QPR Report Wednesday Snippets...QPR Interest in Chopra? (Warnock Says NO!)

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QPR 1903-1904 On Sale at EBay-

- For QPR and Football Updates and perspectives throughout the day, visit the QPR Report Messageboard. All QPR and football perspective welcome...Also Follow: QPR REPORT ON TWITTER
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- Dennis Signy Health Update


- Defeat for QPR in the FA Youth Cup

- Les Ferdinand Turns 44

- Raheem Sterling MAYBE Turns 16!

- Manager of The Month(Warnock?) & Player of Month (Taarabt?) Being Announced Tomorrow

- English Football to be Examined by MPs

- Partizan Belgrade Return to London to play Arsenal for their First Game in London since they played Alan Mullery's QPR...!

- Bernie Ecclestone's Post-Attack "Response" - Watch Ad

- Antononio Caliendo Speaking re Football Matters

- "Crashgate" -Piquets get Damages from Renault

- Old, No longer Used Stadiums


Update re Michael Chopra: Neil Warnock Reportedly Says No

Paul Warburton/Fulham Chronicle - QPR boss rules out move for Cardiff City striker Michael Chopra
NEIL Warnock reminded his QPR bosses last night just who picks the team when he turned down the chance to sign £3million Michael Chopra.

The Cardiff City striker from Indian background is hoping to swap Cardiff City for west London – a move that instantly found favour with the Indian side of Rs administration that includes managing director Ishan Saksena and vice-chair Amit Bhatia, hoping to build a QPR fan base in a country of more than a billion.

But Warnock doesn’t think he could find a place for a player in a team unbeaten in the Championship – and four points clear of Cardiff at the top of the table.

"I’ve got nothing against Michael," said Warnock, "he’s a fine player. And were he to become available at a knockdown price – it would be worth a look.

"But he’s better suited to a 4-4-2 set-up – and we don’t really play that here.

"I think once our people find out what he would cost including wages – and I’m guessing at anything upwards of a £3million transfer - they’ll think again, despite what he might do for Rangers’ profile in India." Fulham Chronicle


PREVIOUSLY

Rivals Rangers ready to make Chopra bid -Dec 8 2010 by Terry Phillips, South Wales Echo
- QUEENS Park Rangers are poised to make a £3m January bid for out-of-favour Bluebirds striker Michael Chopra.

Hoops boss Neil Warnock sees Chopra as the striker to virtually clinch the Championship leaders’ automatic promotion to the Premier League.

And Chopra is far from happy at being left out of Cardiff City’s last two matches, against QPR and Preston.

A Hoops source said: “QPR have made an outstanding start to the season and Neil sees Chopra as the final piece of the jigsaw.

“Chopra is a proven goalscorer at Championship level and exactly the type of player Rangers need.

“Neil would love to have him as part of the Rangers squad.”

City won’t want to lose him, but Chopra seems certain to be unsettled unless boss Dave Jones can guarantee him a regular starting place – and that doesn’t look likely.

The experienced Warnock is set to test the transfer window water with a £2m-plus bid for Chopra next month.

If that approach is turned down – which is almost certain – Warnock is then likely to move towards City’s valuation of a player who scored 21 goals last season.

Although they remain unbeaten and hold a four-point lead over second-placed Cardiff, Warnock believes Chopra would guarantee the extra firepower to take Rangers into the top flight.

Chopra, who has netted five times this season, was unsettled at the start of the season and spoke out when the Bluebirds were under a transfer embargo.

He said at that time: “I’m well hacked off.

“If this club doesn’t bring in new players, I’m off.”

Ironically, Chopra has been a victim of City bringing in new players, with Craig Bellamy switching into a central role in the last two games.

As well as Chopra. there are also doubts over the Bluebird futures of Jay Bothroyd and Chris Burke, both of whom are out of contract next summer. The pair have been offered new deals, but have yet to sign and can talk to other clubs in January.

Cash for Chopra could give Jones more room to manoeuvre in the January transfer market as he seeks to bring in the “four or five” new signings he wants Wales on Line

Western Mail "Western Mail/Terry Phillips
"...[Dave] Jones would also have more room for manoeuvre next month if he accepts a likely £3m bid from QPR for out-of-favour striker Michael Chopra..." Western Mail


Jacob Murtagh/Fulham Chronicle - QPR linked with Cardiff City striker Michael Chopra
QPR have been linked with a £3million move for Cardiff City striker Michael Chopra.

The former Sunderland frontman has fallen down the pecking order under Dave Jones, and has been left warming the bench as England international Jay Boothroyd and Craig Bellamy occupy the two striking spots.

The 27-year-old from Indian background has been limited to just 11 league starts, scoring just four goals, and has told pals he fancies a move to west London to help QPR's promotion drive.

It would be a deal that would please the Indian side of Rs administration that hopes to build a Rangers fan base in the country. Fulham Chronicle


Ben Kosky/Kilburn Times - Depleted side can still rout Rovers, says QPR boss
NEIL Warnock maintains QPR can pull off an FA Cup shock at Blackburn – even though he will rest players for next month’s third round tie.

The Rangers boss has confirmed he will not select his first choice team at Ewood Park, citing an intense league schedule of four games in just over a week that precedes the Blackburn trip.

That decision is unlikely to please Rs supporters, who have watched their team stumble through a full decade of FA Cup disgrace and humiliation without a single win.

Warnock admitted: “I can’t see certain players playing four games in nine days and then a cup game after that. If I have a choice, the fifth one’s the least important to me at the moment.
“If we were mid-table in the Championship, I’d try and win it, and we’ll still go out and try to win the game – you’ve always got a chance – but it’s not a priority.

“Blackburn have got a squad of 25 and I’d imagine they’ll want to play as many of those as they can. That’s why we’ve got an opportunity to win it, whatever team we put out.

“Remember, Ian Holloway played 11 different lads and Blackpool only lost to the last kick of the match. It’s about the squad and I think we’ve got a good squad, but I definitely want to rest some in that game.

“It’ll be good to go there without any points at stake. If we’re still top of the league come the FA Cup, I’ll be absolutely delighted.”

Compared to the likes of Grimsby, Luton – and, of course, Vauxhall Motors – QPR’s 3-0 defeat at Blackburn in the third round five years ago ranks as one of their more respectable FA Cup results.

And, irrespective of the strengths of both sides, Warnock feels January’s rematch will be a good yardstick for the Rs’ progress this season, against the kind of mid-table Premier League club they could soon be aiming to match.

“No disrespect to Blackburn, but QPR’s that type of club – not a massive club but one that could sustain Premier League football,” added the QPR manager.

“Bolton, West Brom, Stoke City – they’re all great examples of that as well. I think it’ll be a good game for us to go and look at and enjoy the atmosphere.”

Meanwhile, QPR went out of the FA Youth Cup on penalties after their first round tie with Nottingham Forest on Tuesday night ended in a 2-2 draw.

Forest went ahead in the 17th minute when Neil Byrne headed in from a corner, but Rangers levelled just after the hour when Bruno Andrade had his shirt tugged in the penalty area.

Michael Doughty converted the spot-kick, but Forest regained the lead 10 minutes from time with a Patrick Bamford penalty, harshly awarded against Stephen O’Donnell.

Abdallah Shariff made it 2-2 just three minutes later, firing home at the second attempt.

But Forest triumphed 5-3 in the shoot-out after extra time, with Adam Francis sending his kick over the bar for Rangers. Kilburn Times



- Just Passed: The One Year Anniversary of Ishan Saksena Replaced Alejandro Agag as Managing Director of QPR. (A couple of months later, Ishan also assumed the Chairmanship of Queens Park Rangers, taking over from Flavio Briatore)

- Note: QPR's Chairman/Managing Director Ishan Saksena and Vice Chairman, Amit Bhatia are apparently currently both in India

- One Year Ago: "The Headbut"

- Two New Books About Bernie Ecclestone

- Presumably Coming Soon: QPR Reporting Its Total Spending on Agents over Past Twelve Months (Period Ending September 30, 2010).

- Donate to QPR GIRLS ONLINE

Warnock on Cook and Rowlands' Futures...QPR Programme Award...Ishan Saksena's One Year...FA Youth Cup Tonight..."The Headbut:" Year Anniversary!

