QPR Report Snippets...Another Player Exits Loftus Road...Goalie Extends His Stay...Routledge "QPR Was A Bit Mad at Times"...Scunthorpe Previews

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QPR Official Site - EXCLUSIVE: IKEME INKS EXTENSION
- The Club is pleased to confirm that goalkeeper Carl Ikeme has extended his loan deal with QPR.
The Wolverhampton Wanderers custodian, who made his debut for Mick Harford's men in the R's 2-2 draw at Blackpool last weekend, will remain with the Hoops until April 6th 2010.
R's gaffer Mick Harford told www.qpr.co.uk: "It's great to have Carl here for the remainder of the season. He will provide good competition for Radek Cerny.
"Carl has trained ever so well since he's been here.
"He played a lot of games for Wolves last season in their promotion-winning side, so we knew we were getting a good goalkeeper when he arrived.
"He's a good size and has a great presence, which helps to take the pressure off the back four a little bit.
"We have said to all the players that if you train hard, show the right attitude, personality and work ethic, then you will get your chance in the side.
"We want players who want to play for this Football Club QPR


QPR Official Site - HALL JOINS MAGPIES
Posted on: Fri 29 Jan 2010
- R's defender Fitz Hall has joined Championship pacesetters Newcastle United on loan until the end of the season.
- The 29 year-old travelled to St James Park last night and successfully underwent a medical on Tyneside this morning.
- Hall - who could make his Magpies debut against Leicester City this weekend - will remain with Chris Hughton's side until May 31st 2010. QPR

Newcastle United Official Site/Craig Hope - Breaking News: Hall Fitz Toon Bill
- NEWCASTLE United have completed a loan deal until the end of the season for Queens Park Rangers defender Fitz Hall.
- The 29-year-old was at the club's Benton headquarters on Friday morning and will go straight into the squad for this weekend's Championship clash at Leicester City.
- Hall, who will take the No.5 jersey, joins former Loftus Road team-mate Wayne Routledge on Tyneside after his permanent switch earlier this week.
- And there are also familiar faces in the form of Ryan Taylor, who he played with at Wigan Athletic, and fellow new arrival Mike Williamson who was at Southampton during his time on the South Coast.
- The 6ft 4ins centre-back started his playing career with non-league Barnet before joining Chesham United.
- There he came to the attention of Oldham Athletic manager, and former Magpie coach, Iain Dowie who took the Londoner to Boundary Park in 2002.
A brief stay at Southampton followed before rejoining Dowie at Crystal Palace.
There, alongside Routledge, Hall and The Eagles were relegated from the Premier League during their first season back in the top flight.
In 2006, though, Hall returned to England's top division when he was snapped up by Wigan for a £3m fee.
After two-and-a-half years with The Latics he moved back to the capital and to QPR in January, 2009.
Hall made 56 appearances for The Hoops, scoring twice, before his loan switch to Gallowgate. Newcastle


Journal Live - Champions League is Routledge’s big dream
Jan 29 2010 by Mark Douglas, The Journal
= WAYNE Routledge has set himself a couple of lofty goals after signing for Newcastle United – to return the club to the Champions League and spend the rest of his career at St James’ Park.

The former QPR winger made an enterprising debut against Crystal Palace on Wednesday, adding the pace and the attacking threat that has often been missing from the right of midfield for Newcastle this season.

It was a promising start to life in black and white for a player who recognises the need for stability in his career after accumulating eight clubs in his first nine years as a professional. That desire to settle down extends to making Newcastle United the final club of his career.

“Why have I had so many clubs in my career? I honestly couldn't tell you. There are different reasons why you don't settle at a particular club or it doesn't work out with a certain manager,” he said.

“But I am here now and I want to establish myself as a Newcastle player. In an ideal world I would be at Newcastle for the rest of my career.

“I want to see us back in the Premier League and back in the Champions League. That is my goal, we'll just have to see how we go.”

He believes St James’ Park is the perfect platform for a career renaissance and has been enthused by the atmosphere in the dressing room, which he believes is one of the best he has ever encountered.

“I can already see that these are a very confident bunch of lads who are all working as a unit. You can sense the atmosphere in a dressing room from the minute you walk in,” he said.

“I've been at a few clubs and you can tell if there is a problem in the team from the banter in the dressing room. It's obvious that these are a bunch of lads who are enjoying their football and are all focused on winning games and getting promotion. It's all looking positive.

“People tell me Newcastle have had a bit of turmoil off the pitch but QPR was a bit mad at times, managers changing and such like so it was difficult to focus on football. Hopefully that is all behind me and it's all about getting Newcastle back in the big time.

