved at QPR - and then paying tribute to him by beating Doncaster. Kilburn Times


Kilburn Times - Paying our respects to Ray
QPR have produced a commemorative match programme to mark the one-year anniversary of the death of Ray Jones this weekend.
The 84-page programme for Saturday's game against Doncaster will include a series of tributes to the young striker, including a central 'Step Back in Time' section devoted entirely to Jones' brief Rangers career.
There will be no minute's applause or silence prior to kick-off, but fans can watch a montage of Jones in action and relevant interviews on the big screen above the School End from 2pm.
The programme costs £5, with 10 per cent of sales going to Eastside Young Leaders Academy, a charity nominated by Jones' mother Lorraine.
All other proceeds will go towards QPR Football in the Community projects. Kilburn Times


Ben Kosky/Kilburn Times
MATTHEW Connolly says QPR will not be taking newly-promoted Doncaster lightly as they attempt to recover from Saturday's mauling at Bramall Lane.
Rovers, who are appearing at this level for the first time in more than 50 years, have already beaten Derby and were only two minutes away from recording their second straight win last weekend in a 1-1 draw against Cardiff.
"Doncaster are unbeaten and we won't underestimate them," Connolly told the Times. "I know John Spicer from when I was Arsenal, so it'll be good to play against him on Saturday.
"Everyone saw what Bristol City did last season, so we know what you can expect from a team that's just come up.
"From what I've heard Sean O'Driscoll's a good manager who likes to play attractive football. So it should be a good game, but the focus will be on our team and what we can do.
"We're at home, we're strong there and we'll be looking to bounce back from Sheffield United.
"Every game we play, we have to stay focused and do what the gaffer says."
Unfortunately, it looked as if Iain Dowie's instructions had fallen on deaf ears against the Blades as QPR conceded twice in the opening 13 minutes and never got going until it was too late.
Connolly, who retained his place at right-back ahead of Peter Ramage, was quick to take responsibility for the first goal, when Billy Sharp got away from him to head past Radek Cerny.
Of Saturday's back five, Connolly - who joined the Rs from Arsenal on January 2 this year - is actually the longest-serving player at the club.
But the 20-year-old refuted suggestions that the haste with which the Rs have assembled their team might be partly to blame for the apparent lack of understanding along the back line.
"I don't think that's an excuse, really - we're all experienced enough," said Connolly. "We just need to have more shape as a team.
"I made a big mistake for the first goal. I didn't watch the man, so tactics went out of the window, we never recovered from that, and it was a disappointing day.
"There are big expectations and we need to deliver, especially away from home because last season our away form wasn't good enough and that's the reason we were where we were."
Striker Patrick Agyemang, who missed the game in Sheffield with a groin strain, should be available against Doncaster, while Hogan Ephraim (shin splints) may also feature.
Skipper Martin Rowlands is set for his first appearance of the season after completing a three-match ban held over from the previous campaign. Kilburn Times