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- For QPR and Football Updates and perspectives throughout the day, visit the QPR Report Messageboard. All QPR and football perspective welcome...Also Follow: QPR REPORT ON TWITTER
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- Just Passed: The One Year Anniversary of Ishan Saksena Replaced Alejandro Agag as Managing Director of QPR. (A couple of months later, Ishan also assumed the Chairmanship of Queens Park Rangers, taking over from Flavio Briatore)

- Note: QPR's Chairman/Managing Director Ishan Saksena and Vice Chairman, Amit Bhatia are apparently currently both in India

- Meanwhile Deputy Managing Director, Ali Russell Still at QPR! (There had been various messageboard reports that QPR's Deputy Managing Director was no longer at QPR. But in fact he seems to be still at QPR.


- One Year Ago: "The Headbut"

- Forty-Two Years Ago: Les Allen's QPR Managerial Debut

- QPR Trademarks: Expired and Non-Expired: No Jude Comeback?!

- "Ten good reasons the Conference is better than the Premier League"


Yann Tear/Fulham Chronicle - QPR make Lee Cook available for loan
- NEIL Warnock has made out-of-favour winger Lee Cook available for loan.
- The QPR boss told the Chronicle last month that the former Fulham flyer's career at Loftus Road was in the balance after spending much of the time sidelined through injury.
- But Warnock is now ready to let the 28-year-old leave in the new year in a bid to get first-team football.
- He said: “Lee Cook could go out in January, but I'm not bothered about anyone going out permanently because I like the squad as it is.” Fulham Chronicle


Yann Tear/Fulham Chronicle - Neil Warnock confirms Crystal Palace's interest in Martin Rowlands
MARTIN Rowlands is under pressure to go out on loan next month – or risk being frozen out of QPR's promotion drive.
- The midfielder is fit again after months out with a knee injury but can't win a place in the starting line-up.
- Rowlands rejected a move to Crystal Palace before the loan window slammed shut last month.
- But boss Neil Warnock believes the Irishman will only get the extra sharpness he needs to return to the fold by playing competitive football elsewhere – and made it clear the former Hoops skipper has to take the loan option.
- “I've spoken to Crystal Palace [about him] and a couple of other clubs have asked me over the last few months," said Warnock.
- "I've told Martin who they are, but at the minute he doesn't want to do anything.
- “At the moment, he's not getting in the side. He needs first team games and I can't see him getting in my team. He says he doesn't get anything out of friendlies.
- “But that's down to Martin really, because I'm not forcing anybody to go." Fulham Chronicle

- GAME ON: QPR Play Nottingham Forest in the FA Youth Cup at Loftus Road Tonight (December 7)
- Nottingham Forest Official Site" Nottingham Forest will launch their bid for glory in the FA Youth Cup sponsored by E.ON against Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road (kick-off 7pm).
And Academy Director Nick Marshall knows just what is in store for his players in their third round tie in West London.
He told us: "QPR don't have Academy status - they are a centre of excellence - but over the last couple of years they have started to invest in their youth operation and are starting to see the benefits.
"They have played 13 games this season and have won 12 of them and drawn the other, which speaks volumes for their quality.
"I saw them play against West Ham last season and most of the players who were on duty that day will more than likely line-up against us.
"They are an experienced group with a good coach in Steve Gallen and they have a way of playing, which is continental in its approach.
"We are an Academy and I like to think we've got some good players but we're the opposite to them in so much that we're a new team, only Neill Byrne and Danny Meadows played in the FA Youth Cup last season.
"We've got a lot of first years so we will be less experienced than Rangers and it will be a tough game but we will give it our best shot."
Incidentally the QPR line-up is expected to include Michael Doughty, the son of Forest Chairman Nigel Doughty. Nottingham Forest


Portsmouth News/Neil Allen - Referees' chief apologises for QPR blunder
Steve Cotterill has revealed how he has received an apology from a referees' chief over the recent QPR debacle.
Last month, the Blues were heading for a 1-0 victory over the runaway Championship leaders following a Liam Lawrence penalty.

But in stoppage-time, referee Gavin Ward harshly adjudged that Lawrence handled Tommy Smith's cross inside the penalty area.

Smith levelled from the spot to preserve a record which remains unbeaten even now for leaders QPR.

It was a highly- controversial decision which left Pompey and supporters fuming.

Now Cotterill has admitted he has since received an e-mail from the referee's assessor present on the night, who conceded the penalty should never have been awarded.

Cotterill was still unhappy at the denial of two precious points, though.

He said: 'We should have beaten QPR – the referee made a big mistake.

'Afterwards they think they can correct that by sending me an e-mail admitting that someone got it wrong.

'It was from the assessor, for all the good that does this football club.

'Yet who is prepared to say that on the night?

'After a match I speak to the television, radio and then press. Now I haven't got a problem with that.

'So why can't match officials also come out and speak, explaining some of their decisions?

'It's wrong. We want to hear what they have to say on things like this.

'It's not much comfort afterwards being told by somebody else it was a mistake. We should have won that game and be two points better off in the league.

'It cost us big time.' Portsmouth News



Praise/Award for the QPR Progamme!

QPR Official Site - 'HOOPS' DOES THE DOUBLE! Posted on: Tue 07 Dec 2010

'Hoops' - the Club's official matchday programme - has scooped a prestigious double in the Northern Programme Club's annual programme awards.

Following hot on the heels of scooping the Best Design award for the Coca Cola Championship last season, the ever-popular publication has once again been rewarded in the 2010/11 honours list with the Championship Programme of the Year gong, as well as the Best Cover Design in the Championship.

Jack Mitton, Secretary of the Northern Programme Club, told www.qpr.co.uk: "Hoops has been one of the most consistent, impressive and interesting programmes on the market for a number of seasons now, and the winning of our 2010/11 Championship 'Programme of the Year' is just reward for the Editor and his team behind the scenes.

"In every year that the Northern Programme Club has operated it's programme competition, 'Hoops' has been a close-runner for the main award in its respective division, and this time around Ian Taylor and his team have clinched pole position with a magnificent publication which just gets better every season!"

Mitton added: "It's a cracking read, well designed and the content includes some of the most interesting and informative around.

"The value for money aspect is an important ingredient to any publication and 'Hoops' also delivers in this field.

"Overall, a truly outstanding effort which has finally won the title of our Championship Programme of the Year."

'Hoops' Editor, Ian Taylor, added: "I'm absolutely delighted with these results.

"As a department, we are constantly striving to achieve the highest possible standards and this latest endorsement is a huge success for the Press and Publications team at the Club.

"It's been a pleasure working with our designers and I'd also like to thank all our contributors, especially Paul Morrissey, Matthew Webb, Tony Incenzo and Gordon Macey, for their support and hard work over the course of the season." QPR


- Two New Books About Bernie Ecclestone

- Presumably Coming Soon: QPR Reporting Its Total Spending on Agents over Past Twelve Months (Period Ending September 30, 2010).

- Donate to QPR GIRLS ONLINE

QPR Report Monday: Deputy Managing Director, Ali Russell Still at QPR...QPR in India...Gerry Francis' 60th Year

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- For QPR and Football Updates and perspectives throughout the day, visit the QPR Report Messageboard. All QPR and football perspective welcome...Also Follow: QPR REPORT ON TWITTER
____________________________________________________________________________________

- Dennis Signy - A man with long-standing and deep ties to Queens Park Rangers, is in Intensive Care

- Ali Rusell Still at QPR! (There had been various messageboard reports that QPR's Deputy Managing Director was no longer at QPR. But in fact he seems to be still at QPR.


- QPR Trademarks: Expired and Non-Expired: No Jude Comeback?!


- QPR's Former England Captain and two-time manager, Gerry Francis Enters his Sixtieth Year


Also Birthdays in the last couple of days:

- Mark Lazarus Birthday
- Birthday for Ex-QPR Player, Captain, Coach, Assistant Manager and Manager, Frank Sibley...Update: Twenty-Six years ago today: Replaced Alan Mullery as Acting Manager

- Five Year Flashback: Chairman Paladini Message on the QPR Official Site - Including Praise for Ian Holloway. (Less than Two Months later: Holloway and Coaches were on Gardening Leave for a year.)

