QPR Player Rankings....Christian Vieri?....Decade Ago: QPR Save Themselves in Final Game Against Crystal Palace

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- One decade ago today, Gerry Francis' QPR took on Crystal Palace in the last match of the season. QPR needing to win to stay up. Win they did - in amazing style! - And a decade later, here we (still) are!
May 9,1999: QPR 6 Crystal Palace 0

- QPR: Miklosko, Breacker, Baraclough, Kulcsar, Linighan, Maddix, Scully, Peacock, Rowland (Gallen 86), Slade,Kiwomya (Murray 86).
- Scorers: G.Kulscar, C.Kiwomya (3), T.Scully, T.Breacker [Goals: George Kulcsar (8), Chris Kiwomya (43), Chris Kiwomya (56), Tony Scully (77), Tim Breacker (84), Chris Kiwomya (85)]
- Crystal Palace: Miller, Frampton, Woozley, Austin, Petric (Tuttle 615), Thomson, Foster (Burton 55), Zhiyi, Martin (Carlisle 52), Morrison, Mullins.

- - VIDEO of QPR 6 Crystal Palace 0

MATCH REPORTS AND COMMENTS OF QPR 6 Crystal Palace 0
Guardian, May 10, 1999 - Rescue only the start for FrancisMartin Thorpe sees Rangers reprieved by a Kiwomya hat-trick
- Large gaps have characterised Queens Park Rangers' season: a debt of £8.6m, players on £100,000 salaries who are not deemed good enough for the first team, a share price which has plummeted from 72p to 8p, memories of being fifth in the Premiership only six years ago.
- So yesterday's win was totally in keeping as Rangers, with a Chris Kiwomya hat-trick, saved themselves from the ignominy of relegation to the Second Division in style, albeit on goals scored.
- They were aided in their victory by an inexperienced Crystal Palace side reduced to nine men by two sendings-off, a fitting end to Palace's season of farce.
- Indeed, this was a classic encounter between two clubs bought by fans who put heart before head and ended up with their heads in their hands.
- Mark Goldberg overstretched himself and steered Palace on to the rocks of administration. Chris Wright took over Rangers in 1996 but spent too much in trying to get them back to the Premiership and was left with nothing but an empty transfer kitty. 'All my good business principles went out the window,' he says.
- He also admits a mistake in giving the manager's job to Stewart Houston, then Ray Harford. So now Gerry Francis, in his second stint in charge, must pick up the pieces, with little money to spend and well-paid players bought by his pre decessors sitting on long contracts in the reserves.
- But, if there is one person who can lift this club back to the heights, it is the man who took them there in the first place. The spirit Rangers showed yesterday was totally characteristic of Francis teams.
- He returned in November with Rangers bottom of the table. He was shocked at the mess he found but convinced he could do something about it. 'I'd been here 17 years as a player and manager and the club means a lot to me,' he said yesterday.
- Now he will apply his undoubted talent-spotting skills to improving the squad. 'Ultimately I want to get us back in the Premiership.''
- The midfielder George Kulcsar opened the scoring with a 20-yard volley and Kiwomya added the second, shooting against the post and heading in the rebound.
- Three minutes after the interval Palace's Chinese midfielder Fan Zhiyi was sent off for pushing the referee, and a mistake by Palace's keeper Kevin Miller gave Kiwomya the chance for his second on 57 minutes.
- Tony Scully made it four with a volley 20 minutes later, then Palace were reduced to nine men when David Woozley pulled back Scully. Kiwomya's penalty was saved but Tim Breacker bundled in the rebound, and Kiwomya completed his hat-trick five minutes from time from close range.
- Four thousand fans were locked out but those inside went delirious at Rangers' salvation. Francis was more reserved. 'The real job starts tomorrow.' Guardian


