Year Flashback: "QPR Axe John Gregory" ....Paul Furlong Turns Forty

-
Marking one year to the day since QPR fired John Gregory after almost exactly a year as QPR manager. Gregory who had replaced Gary Waddock (who was less than a year in charge), was temporarily replaced by Mick Harford before Luigi De Canio took over. De Canio in turn, left at the end of last season "by mutual consent" and was replaced by Iain Dowie, who will be at QPR for who knows how much longer - at least if certain message board members have their way. There was media talk of Dowie being axed before the season even began...(To be absolutely accurate, Dowie is of course, "First Team Coach" rather than manager, with others at the club having a very strong role in the signing of players.)


Flashback: October 1, 2007 QPR Axe Manager John Gregory

QPR Official Site - CLUB STATEMENT
Queens Park Rangers Football Club have today terminated the employment of John Gregory as First Team Manager with immediate effect, following Sunday's 5-1 defeat at West Bromwich Albion.
First Team Coach, Mick Harford, has been appointed Caretaker Manager to take the team to Wednesday's fixture against Colchester United.
QPR Chairman, Gianni Paladini, said: "The Club would like to thank John for everything he has done during a difficult period as Manager, in particular for saving us from relegation last season.
"However, the performances and results this season have not met with our expectations. The league table does not lie.
"The Club have decided to act swiftly in time to turn things around for the remainder of the season.
"Mick will be Caretaker Manager for Wednesday's away game at Colchester and a further announcement about the post will be made after that.
"Everyone at QPR wants to wish John good luck and success in the future. In the meantime, Mick and the entire team are focused on achieving the Club's first win of the season at Colchester."
The Club will be making no further comment at this stage. QPR


Times Online and Agencies - Queens Park Rangers sack manager John Gregory
Queens Park Rangers have sacked their manager John Gregory this morning after their disastrous start to the season.
QPR were thrashed 5-1 by West Bromwich Albion on Sunday and are three points adrift at the bottom of the Championship table.
They are the only club in any of the top four divisions without a win, and have collected just three points from their opening seven matches.
“The performances and results this season have not met with out expectations," Gianni Paladini, the QPR chairman, said. "The league table does not lie.” The Times


The Guardian - Rock-bottom Rangers sack Gregory

John Gregory today paid the price for Queens Park Rangers' abject start to the season as he was sacked with immediate effect. Rangers, currently bottom of the Championship without a win in the league all season, crashed to a 5-1 defeat at West Brom yesterday.

It proved the final straw for Gregory, who won just 13 of 48 matches during his time at Loftus Road. Mick Harford, the club's first-team coach, has been appointed as caretaker manager for Wednesday's league game at Colchester.

"The performances and results this season have not met with our expectations," explained the QPR chairman Gianni Paladini. "The league table does not lie. The club have decided to act swiftly in time to turn things around for the remainder of the season.

"The club would like to thank John for everything he has done during a difficult period as manager, in particular for saving us from relegation last season. Mick [Harford] will be caretaker manager at Colchester and a further announcement about the post will be made after that."

QPR have already slipped four points adrift of safety at the foot of the table after three draws from their opening seven games. They have scored just once at Loftus Road in the league so far in a campaign overshadowed by the death of their teenage striker Ray Jones in a car accident.

The former Rangers boss Gerry Francis thought Gregory would have been given more time to turn the club's fortunes around. "I felt he would have had a few more games to get himself out of the situation, but that's football," said Francis. "The most important thing is there is investment in the club because that's been very difficult for John and the managers before him. You need the financial backing and the financial help because you need to get players capable of performing at a certain level." The Guardian

BBC - Gregory sacked as manager of QPR
Queens Park Rangers have sacked John Gregory as manager of the club.
The decision follows the 5-1 thrashing at West Bromwich Albion on Sunday, which left the London club languishing at the bottom of the Championship.
Ex-Aston Villa boss Gregory, 53, took over at QPR in September 2006 and saved the club from relegation last season.
"The club would like to thank John for everything he has done during a difficult period as manager," chairman Gianni Paladini told the QPR website.
"In particular, (we would like to thank him) for saving us from relegation last season," added Paladini.
"However, the performances and results this season have not met with our expectations. The league table does not lie.
"The club have decided to act swiftly in time to turn things around for the remainder of the season."
First-team coach Mick Harford will take temporary charge of the Loftus Road side ahead of the game against Colchester on Wednesday.
QPR have not won a game so far this season and were dumped out of the Carling Cup by Leyton Orient.
Martin Allen, who recently left Leicester as manager, could emerge as a candidate for the job.
But Paladini stated that a further announcement about the post would not be made until after the game against Colchester. BBC - QPR Report

See Also: John Gregory's Appointment and Managerial Record


QPR's Paul Furlong Turns 40 -

Paul Furlong Turns 40!Former QPR (and Coventry, Watford, Chelsea and Birmingham) Forward -Born October 1, 1968. Signed on loan by Gerry Francis, in 2000, he swiftly got injured. A couple years later, in September 2002, Ian Holloway signed him on a free transfer. He then spent five seasons with QPR, scoring 50+ goals in 150+ appearances and won the QPR 'Player of the Year' award. Joined Luton from QPR. Now with Southend. See: Furlong Stats and Furlong/Wikipedia
Nice Furlong Profile on Dave's Queens Park Rangers FC Site - Furlong Profile