- QPR Scheduled to Play Nottingham Forest in the FA Youth Cup at Loftus Road Tomorrow (December 7)

- Three Year Flashback: QPR Coach Ed De Goey Axed

- Putin "Expects" Abramovich to Heavily Fund the Russian World Cup

- Redknapp as Next England Manager?


- New Stadium for QPR?

- Flashback: 13 Years Ago - Ray Harford Appointed QPR Manager

- Year Flashback: QPR 1 Middlesbrough 5 and Jim Magilton's time at QPR almost up! (To be succeeded by first Paul Hart and then Mick Harford before Neil Warnock arrived to save the club)


- Birthday Yesterday for Mark Lazarus


QPR-INDIAN YOUTH II & BHATIA AND SAKSENA?

Times of India -No problem with I-League, says AIFF president Praful PatelPTI, Dec 4, 2010

MUMBAI: All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Praful Patel on Saturday said there was no problem with the country's premier football competition - I-League - and added that it was being "strengthened" with a new format.

"There is no problem with the I-league. It is being strengthened. The process of having a new arrangement is underway at the AIFF," he told reporters on the sidelines of a sports event here.

"I can assure you that the AIFF's endeavour, in association with the Asian Football Confederation and FIFA, is to strengthen the I-League. The I-league, in fact, is being looked upon very appreciatively by the AFC and FIFA. Within a few weeks, things will fall in place," he added.

Earlier, Patel inaugurated the second annual South Mumbai Junior Soccer Challenge, an initiative by Congress MP Milind Deora, at the Cooperage Football Ground here.

The championship, which aims at promoting soccer among the youth in the city, would serve as a 'Talent Hunt' as 30 talented youngsters will be shortlisted for a coaching clinic that is being conducted by the Queens Park Rangers (QPR) coaching teams who are in the city[/b].

From this training camp, two youngsters shall be selected for a six-weeks training programme at the Queens Park Rangers Youth Development Centre in London.
Also present at the inauguration were actor John Abraham, and Queens Park Rangers' chairman, Ishan Saksena, and vice chairman, Amit Bhatia. - Times of India

See Also: "Two Indian Youths to Get a Chance to Attend a Six-Week Training Camp at QPR


UPDATE: - 2nd South Mumbai Junior Soccer ChallengeSportskeeda - By Arunava Chaudhuri · December 5, 2010 ·

The talk about an English club in Indian hands is about Blackburn Rovers and their new owners Venky’s, but meanwhile Queen’s Park Rangers FC, who have Indian co-owners in the Mittal family, are continuing in their quest to help Indian talent as two kids from Mumbai to get a chance to attend a six-week training camp at the London based club. This year two Mumbai kids had been to the QPR Academy to traing within their set-up.

The second edition of the South Mumbai Junior Soccer Challenge was yesterday inaugurated by the chief guest Praful Patel, the AIFF president. Also present at the inauguration were football loving Bollywood star John Abraham along with South Mumbai MP Milind Deora plus QPR chairman Ishan Saksena and the clubs vice-chairman Amit Bhatia.

The soccer challenge has the same format as last year in which south Mumbai schools face each other in a 5-A-Side format. The tournament is for boys and girls in the age groups of 8 to 11 years and 11 to 14 years. The tournament will be played at the Cooperage Ground over this weekend and on December 11. In total over 2,500 children will be taking part from across 300 schools.

The tournament is serving as a ‘talent hunt’ and coaches from the QPR Academy will pick 30 kids for a coaching clinic in Mumbai and from this clinic the two best players will be chosen for a six week training program at the Queens Park Rangers Youth Development Centre in London.

South Mumbai MP Milind Deora said, “We have a rich source of intelligent and vibrant youth. To keep this source sturdy, ‘Sports’ is an effective medium. It ensures a healthy lifestyle and fitness amongst these future citizens. With this initiative I hope to make Mumbai the capital of ‘sports’ in India. This championship will provide a uniform platform to potential sports stars of tomorrow across all social and civic strata in the city. I wish to encourage youngsters to adopt football so that we can place India on the sports global map. Hopefully in the FIFA World Cup 2018 there will be a strong team from India participating.”

Deora added, “It indeed is great to see this initiative receive such amazing response from students across all backgrounds. Last year we had 200 schools participating and this year the number has increased by 30%. This year the participation from the girls has also increased. Hope every year the number of students keeps rising.”

A really good initiative by Milind Deora with support from QPR, who as an English Championship club are involved in trying to develop talent in India, more then what some of the EPL biggies are doing in India… Report


- Nostalgia QPR Photos

- Two Year Flashack: Lee Cook Reported to have re-signed for QPR

- Two New Books About Bernie Ecclestone

- Fifty Years Ago this week: QPR's all-time Record Win


- Presumably Coming Soon: QPR Reporting Its Total Spending on Agents over Past Twelve Months (Period Ending September 30, 2010).

- The New QPR Winter Catalogue

- Donate to QPR GIRLS ONLINE

- - Dennis Signy - A man with long-standing and deep ties to Queens Park Rangers, is in Intensive Care

New QPR Stadium Reportedly Considered...QPR's Chairman and Vice Chairman in India and QPR-Indian Youth Connection

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- Year Flashback: QPR 1 Middlesbrough 5 and Jim Magilton's time at QPR almost up! (To be succeeded by first Paul Hart and then Mick Harford before Neil Warnock arrived to save the club)

- For QPR and Football Updates and perspectives throughout the day, visit the QPR Report Messageboard. All QPR and football perspective welcome...Also Follow: QPR REPORT ON TWITTER
____________________________________________________________________________________

- Dennis Signy - A man with long-standing and deep ties to Queens Park Rangers, is in Intensive Care

- Flashback: 13 Years Ago - Ray Harford Appointed QPR Manager

- Birthday for Mark Lazarus

- Birthday for Ex-QPR Player, Captain, Coach, Assistant Manager and Manager, Frank Sibley...Update: Twenty-Six years ago today: Replaced Alan Mullery as Acting Manager

- Two Year Flashack: Lee Cook Reported to have re-signed for QPR

- Two New Books About Bernie Ecclestone

- Fifty Years Ago this week: QPR's all-time Record Win


Independent/Laura Chesters

QPR mulls move to TV Centre as BBC plots sale to developer

Auntie's redevelopment could house 35,000 capacity stadium – plus offices, shops and homes

North-west London football club Queens Park Rangers is drawing up plans to move to a new, purpose-built, larger stadium on the BBC's Television Centre site in West London.

The QPR board is discussing various options for the future of the club, which is currently based nearby in Loftus Road, and is planning a move within three to five years.

The plans are at an early stage but QPR has held informal discussions with its local council, Hammersmith and Fulham, which supports a move within the borough to the BBC site.

The move would be just half a mile and will not prove controversial with fans, unlike other potential football relocations such as West Ham's possible switch from Upton Park to the Olympic stadium after 2012.

Both the ambition and financial ability of QPR to plan a new stadium is clear. It has been topping the Championship table; Neil Warnock's team remain the only side in the Championship not to have lost a game this season. If the club was promoted to the Premiership this year, its desire for a new stadium could step up a gear.

The club is part-owned by the billionaire Mittal family and racing driver entrepreneurs Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone. Briatore and Ecclestone are widely reported to be selling their stakes; Vijay Mallya, the United Breweries tycoon and Kingfisher beer owner, has been in the frame, but a deal has not yet materialised.

Loftus Road, which has been QPR's home for more than 90 years, holds 18,000 fans, and a new stadium would be planned with a 35,000 capacity.

The 15-acre TV Centre site was put up for sale by the BBC through property agent Lambert Smith Hampton last week. The BBC is structuring the sale as a joint venture. A developer would be selected to build a scheme that could include up to a million square feet of offices, shops and leisure. As a joint venture partner, the BBC would get a share in any future profits.

The council, which has already drawn up a long-term masterplan for the area, said: "It is hoped that the BBC building and the wider area will attract new media and arts companies – forming a new cultural quarter called Creative London. In addition, thousands of new homes will be built." Independent


QPR-INDIAN YOUTH II & BHATIA AND SAKSENA?
[The only "caveat:" - To ensure this is not just last year's story!]