Irish Examiner - Francis already mapping out future for QPR after great escape
QPR 6 - Crystal Palace 0
QPR boss Gerry Francis may have saved his team from relegation to the Second Division but he is not resting on his laurels.
The Loftus Road chief is relieved that his side's 6-0 win against Crystal Palace on the last day of the season guaranteed First Division football in West London next season.
But Francis said: "My job starts tomorrow. It's all very well celebrating today but we shouldn't be celebrating avoiding relegation, we want to be up in the promotion race.
"It's going to be a slow process because we can't compete in the transfer market, so we have to bring the kids through and find players in the non-leagues who'll do a job because I don't want another season like this one."
The first job that Francis will face will be to persuade out of contract players Chris Kiwomya and Gavin Peacock to stay at the club.
"We haven't been able to negotiate because of our position. If we had gone down we may not have been able to afford them and we may also have had to let other players go. Hopefully any money available will come to me but it is not going to be millions of pounds."
QPR guaranteed their First Division survival in spectacular style as Kiwomya scored a hat-trick. Palace, who managed only one shot on target, finished with nine men after having Fan Zhiyi and David Woozley sent off in a blistering second half.
Rangers, on a run of five consecutive defeats, looked jittery at the start of this vital game but they grabbed an early goal to steady their nerves.
On eight minutes a clever move involving Kiwomya and Keith Rowland saw the ball cleared to the edge of the Palace area. George Kulcsar waited patiently for the ball to come down before thumping a superb shot into the top corner with Palace keeper Kevin Miller watching in admiration.
Palace, with nothing to play for, found themselves overwhelmed by hungry Rangers and the home side should have added to their lead.
Two minutes before half time Miller was at fault as Rangers deservedly made it 2-0. A huge goal kick by Ludek Miklosko saw Miller dawdle on his line and Kiwomya took full advantage, getting to the ball first and after hitting the post he headed in the rebound.
Palace's token resistance all but ended three minutes after the break when they were reduced to 10 men. They conceded a foul on the edge of their own box and as midfielder Fan Zhiyi protested he seemed to push the referee and was immediately sent off.
Rangers went for the kill and on 56 minutes they made it 3-0 when Tony Scully's free kick was bodied on by Slade and after an almighty scramble forced over the line by Kiwomya.
Palace were in freefall and Rangers were beginning to revel in the open spaces all over the park.
Scully made it four on 76 minutes when he latched on to Andy Linighan's nod down to thump an unstoppable shot into the top corner. And six minutes later Palace went down to nine men when Woozley was dismissed after pulling down Scully as he was about to tap in to an empty net.
- Kiwomya was given the chance of his hat-trick from the spot but his effort was blocked by Miller only for Tim Breacker to follow up and score.
Still QPR weren't finished. Three minutes later Scully crossed to Kiwomya whose first header was saved, his second effort hit the post, before he completed his hat-trick with his third chance to make it 6-0.
- Rowland hit a post, Kevin Gallen had another effort just wide and the Rangers fans, so tense before kick off, were hailing their team as if they had won the championship by the end.


QPR OFFICIAL SITE RANGERS CLINCH SAFETY WITH STYLE

Just when Rangers needed to put in a gutsy do or die show to stay in Division One, they turned on a masterclass show and hit London neighbours Crystal Palace for six, to safely avoid the dreaded drop.
Star of the sow was Chris Kiwomya who bagged a hat-trick and could have finished with even more.



Palace, who had two men sent off, simply fell apart after George Kulscar settled early nerves with a sweet volley in the eigth minute, to pur Rangers in front.
But even the most optimistic R's fans wouldn't have dreamt what would follow, as Gerry Francis's side went on to grab the glory.

In front of a sell out crowd, QPR's early goal gave R's the confidence and the belief that this was to be their day.

On eight minutes a clever move involving Chris Kiwomya and Keith Rowland saw the ball cleared to the edge of the Palace area. George Kulcsar waited for the ball drop before thumping a superb shot into the top corner with Palace keeper Kevin Miller a spectator.


Rangers should have added to their lead, Gavin Peacock going very close, but two minutes before half time Miller was at fault as Rangers deservedly made it 2-0.

A massive punt by Ludek Miklosko saw Miller hesitate on his line and Chris Kiwomya took full advantage, getting to the ball first and after hitting the post he calmly headed in the rebound.

After the break Palace were reduced to 10 men and it looked as though it was R's day Palace conceded a foul on the edge of their own box and as midfielder Fan Zhiyi protested he seemed to push the referee and was immediately sent off.

R's then pressed forward and on 56 minutes they made it 3-0 when Tony Scully's free kick was bodied on by Slade and after an almighty scramble forced over the line by Kiwomya.

Scully then made it four on 76 minutes when he latched on to Andy Linighan's nod down to thump an unstoppable shot into the top corner, as Palace fell apart.

Six minutes later Palace went down to nine men when Woozley was dismissed after pulling down Scully as he was about to tap in to an empty net.

Kiwomya was given the chance of his hat-trick from the spot but his effort was blocked by Miller only for Tim Breacker to follow up and score.

Three minutes later Scully crossed to Kiwomya whose first header was saved, his second effort hit the post, before he completed his hat-trick with his third chance to make it 6-0.

