Next: Birmingham - QPR Looking for First Victory Over Birmingham in Almost Quarter Century

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QPR play second place Birmingham away lunchtime tomorrow. A win for Birmingham and they go, at least briefly, top. Birmingham's home record is three wins and a loss: scored 4, conceded 1.

- Birmingham Squad Information -- Birmingham Team Photo -- Birmingham Results --- Birmingham Ticketprice Information -- Travelling to Birmingham/Birmingham's Ground


QPR vs Birmingham Head-to-Head Results:
Over the years, there have been quite a number of QPR losses to Birmingham - with the exception of course, of their great League Cup Semi-Final victory there back in 1967. - Head to Head Results. In League encounters: Birmingham have won 20; QPR have won 9; and 13 have been drawn. In their last 12 league encounters against each other, QPR failed to win once.

QPR last beat Birmingham 3-1 in September 1985, with goals from Rosenoir, Bannister and that rarity: an Ian Dawes Goal. Team: Barron (maing his QPR debut) Dawes, Fenwick, Wicks, Mcdonald, Kerslake, Waddock, Gregory, Fereday, Rosenoir, Bannister. Over the years....Birmingham's 3-0 victory over QPR ending QPR's 4 wins and a draw start in 1969, thanks to a Tony Hateley inspired debut (and a Bert Murray hatrick)...The battle of the teenage titans: Gerry Francis vs Trevor Francis (QPR winning!)


QPR vs Birmingham last encounter was at Loftus Road, Boxing Day, 2006. Birmingham won 2-1. QPR's team: Simon Royce, Marcus Bignot, Mauso Milanese, Zesh Rehman, Marc Bircham, Lee Cook, Damion Stewart, Paul Furlong, Dexter Blackstock, Jimmy Smith, Michael Mancienne. Subs: Nick Ward, Martin Rowlands, Stefan Bailey, Ray Jones, Jake Cole. Match Reports


Played for Both Clubs:
Players who've played for both teams include Mark Dennis and Trevor Francis (who managed both teams as did Jim Smith). QPR "reject" DJ Campbell, Mike Kelly. Dennis Bailey. Don Givens. And of course, Barry Bridges, David Seaman and Paul Furlong. The latest: Rowan Vine.


QPR OFFICIAL SITE - THE FRIDAY PREVIEW: BLUES
The Sky Sports cameras will be in attendance when Rangers make the short trip to St Andrews - home of former Premiership outfit Birmingham City - for a lunchtime kick-off on Saturday.
Alex McLeish's early-season favourites have made an imperious start to life back in the Championship and currently sit second in the division, with 20 points from their opening nine fixtures in the second tier.
Their only blip at St Andrews so far arrived against Blackpool last time out, when a Gary Taylor-Fletcher strike stole the points to inflict City's first - and to date only - League defeat of the season.
The Blues have registered six wins and two draws aside from that loss - and head into the match on the back of a 1-1 draw against Derby County on Tuesday night.
A third goal in Birmingham colours from Quincy Owusu-Abeyie put Blues in front at Pride Park, only for in-form Derby to respond through a well-taken Steve Davies strike three minutes from time.
It was a result which left McLeish pondering what might have been.
"When you surrender the lead at that stage of the game it feels like dropped points," he said.
"But it's a tough venue to come, and Derby have been getting some good results lately. They took some risks in the second half and got their rewards.
"I'm disappointed we didn't show more composure and on the counter-ttack we could have been more decisive."
McLeish certainly had a busy summer reshaping the side that suffered relegation last season and has brought in a collection of foreign youngsters and seasoned professionals.
The most impressive acquisition by far has been the capture of prolific striker Kevin Phillips, who has instantly found his shooting boots this campaign.
Fellow striker Marcus Bent has arrived from Charlton Athletic, whilst wingers Kemi Agustien and one-time Arsenal youngster Owusu-Abeyie, have signed year-long loans from AZ Alkmaar and Spartak Moscow respectively.
Out of St Andrews have gone Premiership stars Mikael Forssell and Olivier Kapo, to Hannover and Wigan Athletic respectively, where the latter has been joined by Daniel De Ridder.
Whether the new additions prove to be able replacements for Kapo and co remains to be seen, but the early signs are certainly positive for the Blues, as they aim to bounce back to the Promised Land at the first time of asking.
Birmingham expect key midfielder Sebastian Larsson to be available for this weekend's game.
The Sweden international suffered a hamstring injury during the warm-up for the midweek draw against Derby and was forced to pull of the Blues' starting XI, but he is now fighting fit and raring to go.
McLeish again has the opportunity to rotate his attacking options with Bent, Garry O'Connor and Phillips all pushing for starting berths.
Meanwhile, Radhi Jaidi will keep his place at the heart of defence but right-back Stephen Kelly (thigh) and midfielder Damien Johnson (back) are both out. QPR


- Recent Birmingham City Match Reports


Birmingham Mail/Colin Tattum - Kemy Agustien looking forward to lunch
KEMY Agustien has urged Blues not to lose their focus on Saturday lunchtime when QPR visit St Andrew’s.
Although a tad dispirited after being denied a second successive away victory with just four minutes left at Derby County, the Dutch midfielder said Blues should still be positive.
The team has started to get the measure of the Championship and Blues’ garnering of 20 points from nine games is three better than how they set off in 2006, the last Championship promotion-winning season....Blues, who won on Cardiff City’s patch four days before the Pride Park trip, have Sebastian Larsson under treatment for a hamstring strain. If he fails to make it this weekend, then responsibility again falls on Agustien to show up..." Birmingham Daily Mail


See Also: Clive Whittingham/LoftForWords QPR-Birmingham Match Preview