Times of India -No problem with I-League, says AIFF president Praful PatelPTI, Dec 4, 2010

MUMBAI: All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Praful Patel on Saturday said there was no problem with the country's premier football competition - I-League - and added that it was being "strengthened" with a new format.

"There is no problem with the I-league. It is being strengthened. The process of having a new arrangement is underway at the AIFF," he told reporters on the sidelines of a sports event here.

"I can assure you that the AIFF's endeavour, in association with the Asian Football Confederation and FIFA, is to strengthen the I-League. The I-league, in fact, is being looked upon very appreciatively by the AFC and FIFA. Within a few weeks, things will fall in place," he added.

Earlier, Patel inaugurated the second annual South Mumbai Junior Soccer Challenge, an initiative by Congress MP Milind Deora, at the Cooperage Football Ground here.

The championship, which aims at promoting soccer among the youth in the city, would serve as a 'Talent Hunt' as 30 talented youngsters will be shortlisted for a coaching clinic that is being conducted by the Queens Park Rangers (QPR) coaching teams who are in the city[/b].

From this training camp, two youngsters shall be selected for a six-weeks training programme at the Queens Park Rangers Youth Development Centre in London.
Also present at the inauguration were actor John Abraham, and Queens Park Rangers' chairman, Ishan Saksena, and vice chairman, Amit Bhatia. - Times of India

See Also: "Two Indian Youths to Get a Chance to Attend a Six-Week Training Camp at QPR


UPDATE: - 2nd South Mumbai Junior Soccer ChallengeSportskeeda - By Arunava Chaudhuri · December 5, 2010 ·

The talk about an English club in Indian hands is about Blackburn Rovers and their new owners Venky’s, but meanwhile Queen’s Park Rangers FC, who have Indian co-owners in the Mittal family, are continuing in their quest to help Indian talent as two kids from Mumbai to get a chance to attend a six-week training camp at the London based club. This year two Mumbai kids had been to the QPR Academy to traing within their set-up.

The second edition of the South Mumbai Junior Soccer Challenge was yesterday inaugurated by the chief guest Praful Patel, the AIFF president. Also present at the inauguration were football loving Bollywood star John Abraham along with South Mumbai MP Milind Deora plus QPR chairman Ishan Saksena and the clubs vice-chairman Amit Bhatia.

The soccer challenge has the same format as last year in which south Mumbai schools face each other in a 5-A-Side format. The tournament is for boys and girls in the age groups of 8 to 11 years and 11 to 14 years. The tournament will be played at the Cooperage Ground over this weekend and on December 11. In total over 2,500 children will be taking part from across 300 schools.

The tournament is serving as a ‘talent hunt’ and coaches from the QPR Academy will pick 30 kids for a coaching clinic in Mumbai and from this clinic the two best players will be chosen for a six week training program at the Queens Park Rangers Youth Development Centre in London.

South Mumbai MP Milind Deora said, “We have a rich source of intelligent and vibrant youth. To keep this source sturdy, ‘Sports’ is an effective medium. It ensures a healthy lifestyle and fitness amongst these future citizens. With this initiative I hope to make Mumbai the capital of ‘sports’ in India. This championship will provide a uniform platform to potential sports stars of tomorrow across all social and civic strata in the city. I wish to encourage youngsters to adopt football so that we can place India on the sports global map. Hopefully in the FIFA World Cup 2018 there will be a strong team from India participating.”

Deora added, “It indeed is great to see this initiative receive such amazing response from students across all backgrounds. Last year we had 200 schools participating and this year the number has increased by 30%. This year the participation from the girls has also increased. Hope every year the number of students keeps rising.”

A really good initiative by Milind Deora with support from QPR, who as an English Championship club are involved in trying to develop talent in India, more then what some of the EPL biggies are doing in India… Report


- Nostalgia QPR Photos

- Presumably Coming Soon: QPR Reporting Its Total Spending on Agents over Past Twelve Months (Period Ending September 30, 2010).

- The New QPR Winter Catalogue

- Donate to QPR GIRLS ONLINE

QPR-India Update?...Denis Signy Ailing....Cardiff and Swansea Narrow the Gap

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- QPR and The Community From Last Year
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- For QPR and Football Updates and perspectives throughout the day, visit the QPR Report Messageboard. All QPR and football perspective welcome...Also Follow: QPR REPORT ON TWITTER
____________________________________________________________________________________

- Dennis Signy - A man with long-standing and deep ties to Queens Park Rangers, is in Intensive Care


- Cardiff close the gap to four points with a late, late equalizer...Swansea move to within five points of QPR


- QPR-INDIA TIES CONTINUE I'm not 100% certain, that this is not just a repost froma year ago, when QPR first chose two Indian youths to train with us (and at which attended Saksena and Bhattia.

- If anyone can confirm please come post on the QPR Report Messageboard or email


Times of India -No problem with I-League, says AIFF president Praful PatelPTI, Dec 4, 2010, 06.18pm

MUMBAI: All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Praful Patel on Saturday said there was no problem with the country's premier football competition - I-League - and added that it was being "strengthened" with a new format.

"There is no problem with the I-league. It is being strengthened. The process of having a new arrangement is underway at the AIFF," he told reporters on the sidelines of a sports event here.

"I can assure you that the AIFF's endeavour, in association with the Asian Football Confederation and FIFA, is to strengthen the I-League. The I-league, in fact, is being looked upon very appreciatively by the AFC and FIFA. Within a few weeks, things will fall in place," he added.

Earlier, Patel inaugurated the second annual South Mumbai Junior Soccer Challenge, an initiative by Congress MP Milind Deora, at the Cooperage Football Ground here.

The championship, which aims at promoting soccer among the youth in the city, would serve as a 'Talent Hunt' as 30 talented youngsters will be shortlisted for a coaching clinic that is being conducted by the Queens Park Rangers (QPR) coaching teams who are in the city[/b].

From this training camp, two youngsters shall be selected for a six-weeks training programme at the Queens Park Rangers Youth Development Centre in London.

Also present at the inauguration were actor John Abraham, and Queens Park Rangers' chairman, Ishan Saksena, and vice chairman, Amit Bhatia. - Times of India


See Also: "Two Indian Youths to Get a Chance to Attend a Six-Week Training Camp at QPR


- Birthday for Ex-QPR Player, Captain, Coach, Assistant Manager and Manager, Frank Sibley


- Nostalgia QPR Photos

- Flashback Two Years: "Queens Park Rangers on Look Out for Mole"

- Flashback Three Years: Nick Ward Exits QPR

- Two New Books About Bernie Ecclestone

- No More "Crystal Palace Baltimore" (and Recalling QPR-USA Tie)

- Briefly-QPR, Generossi Rossi - Playing in Italy

- Birthday for Ex-QPR Ian Barraclough

- Fifty Years Ago: QPR's RECORD VICTORY

- Post-FIFA Vote: The Future of English Football

- Rodney Marsh Comments on the World Cup Vote

- Year-by-Year: The QPR Kit History

- Presumably Coming Soon: QPR Reporting Its Total Spending on Agents over Past Twelve Months (Period Ending September 30, 2010).