Late on Rowland hit a post, Kevin Gallen had another effort just wide and the Rangers faithfull were left to celebrate the great escape and a chance to now turn corner next season.
Gerry Francis has pledged to stay, Rangers fans will now hope that they can follow the example of promoted Bradford City, who themselves were so nearly down and are now in the topflight.
Let the rebuliding work commence.


QPR CHAIRMAN CHRIS WRIGHT SPEAKS RANGERS REBORN

A relieved, ecstatic and triumphant Rangers Chairman Chris Wright, today promised all QPR fans that the dark days of the last two seasons were now over and that under the stewardship of Director of Football Gerry Francis, he fully expects the club to rise from the bottom of Division One to be challenging for a place in the Premiership next season.

" It's a huge weight off my shoulders. I didn't want to be the Chairman who took QPR back to where they were 30 years ago, that would have been horrible to live with," started Chris Wright.

Although the QPR Chairman could not give any definite guarantees, he is confident that the 18,500 who witnessed the great escape from the drop with the resounding 6-0 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday, would soon be packing Loftus Road chasing glory rather than last day of the season fears of relegation.
In an exclusive interview for the Official QPR Website, Chris Wright summed up his feelings now the season was safely over and his thoughts looking ahead to the future of this famous old club.

" Happy isn't the word for how I'm feeling," added the QPR supremo. " It was just fantastic on Sunday. Once we had the game sown up it was like a part atmosphere, not seen at Loftus Road since we were going for the Championship in 1975.

"I know people will think it strange to compare avoiding relegation to Division two with winning the League, but it was just as important.

" The crowd we had in on Sunday showed just how big this club can be,when the fans turn up in numbers like that. We had to disappoint nearly 5000 more supporters, so it makes you wonder how many we could attract if we were challenging at the other end of the table.

" This is a great family club and we saw what a great place Loftus Road can be for people. Sunday was like a rebirth. It was more than avoiding relegation it was the rebirth of what is and will be again, a great club."

Now the man handed the task of restoring glory to West London, Director of Football, Gerry Francis will have the close season to fine tune the blueprint that he hopes will have the R's battling for a top spot next season. that work is already underway.
" Gerry's already been on the phone discussing where we go from here and which players he wants to keep here and which players he like to try to bring in," continued Chris Wright.

" I know we will get it right and Gerry is very confident about the future. We now have the right framework and set up to move forward.

"All our fans and everyone at the club should now forget about the past and look to the future." he added.


SPORTING LIFE - Queens Park Rangers 6 Crystal Palace 0 - QPR guaranteed their First Division survival in spectacular style as Chris Kiwomya scored a hat-trick in front of a full house at Loftus Road.

Palace, who managed only one shot on target, finished with nine men after having Fan Zhiyi and David Woozley sent off in a blistering second half.

Rangers, on a run of five consecutive defeats, looked jittery at the start of this vital game but they grabbed an early goal to steady their nerves.

On eight minutes a clever move involving Chris Kiwomya and Keith Rowland saw the ball cleared to the edge of the Palace area.

George Kulcsar waited patiently for the ball to come down before thumping a superb shot into the top corner with Palace keeper Kevin Miller watching in admiration.

Palace, with nothing to play for, found themselves overwhelmed by hungry Rangers and the home side should have added to their lead.

Two minutes before half time Miller was at fault as Rangers deservedly made it 2-0.

A huge goalkick by Ludek Miklosko saw Miller dawdle on his line and Kiwomya took full advantage, getting to the ball first and after hitting the post he calmly headed in the rebound.

Palace's token resistance all but ended three minutes after the break when they were reduced to 10 men.

They conceded a foul on the edge of their own box and as midfielder Fan Zhiyi protested he seemed to push the referee and was immediately sent off.

Rangers went for the kill and on 56 minutes they made it 3-0 when Tony Scully's free kick was bodied on by Slade and after an almighty scramble forced over the line by Kiwomya.

Palace were in freefall and Rangers were beginning to revel in the open spaces all over the park.

Scully made it four on 76 minutes when he latched on to Andy Linighan's nod down to thump an unstoppable shot into the top corner. And six minutes later Palace went down to nine men when Woozley was dismissed after pulling down Scully as he was about to tap in to an empty net.

Kiwomya was given the chance of his hat-trick from the spot but his effort was blocked by Miller only for Tim Breacker to follow up and score.

Still QPR weren't finished. Three minutes later Scully crossed to Kiwomya whose first header was saved, his second effort hit the post, before he completed his hat-trick with his third chance to make it 6-0.

Rowland hit a post, Kevin Gallen had another effort just wide and the Rangers fans, so tense before kick off, were hailing their team as if they had won the championship by the end. Sporting Life