Tuesday Snippets: Year Flashback- QPR Crushed and Bottom...Decade Flashback: Loo Leaders.... Remembering Blackpool Games...De Canio Denies...Brevett

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On this day one year ago, September 30, 1997...West Bromwich Albion crushed QPR 5-1; QPR were alone at the bottom with 3 points from 7 games; and John Gregory was set to depart..QPR (4-4-2): Camp; Rehman (Curtis HT), Cullip, Stewart, Barker (Bignot 60); Ainsworth, Bolder, Sahar (Ephraim 60), Rowlands; Moore, Blackstock. Subs not used: Cole (gk), Timoska. - Reports of WBA 5 QPR 1


Ironically, two years ago on this day, QPR picked up a second second successive victory for new manager John Gregory - Winning at Southampton. Match Report and Comments.]


And Ten Years ago on this date, perphaps QPR's Finest Achievement: Topping the Loo League - "QPR Top Loo League"


Dave McIntyre- BBC606 - 1990 and all that
QPR’s games against Blackpool always bring back happy memories.
The two clubs have met a fair bit in the league in recent years and will do so again on Tuesday night.
But they were poles apart when drawn against each other in the fifth round of the FA Cup in 1990.

Rangers were in good form under Don Howe and had beaten his former club Arsenal in an unforgettable fourth-round replay (my favourite night at Loftus Road until the 2003 play-off victory against Oldham.)

Arsenal manager George Graham said that night: “Rangers have such a great defence they can go all the way to Wembley.”

And it was a great defence.

Howe had all bases covered with Paul Parker as sweeper, Alan McDonald dominant in the air and Danny Maddix, surely the most underrated player ever, establishing himself as the best man-marker in the business – regularly keeping the country's most feared strikers in his pocket.

With Kenny Sansom and the brilliant David Bardsley as the full-backs and David Seaman in goal, Rangers were in good shape.

They had good reason to be confident after Colin Clarke’s equaliser at Blackpool rescued a 2-2 draw and set up a replay.

Replays, like QPR fans on moderate incomes, are being phased out. But back in the day, we not only had replays, we had second replays too.

And if that seems weird to the younger generation then try this: QPR, then a top-flight club with a realistic chance of winning the FA Cup, failed to score against a lower-division side at home, and both teams were applauded off the pitch.

Can you imagine that happening these days, when 0-0 at home to a side in the same division is often greeted with derision?

Blackpool were brilliant that night and so were their fans.

I still vividly remember the chants of “Sea, sea, sea-siders” ringing out from the School End as well as “Oooh Andy Garner” in honour of Blackpool’s popular striker at the time.

But the player who really caught the eye was a young Alan Wright.

He went on to star for Aston Villa as a left-back but played at right-back against Rangers and was outstanding. So much so that he was clapped off by QPR fans when substituted.

Rangers crucially won the toss to host the second replay – a fact announced over the tannoy and greeted with delight by the home supporters.

For those who were there that night: was the buzz among the fans, given the result, as good as I remember and a world apart from the venom that in recent years has so easily spread around the ground? Or was I just seeing things through an excited young fan’s eyes?

The atmosphere did seem different - so much so that the second replay began with Blackpool’s players applauding the Loft in acknowledgment of the applause they received from QPR fans at the end of the previous game.

With a quarter-final at home to Liverpool awaiting the winners, Wright was even better in the first half of the next game as Blackpool continued to keep Rangers at bay.

But he stepped on the ball, letting Andy Sinton in to break the deadlock and then gave away a penalty which Simon Barker converted to seal a 3-0 win for Rangers.

It was a good time to be a young Rangers fan. My mate and I used to arrive early to bag our favourite place at the front of the Loft near the right-hand post, where there was always great banter with Seaman, other fans and Tom the steward, who many other regulars down the years will probably know.

It was also the start of a good era for Rangers, who were then a well-respected club building on solid foundations.

Howe was creating a very good team – arguably QPR’s second-best ever - and I always thought it was a shame he wasn’t given the chance to take it forward. BBC606


BBC - Flowers praises start to season
Queens Park Rangers assistant manager Tim Flowers believes they have started the season better than he expected.
Rangers are fifth in the Championship despite Saturday's 2-0 defeat by Derby.
Flowers told BBC London 94.9: "It's a decent start. If we had been offered this we'd have taken it. But we're not mugs, we know there's a long way to go.
"This season's a marathon. It's a cruel season in the Championship. It's game after game and it stretches you to the limits but we've got a decent squad."
And the R's assistant says it is important to turn their attention to Tuesday night's match against Blackpool rather than dwell on defeat.
"We'll make sure they come out of the blocks a bit quicker.
"But I think we're moving in the right direction. We're trying to play football that people appreciate. This club hasn't had a cup run for a long period of time. Let's make no mistake we are certainly moving in the right direction." BBC


Goal.com -29/09/2008 23:02 De Canio Quashes Reggina Rumours
Former QPR coach Luigi De Canio has denied that Reggina have contacted him to take over the Amaranto hot seat.
The Calabrians lost 1-0 in Palermo yesterday and have only one point after five games.
The pressure is piling on coach Nevio Orlandi and reports in the peninsula suggested that president Lillo Foti was ready to swing the axe and call in veteran De Canio.
But the ex-Udinese manager has told Radio Incontro that there is no truth in those whispers: "I have only received phone calls from a couple of foreign teams," he admitted.
"I don't know anything about Reggina. No one has contacted me yet."
De Canio also commented on the sporting gesture that Palermo fans witnessed yesterday at the Barbera Stadium. Reggina's Franco Brienza had a great opportunity to score when clear on goal, but stopped after a collision between Bernardo Corradi and Moris Carrozzieri left both players on the floor.
"I have to applaud him. Reggina may have lost yesterday, but fair play triumphed. Sometimes players exaggerate and kick the ball out even when it is not really necessary. But this time was different and this kind of gestures deserves to be commended," concluded De Canio.
Vince Masiello, Goal.com - Goal.com


Non-League Daily - BREVETT COUP FOR BEDFONT
Bedfont manager Mick Turtle has managed to pull off something of a coup for the Combined Counties League Premier Division club with the capture of former Queens Park Rangers and Fulham player Rufus Brevitt as his new number two.
Bedfont have been reeling of late with the loss of two key players but this news has reignited the club and they were unfortunate not to get a draw out of high-flying Badshott Lea on Saturday.
Turtle said: “It has all been a bit of a whirlwind really. I only met Rufus on Thursday when he came down to do a bit of coaching for his badges, and to be honest he fitted straight in. The lads loved the session he did and he liked the professionalism and ambition we have here and he feels that he can help us achieve our aims.”
Turtle has also brought in Bobby Watson to help and assist coach Daniel Butler. Non League Daily