- The New QPR Winter Catalogue

- Donate to QPR GIRLS ONLINE

QPR Report Saturday Snippets...Warnock's Weekly Perspective

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- The Independent-
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- For QPR and Football Updates and perspectives throughout the day, visit the QPR Report Messageboard. All QPR and football perspective welcome...Also Follow: QPR REPORT ON TWITTER
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- QPR-India Update

- Birthday for Ex-QPR Player, Captain, Coach, Assistant Manager and Manager, Frank Sibley


- Nostalgia QPR Photos

- Flashback Two Years: "Queens Park Rangers on Look Out for Mole"

- Flashback Three Years: Nick Ward Exits QPR

- Two New Books About Bernie Ecclestone

- No More "Crystal Palace Baltimore" (and Recalling QPR-USA Tie)

- Briefly-QPR, Generossi Rossi - Playing in Italy

- Birthday for Ex-QPR Ian Barraclough

- Fifty Years Ago: QPR's RECORD VICTORY

- Post-FIFA Vote: The Future of English Football

- Rodney Marsh Comments on the World Cup Vote

- Chris Charles' Weekly Blog
"...At the top of the Championship, the big guns met at Loftus Road as league leaders QPR hosted second-placed Cardiff in a pulsating encounter.
- Indeed, it was a shame someone had to lose. OK, not that much of a shame.
- Adel Taarabt was the star of the show, scoring a peach of a winner, but Craig Bellamy, who got the Bluebirds' goal, wasn't far behind.
- The Welshman looked like the last of the Mohicans with his dodgy haircut and predictably got the pantomime villain treatment from the home crowd - a sure sign that someone is having a blinder.
- Bellamy, who has previously suggested his autobiography should be called 'Don't Google me', has courted his fair share of controversy over the years, so I'm delighted to be able to report the following heart-warming story, as relayed by 'Holloway Ranger' on QPR's Loft For Words messageboard.
- He wrote: "Just been on Facebook and there's a photo of Bellamy after the match outside with a QPR kid - and guess what he gave the kid? Taarabt's shirt!" Take a bow, son.
- Rangers manager Neil Warnock would have been feeling the cold more than most after refusing to discard his 'lucky' shorts on the touchline until QPR's unbeaten run is ended.
- Warnock admitted: "I even had the binman in Cornwall ask me about them. It has got me thinking about wearing some matching tights, but (wife) Sharon's not got any blue ones..." Chris Charles' Weekly Blog


Neil Warnock/Independent
Neil Warnock: Snowy away games can drift into trouble – I had a close shave when I played for Crewe
What I Learnt This Week

I learnt the hard way not to take risks driving in the snow, so though it was disappointing that today's match at Hull City has been called off I've no complaints. It may mean we have a fixture problem later in the season but I'd rather that than have my players and staff, and the fans of both clubs, taking unnecessary risks.

My last League club as a player was Crewe Alexandra. I was living in Sheffield at the time and I really enjoyed making the beautiful, scenic journey to Crewe over the Peak District. But that was in the summer. Come winter it was a different matter. There were even lights set up at the bottom of the hill to warn people if the road ahead was closed, but the farmers I'd chat to when I stopped for a sandwich in the High Peak said in reality it was always passable. Maybe it was in a tractor, but I was in an Austin A30 the night I set off home, having travelled across for a game that was then postponed because of snow.

The lights were flashing, but I ignored them. The farmers had local knowledge after all. There was only an inch of snow. Ten minutes nearer Buxton it was six inches. Then we hit the drifts. I blasted through the first few, but soon they were three-to-four foot high. By then we – I had a team-mate on board – were getting worried. We weren't exactly prepared. Never mind blankets and spades, we didn't even have a flask of coffee between us. Then we hit a 10-foot bank of snow. There was no busting through that.

We didn't know where we were by then – it turned out we were less than a couple of miles from Buxton – and as we were also short of petrol we couldn't even sit it out with the heater on. I turned round, very cautiously as I was terrified of slipping off the road, and we drove back. The drifts were deeper than on the way up but we forced our way through to the flashing lights.

The journey to Hull wouldn't have been quite as treacherous as that, but it's better to be safe than sorry. We'd already had to change our plans. We intended to go by coach yesterday morning and stop off in Doncaster to train. But all the useable facilities were booked up, so we decided to have a session at our place, get the train to Doncaster then – as the trains weren't running from there to Hull, do the last bit by coach. As it is we had a light session at our place, then I gave the lads the weekend off. This afternoon I'll probably be sledging in Richmond Park

I expect Shaun Derry will be the most disappointed. He lives in Kent and had trouble even getting out of his driveway. To make sure he could get to training, and to Hull, we put him up in a hotel at Heathrow for a couple of nights. It turns out he could have stayed at home.

2. My Rangers players brush up on their sledging skills

It is ridiculous the way the country grinds to a halt with a few inches of snow. They don't have these problems in Germany, or Scandinavia. Schools closed, trains cancelled, even airports shut. It's not as if it was a surprise this time, they've been warning us for a week we had a cold snap coming.

Fortunately the snow hadn't proved too disruptive to us until today. Until Tuesday our training ground escaped the snow and Wednesday was a day off. Thursday there was a couple of inches so we trained on top of the snow. It does limit what you can do but we had some fun, as you can see, as I took a couple of sledges in. There were a few snowballs flying about, too.

3. Kids of today? They've got no bottle

We got a text from school the day the snow came down. Will was thrilled, until we read it out. "School remains open". He were gutted.

You do get the feeling today that kids are spoilt. I took Will to school in my car, but he complained the seats weren't heated. So Sharon came out with a hot-water bottle for him to sit on. When I were a lad we didn't even have central heating in the house, just a coal fire, and that weren't much use to you in the outside toilet.

Then as we're driving along a song comes on the radio – I'm listening to Capital now in the mornings – and Will starts singing along: "I wanna be a billionaire so fricking bad, buy all of the things I never had." Never mind the sentiment (what things he's never had?) I was a bit shocked to hear my nine-year-old singing along as at first I thought he'd said the actual F-word.

They do grow up so fast. I gave the girls some money to spend ahead of Christmas and Amy came back with a lovely blue dress. When she put it on she looked stunning, but she didn't look 12 years old, she looked a lady. I thought, "That used to be my little girl."

4. Count me out from going to a Russian World Cup

I hope the BBC, Sunday Times and Mail on Sunday are happy now we've lost the World Cup bid. We might be democratic and have freedom of the press and so on, but we don't always use those privileges very cleverly. We just shot ourselves in the foot.

I think we have to accept we don't have many friends in the world game; and if Sepp Blatter gets in as Fifa president again, with some help no doubt from his friends in Russia and Qatar, we can forget about hosting the World Cup for ages.

I am disappointed personally as the decision means we are unlikely to get a World Cup when I can go with my boys in my lifetime. I'm 62 now, I'll be 82 when 2030 comes round and there's no guarantee we'd get that. I certainly won't be going in 2018, I doubt if many English people fancy a month in Russia, and I doubt anyone wants to watch football in Qatar in 50 degrees four years later.

The line that summed it up for me was someone joking as they waited for the decision: "How long does it takes to count roubles?"

5. United are gunning for the league title

Manchester United's 4-0 defeat to West Ham in midweek told me one thing: Sir Alex Ferguson is really concentrating on the title. For him to make so many changes for a cup quarter-final shows he thinks he can win the Premier League, and after beating Blackburn 7-1 who can blame him?

6. Liverpool give a reminder of their old quality

Losing Jamie Carragher was a real blow to Liverpool. I did feel sorry for Roy Hodgson. They'd played as well as I've seen them away from home this season too against Tottenham on Sunday, and they were without Stevie Gerrard as well. It goes to show how good Liverpool can be when they have a go at teams.

7. It could have been tight at Hull – but I've escaped

I have got hold of some blue tights, but you'll never know whether I was planning to wear them under the shorts at Hull. I didn't need them last weekend because, although, it was cold the game was so good it kept me warm.

It was a real credit to the Championship and Cardiff played their full part, both in the way they played and the support their fans gave them.

Our next game now is a tricky one at home to Watford next Friday, which is live on TV. I could have done without an evening kick-off in December and I may have to get the tights out, as long as no one thinks they have tuned into Strictly Come Dancing by mistake INDEPEDENT


- Year-by-Year: The QPR Kit History

- Presumably Coming Soon: QPR Reporting Its Total Spending on Agents over Past Twelve Months (Period Ending September 30, 2010).

- The New QPR Winter Catalogue

- Donate to QPR GIRLS ONLINE

Marking Half a Century: QPR's Record Win Occurred Fifty Years Ago Today

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- For QPR and Football Updates and perspectives throughout the day, visit the QPR Report Messageboard. All QPR and football perspective welcome...Also Follow: QPR REPORT ON TWITTER

- UPDATE: HULL VS QPR GAME IS OFF
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Fifty Years Ago Today: QPR's RECORD VICTORY

- December 3, 1960, QPR defeat Tranmere 9-2 at Loftus Road in a QPR team which included Mike Keen, Clive Clark, Tony Ingham and a recently-signed Mark Lazarus.