“This is easily one of the top ten maybe top five clubs in the country. It's just in the wrong division at the moment and that is what we're trying to change on the pitch.

“The prospect of playing in the Premier League was a massive factor. I’m confident of my own ability and believe that I can do well in the Premier League.”

Settling down quickly in the north will be the key for Routledge, who has spent the lion’s share of his career in the capital with Palace, QPR and Tottenham.

But he has signalled a willingness to embrace the North East footballing culture and “new experiences”.

“I've played most of my football in the south so it does feel a bit weird being this far north but you have to grow up sometime,” he said.

“I want to get myself settled in the area a quickly as possible. I'm going house-hunting this week and hopefully find myself a nice place.

“I knew Ryan and Steven Taylor from the England set-up but apart from that it's all new people and new experiences and that's good. I needed a new start. QPR are a great club but it was time to go.”Routledge knows that he will need to be more prolific if he is to regain the momentum he had earlier in his career.

“I want to add goals and more of an attacking threat,” he said. “My game is all about making opportunities for other people. I set one up for Nile on Wednesday and he put it away with a great finish. Long may that continue and we stay at the top of the league.” Journal Live


QPR Official Site - THE FRIDAY PREVIEW: SCUNNY

Posted on: Fri 29 Jan 2010
Mick Harford and his charges will be desperate to get back to winning ways after defeat at Nottingham Forest in midweek when they welcome Scunthorpe United to Loftus Road this weekend.

Saturday's fixture is the first league match to have been played in W12 since the Boxing Day victory versus Bristol City, and the R's will be hoping for another three points against Nigel Adkins' side.

This season, the Iron have been much better at home than they have been on the road, though the fact that they have picked up 4-0 and 4-1 victories at both Crystal Palace and Derby County - their last away fixture - suggests that a victory for the R's cannot be taken for granted.

Rangers took maximum points the last time these two sides met in the league, with Adel Taarabt's strike inside the first five minutes the deciding factor in a hard-fought affair at Glanford Park in September.


Team News

Both Lee Cook and Rowan Vine are again set to be involved in Mick Harford's squad for the visit of The Iron.

Cook, of course, completed 45 minutes for the Reserves in midweek, while Vine played the final 20 minutes of Rangers' defeat at The City Ground on Tuesday night.

Meanwhile, Martin Rowlands and Gavin Mahon continue to remain sidelined with long-term knee injuries, while Gareth Ainsworth is out with a calf problem.

Scunthorpe boss Nigel Adkins should be able to call on the services of defender Rob Jones, who completed 69 minutes in the Iron's 2-0 midweek win over Sheffield Wednesday following a three-week absence with a hamstring injury.

Saturday's visitors also look set to again include loan signings Donal McDermott and Brendan Moloney, who signed from Manchester City and Nottingham Forest respectively, on the bench.

Star Man

Gary HOOPER - Striker

The Iron completed the signing of striker Gary Hooper in July 2008 and he had an amazing first season at Glanford Park - scoring 30 goals to help his side win promotion to the Championship.

He came close to breaking Billy Sharp's record of 32 in a season, and also scored at Wembley in the Final of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy.

Aged 20, the young marksman signed a three-year contract to join United in a £125,000 deal, which could eventually rise to £175,000.

Hooper began his career with Grays Athletic, making his debut at the age of 15 and then helping them win promotion into the Conference South, scoring 12 goals in 2004-05.

He notched on eight occasions the following season before joining Southend on trial in July 2006.

Gary went on to make 32 appearances for the Shrimpers, mostly as a substitute, scoring two goals in the Championship for Steve Tilson's side.

He had an enjoyable loan spell at Leyton Orient in 2007, scoring two goals in four games.

Hooper then had a prolific loan spell at Hereford United, scoring 11 goals in 19 appearances and helping the Bulls win promotion from League Two.

Classic Encounter

Scunthorpe United 2, QPR 2

Coca Cola Championship - Saturday 8th December 2007

Akos Buzsaky's deadly double clinched Rangers a creditable point at Glanford Park.

The midfield maestro bagged a brace of contenders for goal of the season, on an afternoon where the R's twice threw away a lead against fellow strugglers Scunthorpe United.

Buzsaky's first half double saw Rangers into the break with a 2-1 lead, after Martin Paterson put the Iron on terms midway through the first half.

Scunny's reward for an electrifying start to the second half arrived courtesy of Jonathan Forte's 54th minute strike and although both sides went in search of a winning goal, a draw was probably a fair reflection.

Match odds with Bet365
QPR win - 4/6
Draw - 5/2
Scunthorpe win - 9/2
Match Coverage
QPR Player will be providing live commentary of this fixture, as well as offering extended highlights later this week. Click here to join QPR Player. QPR