The QPR scorers were Bedford 2 Clark 2 Lazarus 2 Evans 2 Andrews
Less than 5,000 were there to see the game

The QPR Team
Drinkwater
Woods Rutter Angel Ingham
Andrews Keen
Lazarus Bedford Evans Clark

[The week previously, QPR had lost 2-1 at home, in the FA Cup to Coventry (gate just under 9000). The week after this victory, QPR won 3-0 at Watford

QPR 1960/61 Complete Results

Top Scorersfor QPR in 1960/61Bedford 37 goals in 48 games
Evans 16 goals in 27 games
Mark Lazarus 13 goals in 33 games

Final 1960/1961 English Division 3 (old) Table
P HW HD HL HGF HGA AW AD AL AGF AGA Points G Avg

Bury 46 18 3 2 62 17 12 5 6 46 28 68 .4
Walsall 46 19 4 0 62 20 9 2 12 36 40 62 .6333
QPR 46 18 4 1 58 23 7 6 10 35 37 60 .55
Watford 46 12 7 4 52 27 8 5 10 33 45 52 .1805
Notts Co 46 16 3 4 52 24 5 6 12 30 53 51 .0649
Grimsby 46 14 4 5 48 32 6 6 11 29 37 50 .1159
Port Vale 46 15 3 5 63 30 2 12 9 33 49 49 .2151
Barnsley 46 15 5 3 56 30 6 2 15 27 50 49 .0375
Halifax 46 14 7 2 42 22 2 10 11 29 56 49 .9102
Shrewsbury 46 13 7 3 54 26 2 9 12 29 49 46 .1066
Hull 46 13 6 4 51 28 4 6 13 22 45 46 .0
Torquay 46 8 12 3 37 26 6 5 12 38 57 45 .9036
Newport County (old) 46 12 7 4 51 30 5 4 14 30 60 45 .9
Bristol C 46 15 4 4 50 19 2 6 15 20 49 44 .0294
Coventry 46 14 6 3 54 25 2 6 15 26 58 44 .9638
Swindon 46 13 6 4 41 16 1 9 13 21 39 43 .1272
Brentford 46 10 9 4 41 28 3 8 12 15 42 43 .8
Reading 46 13 5 5 48 29 1 7 15 24 54 40 .8674
Bournemouth 46 8 7 8 34 39 7 3 13 24 37 40 .7631
Southend 46 10 8 5 38 26 4 3 16 22 50 39 .7894
Tranmere 46 11 5 7 53 50 4 3 16 26 65 38 .6869
Bradford 46 8 8 7 37 36 3 6 14 28 51 36 .7471
Colchester 46 8 5 10 40 44 3 6 14 28 57 33 .6732
Chesterfield 46 9 6 8 42 29 1 6 16 25 58 32 .7701
Soccerbase

The "Return Game"


OTHER ITEMS

- Birthday:John Burridge Enters His Sixytieth Year

- Rodney Marsh Comments on the World Cup Vote

- Flashback: QPR's Team Five Years Ago Today

- On This Day 32 Years Ago, Chairman Jim Gregory Offers to Quit

- Zesh Rehman Stripped of Captaincy and Transfer-Listed by Bradford

- Games Off Thread

- Charlton and Watford Takeover Statements

- Year-by-Year: The QPR Kit History

- Mansfield Town Locked Out of Their Stadium

- CANCELLED: HULL-QPR GAME IS NOW OFF (Past Stats and Results

- Three Year Flashback: After 19 games: QPR Bottom with 16 points - as QPR lose at home to Crystal Palace (with Hill and Derry Playing!)

- Presumably Coming Soon: QPR Reporting Its Total Spending on Agents over Past Twelve Months (Period Ending September 30, 2010). Premiership MASS Spending on AGents


Mikele: I want to stay at the Mad StadBy Jonny Fordham
http://www.getwokingham.co.uk/ December 03, 2010
- Mikele Leigertwood has admitted that he would love to make his loan switch to Reading permanent if the chance arose.

The 28-year-old joined Royals on a three-month deal last week after falling out of favour with QPR boss Neil Warnock and made his debut in Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Leeds United.

Table-topping Rangers have strength in depth in midfield and when asked about the possibility of a full-time switch to Madejski Stadium Leigertwood said: “Yeah if possible, providing everybody is happy with what I’m doing.

“We will just have to see where we are come that time.

He added: “I’m pleased with the way things have gone and I hope it continues – I don’t see any reason why it shouldn’t.

“I spoke to him (Warnock) and he told me I wasn’t in his plans.
“I was excited (about joining Reading), but a little disappointed that I wasn’t in his plans.

“To get an opportunity like this at a club that has got what it takes to get into the Premier League is where I want to be.

“I was on the bench and hadn’t been playing. To hear that you’re not involved in his long-term plans is a bit frustrating, but you have to get your head down and look to either move on or train as hard as you can until you get your chance again.
“Luckily for me I had a couple of options and when this one came about it was a no-brainer for me.”

Leigertwood played 77 minutes against Leeds, before being replaced by Michail Antonio and the former Sheffield United and Crystal Palace midfielder revealed he has settled in well at Royals.

He said: “I’m really enjoying it. We had a game to prepare for in my first week so I was pleased to get out there straight away.

“I know there is a good squad here so there is going to be good competition for places, but it was nice to get named in the side.

“I thought I did alright until I got cramp. It was enjoyable and everyone has been really good to me.

“Training has been good and all the staff and players have been first class.

“I’ve played against most of the players here and I know what they are capable of.

“The run they went on last year just shows what they can do. It’s just getting the right of form together and once you get that win it breeds confidence.”

Royals had been preparing for a trip to Sheffield United tomorrow, but the adverse weather in south Yorkshire has forced the postponement of the game, leaving Leigertwood with a free weekend.

He said: “I’ll be wrapped up inside keeping warm, putting up christmas decorations.

“I went and bought a tree yesterday. It’s a six footer and its our first real one, we did the fake one for a couple of years.

“Me and my fiancée and little boy all did it together. We set it up, decorated it and put the christmas songs on as well.

“It’s more for the kids and you have to try and make it as nice for them as possible with you not being around so much, but it’s part and parcel of it.

“He’s four and he’s got me to write Santa a letter and post it. He’s been hounding me for weeks about it.” Get Wokingham

- The New QPR Winter Catalogue

- Donate to QPR GIRLS ONLINE

- Hull's Stadium Currently!


- QPR From Long Ago: Photo Available from Club Shop

QPR Report Thursday Snippets...Hull?...Ex-QPR Gavin Peacock Profiled

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- Other Photos from a Snowy Loftus Road
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- For QPR and Football Updates and perspectives throughout the day, visit the QPR Report Messageboard. All QPR and football perspective welcome...Also Follow: QPR REPORT ON TWITTER
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- As things stand now, the Hull-QPR game is currently still ON! Stats & Past Results


- Three Year Flashback: After 19 games: QPR Bottom with 16 points - as QPR lose at home to Crystal Palace (with Hill and Derry Playing!)

- 21 Years Ago Today: Don Howe's QPR Managerial Debut - and Ray Wilkins QPR Debut. VIDEO!

- Today's Birthdays: Nigel Spackman and Chris Kiwomya

- Four Year Fashback: Four QPR Youth Players Arrested Over Tube Death

- Big Crowd Trouble at Birmingham vs Aston Villa

- Presumably Coming Soon: QPR Reporting Its Total Spending on Agents over Past Twelve Months (Period Ending September 30, 2010). Premiership MASS Spending on AGents

- Barnet report that Dennis Signy has not been Well. Best Wishes - And Flashback couple years to a fascinating Q&A with Signy re his time at QPR

- Name the QPR Players (At the time, or former or future QPR Players) who played for their coutries in World Cups


Hull Daily Mail - HULL CITY: Tigers play waiting game with QPR clash
The KC HULL City could wait until Saturday before deciding if their home game with QPR goes ahead, but all the signs are pointing towards a cancellation.

With more snow showers scheduled to hit Hull today and tomorrow, and temperatures remaining around freezing, the visit of the Championship leaders is now in doubt.

Although the undersoil heating is currently on at the KC Stadium, and will stay on right up until the game, stadium manager John Cooper admits the access roads and walkways around the ground are the main concern.

If they are not deemed safe for fans to use, which happened when last season's clash with Chelsea was cancelled, the game will not go ahead.


Cooper told the Mail: "We are continuing to appraise things all the time. The main concern is the roads surrounding the stadium.

"On Tuesday, I was very optimistic of the game going ahead but not so much yesterday.

"Hull City Council, who form part of the Safety Advisory Group with me, will also have their say if they feel there is a major risk.

"The Football League would like us to leave it until the last moment but we have to think about fans and their travel arrangements.

"Common sense has to prevail."

With Humberside Police advising people only to travel if necessary, it is unlikely they will want a crowd of around 20,000 people to converge on the stadium if conditions are still treacherous. Cooper, and officials from City, have spoken to their counterparts at QPR and all parties are aware a decision could be left until the last minute.

"We are in constant communication and we know what the team's travel arrangements are," Cooper explained.

"We can make our decision as late as they want us to leave it."

Last January, City's clash against Chelsea was postponed because of the dangers in getting to the ground.

And a repeat of those scenes could lead to a similar fate this time around.

"The snow before the Chelsea game was not as heavy as the snow we have seen in the last few days," added Cooper.

"The snow fell late on the evening before the game and on the morning of the game.

"The weather made it too dangerous to travel to the ground and the game was postponed.

"We also have to consider getting emergency vehicles in and out of the ground as well as fans' safety at the game.

"We have to be able to react to everything that can happen.

"Between now and Saturday, we will be taking as much information as we can from the Met Office and everybody else." Hull Daily Mail


The Independent - Gavin Peacock: Calling fires journey from Wembley to pulpit
The former Chelsea man has swapped punditry for preaching. He talks to Mark Fleming about his new mission in Canada

Gavin Peacock doesn't play much football these days, which is not surprising given that temperatures in the remote town where he lives, cradled in the Canadian Rockies, can dive to minus 30 in the winter months. The odd five-a-side game for Canmore United in an indoor league is the extent of it now for a player who once performed with distinction for Chelsea and Newcastle United in the Premier League.

Nor does he watch much of it on television. He pays the subscription to what North Americans call the EPL (the English Premier League) but it does not dominate conversation like it did not so long ago when he was one of the faces, with his shaven head and goatee beard, of the BBC's football coverage, including a regular slot on Match of the Day 2.

Other than that, there is little about today's Gavin Peacock that reflects his former public life as an ex-footballer-turned-pundit. But that is just the way he wants it.

In 2008 he decided to move his wife, Amanda, and their two children, Jake and Ava, to Canada so he could study theology with the intention of becoming a church leader.

"I left England after Euro 2008, when I had been working as part of the TV team for the BBC," Peacock says. "And not long after I was living in a small town in a strange country, getting up at seven in the morning to study Hebrew at eight, followed by ancient Greek at 10. And I wondered, 'What have I got myself into?'"

That same question has been asked by many of his former colleagues and friends back in the UK. Not many people, let alone former professional footballers, walk out on a well-paid job on TV to become a theology student, swapping sofa for seminary. Peacock, now 43 years old, says he felt "compelled" to join the ministry after a "road to Damascus" moment reading his Bible at home in Wilmington, Kent. From then on, his career on TV lost its allure.

"It never felt like it was going to be for ever," he says. "When I got the call to enter the ministry I just felt like that what I was meant to do. I feel compelled to do it. I was in my study reading my Bible when it seemed someone had highlighted the words on the pages. I suddenly felt the calling to preach."

Peacock has been a Christian since he was a teenager, so in some respects his decision to become a preacher has been a long time in the making. Yet when it came, it happened suddenly, a calling from the pages of the Bible. The family had a holiday home in the Rockies and they took the difficult decision to move abroad.

"I could have studied in England but we had been out here on holiday a few times and we just thought, 'Let's make a real break away from everything.' Coming to Canada was like stripping things back, I couldn't trade off my name. No one was going to give me a hearing because I was Gavin Peacock, ex-Chelsea captain," he says.

It was like he had never been a famous footballer. "At first it was quite hard, being away from everything I had known – family, friends, football. And it was not like we were in Florida, sitting by the swimming pool. It was really cold and that was hard to get used to.

"For the first time, also, football was not a part of my life at all. It's not like going to Spain or Italy, or even the US. In Canada they have very little interest in soccer."

Anonymity was hard for Peacock, who as the son of former Charlton Athletic player Keith Peacock has spent his entire life under one spotlight or another. At his peak, around the time he hit the bar for Chelsea in the 4-0 defeat in the 1994 FA Cup final against Double winners Manchester United, he came close to selection for Terry Venables' England. He then also carved out an impressive second career as a pundit, having moved up from local radio to working as a regular expert for BBC TV.

Giving up being famous has its benefits, however. Peacock now knows that he has had to work for everything he has achieved after making the move across the Atlantic.

It has certainly been hard work. He started out by learning two languages, Hebrew and ancient Greek, so that he can read the Bible in its original form, a testing academic challenge that commands long hours of study and generally weeds out the less committed of students.

"The studying has been hard. It's been the hardest two years of my life but the most rewarding. I joked with my classmates once that I had played in front of 100,000 people in a Cup final at Wembley but I was more nervous about my Hebrew vocabulary test," he says.

Recently Peacock has moved on to studying more practical skills, such as preaching and how to serve the community, working with a small evangelical church in Banff. "You have to be a shepherd to your flock," he says.

The pulpit is where Peacock now feels most at home. "I feel my primary calling is to be a preacher. I have been working at Banff Park Church and I preach there about once a month," he says.

"I don't wear a dog collar, it's quite casual, but I do wear a suit when I preach. There is normally about 120 to 140 in the congregation, which is quite big."

Preaching is a time-consuming task, as Peacock generally spends 15 hours in preparation and study before each sermon. "I suppose I spend about three hours a day on Monday to Friday before I preach," he said. "I feel a certain amount of nerves, or fear, when I preach. I appreciate that it is God's word that I am preaching. I think you could call it a glorious weight."

Peacock is due to finish his masters degree in theology in April, when he is hoping his relationship with Banff Park Church will evolve into a full-time job. He has sold his house in England and is committed to life in Canada. After two years living among the elks and the grizzlies, he has decided to stay.

"Originally we thought we would do three years and then go back to England. But we had a period of time back to England last fall and after that I realised I had to stay here," he says. "I've sold my house in England and am committed to life in Canada long term. I'm not saying I would never return to England but for as long as we can I would like to try to pursue things here."

Home now is Canmore, a bustling former mining town nestling in the Rockies with a population of 12,000, famous recently for providing the spectacular scenery for the movie Brokeback Mountain. Peacock's church is at the heart of Rockies' tourist trail, where sometimes the occasional British visitor recognises the former footballer.

It is very cold, however. "It's minus 30 today," he says, "About as cold as you can possibly imagine. You have to dress for it but I do wish I still had my hair, I have to wear a beanie hat for about four months. You don't do much outdoors when it's like this. The sky, however, is bright blue, and sun blazes down on some stunning scenery."

Having previously kept his options open, Peacock has now chosen the Associated Gospel Churches as his future home, a Christian denomination similar to the Baptists. "They preach from the scriptures and have a certain demeanour, a gravitas," Peacock says.

He recently passed a two-hour interview for the AGC, which means he should be ordained in two years' time, after a period as an assistant to pastor Norm Derkson at Banff Park Church. "We've got a good chemistry and he gives me the pulpit from time to time," he says. If he maintains his progress, he will become the Reverend Gavin Peacock in 2012.

There will come a time when Peacock needs to start earning again, as he has been living off his savings and his footballing pension for the past two years, along with support from the Professional Footballers' Association. He says: "I have not worked since I left the BBC and became a student. I am very grateful for the PFA benevolent fund that helps me with the costs of the course."

As he builds his new life in Canada, Peacock's former incarnation as a footballer becomes less and less important. "The guys at my five-a-side team all know about my previous career," he says. "And I do get recognised from time to time. Banff is quite a touristy place and there are quite a few English visitors.

"The kids sometimes go on Google and YouTube to see some of the old goals and games. They are good memories and I don't feel like I wish I was playing again. I had a full career and was blessed I didn't have any injuries. I was a good player, as good as I could have been, and I felt I achieved as much as I could have done."

Peacock has taken that attitude into his new career and will give everything to become the best he can at his new vocation. It goes without saying he has no regrets about his decision to up sticks and take the family to Canada.

The key factor for Peacock has been the spiritual development of his family, an indicator perhaps of just how far he has come since he left England two years ago. "My faith has deepened, and as a family we have grown spiritually," he says. "Life in our consumer society can be very lightweight. People need to be fed meat rather than candyfloss. Hopefully, we are shepherding our children towards God, who is eternal."

Gavin Peacock's footballing life

1967 Born 18 November, Eltham.

1984-87 The midfielder begins his career with Queen's Park Rangers, making his debut on 29 November in a 2-2 home draw against Sheffield Wednesday, aged 19.

1987-89 After a brief loan spell, he completes a full transfer to Gillingham, joining his father, Keith, who is manager. Peacock Snr is sacked soon afterwards but Gavin remains with the Gills for nearly two years.

1990-93 Following a year under Harry Redknapp at Bournemouth he is signed by Newcastle United. Peacock plays a crucial role as they win the 1992-93 First Division title, scoring 12 goals. Despite promotion to the Premier League with the Magpies, he joins Chelsea in the summer for £1.5m.

1993-96 Peacock scores on his Chelsea debut, a 2-1 home loss to Blackburn Rovers, and is one of the star performers in an otherwise disappointing league campaign for the Blues as they finished 14th. Peacock hits the bar in the 1994 FA Cup final as Chelsea suffer a 4-0 loss to Manchester United at Wembley. He goes on to make over 100 appearances for the club.

1996-2002 Moves back to QPR for £800,000 following a loan spell. Goes on to make over 200 appearances and score 39 goals in total for the club, but was unable to help the side back into the Premier League. Has a brief spell on loan in 2001 at Charlton Athletic, where his father Keith was assistant manager, before retiring at the end of the 2001-02 season.
- Tom Cooper - Independent


- The QPR Reference in "The Damned United"

- Decade Ago: QPR Abandon their Youth Academy - Script Excerpt

- Decade Ago Today: Kevin Lisbie Joins QPR on Loan

- Video Snippets: Three 1967-69 QPR Games

- Elton John on Loving Football and Changes in Football at the top


- The New QPR Winter Catalogue

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- Hull's Stadium Currently!


- QPR From Long Ago: Photo Available from Club Shop

QPR Report Wednesday Snippets and Flashbacks!

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- As things stand now, the Hull-QPR game is currently still ON!

- The QPR Reference in "The Damned United"

- Decade Ago: QPR Abandon their Youth Academy - Script Excerpt

- Decade Ago Today: Kevin Lisbie Joins QPR on Loan

- Birthday for Jay Simpson (22)...and Josh Parker (20)

- Barnet report that Dennis Signy has not been Well. Best Wishes - And Flashback couple years to a fascinating Q&A with Signy re his time at QPR

- Presumably Coming Soon: QPR Reporting Its Total Spending on Agents over Past Twelve Months (Period Ending September 30, 2010). Premiership MASS Spending on AGents

- Video Snippets: Three 1967-69 QPR Games

- Elton John on Loving Football and Changes in Football at the top

- Damion Stewart Losing His Place at Bristol City?

- Who Killed the WBA Mascot?!

Blog - "She Kicks Back: Kelly Glynn (Captain - QPR Reserves)Kelly began playing aged 8 and now is captain and motivator behind Queens Park Rangers Reserves....

- Profile of QPRs turn of the Century Player, Frederick Beaconsfield Pentland

- The New QPR Winter Catalogue


Paul Warburton/Fulham Chronicle - Martin Rowlands' QPR career in the balance
THE next month is crucial in the QPR career of Martin Rowlands.
Boss Neil Warnock admits the fans’ favourite will have forced his way into the first team by then – or been persuaded to go out on loan, with Championship outfit Crystal Palace waiting in the wings.
The manager is unsure Rowly would be able to command a regular starting slot – especially with Norwegian international Petter Vaggan Moen lined up for a January arrival, not to mention a midfield bossed by Ali Faurlin and Adel Taarabt – as well as Tommy Smith, Hogan Ephraim and Akos Buzsaky in reserve.
“Martin has been a fantastic servant for the club,” said Warnock.
“But it’s a bit of a catch 22 for him, because I can’t give him games to get fit when there are others already in top condition.” Fulham Chronicle


David McIntyre Blog - There to be shot at - The table isn’t lying

Matt Connolly wasn’t the only one who had a lucky escape on Saturday.

I had one of my own before the game. After walking through Hammersmith Park and ending up among Cardiff supporters heading down South Africa Road, things turned a bit nasty and a bottle thrown from a group of QPR fans near The Springbok whizzed past my head and smashed near a family of Rangers fans.

Anyway, it was a good game. Rangers were excellent and Cardiff unlucky. Not as unlucky as Dave Jones suggested, but still unlucky.

Jones’ approach for containing Rangers, especially Adel Taarabt, was interesting, and only possible because he has players more likely to exploit QPR’s weaknesses than other Championship teams.

I thought Seyi Olofinjana would have been ideal for doing a job on Taarabt, as he’s a strong, mobile midfielder who can close down but is also effective going forward and able help his team break effectively when they stop Taarabt.

To a large extent, Cardiff did this and did it well – at least in the first half. But they didn’t do so by man-marking Taarabt. Instead they closed Rangers down with their shape – a very disciplined ‘two banks of four’ – and looked to their front two to win the match for them. But in the end, it was Rangers’ matchwinner who made the difference.

I also think the equaliser coming so quickly after the first goal was crucial. The way Cardiff were set up meant they could have frustrated QPR the longer game wore on and the longer it stayed at 1-0, the harder it might have been for Rangers. Cardiff knew this, hence a furious reaction from a couple of their players and their bench after Gorkss’ goal.

A few people have said to me I’ve been harsh on Alejandro Faurlin for suggesting he allows opposing midfielders to run off him at will. I do think he can be easily ‘picked off’, and was on Saturday.

But does it matter? If Cardiff, with the likes of Olofinjana and Peter Whittingham getting into dangerous areas, can’t exploit this enough to beat Rangers, then who can? And in similar attacking situations, Faurlin regularly creates something for his own team.

Five points clear at the top, with a win over Cardiff, doesn’t flatter Rangers. They’re the best team in the division and, like two of their key players – Taarabt and Faurlin – their strengths far outweigh their weaknessness.

The question is whether Cardiff and others will be able to change that during the January transfer window.

Billy Davies’ battle for more money to spend at Nottingham Forest has been well documented, and Jones is also keen to strengthen. Cardiff’s board are due to meet this week to discuss possible signings.

Neil Warnock and the Rangers board have already had that discussion. They would like him to keep the bandwagon rolling without more significant spending, given that the current squad are already on course for a promotion that would lead to a major overhaul of the side in the summer.But that should be taken with a pinch of salt. QPR are like a kid in a sweetshop when transfer windows open, and I’d be surprised if they resist the urge next time around. David McIntyre Blog


QPR OFfficial Site - BALANTA SIDELINED
- Angelo Balanta underwent surgery on his injured ankle this week and is expected to be sidelined for up to four months.
- The Columbian-born winger, on a season-long loan to MK Dons, has been missing from Karl Robinson's squad since sustaining the injury in the win over Brentford two weeks ago.
- Following a successful procedure on Monday and full consultation with his parent Club, MK Dons medical staff will shortly begin Angelo's rehabilitation programme, with a view to the 20 year-old returning to action in early-April. QPR


QPR Official Site - POPPY SHIRTS RAISE £6,507
- We offered you - the fans - a unique opportunity to bid for the match shirts worn by the R's players during our npower Championship fixture against Portsmouth.
- And you took the offer up in your droves as we were inundated with bids for this one-off auction, raising a staggering £6,507.
- The proceeds will be split between QPR in the Community Trust and the Poppy Appeal.
- All shirts worn by the Rangers players in the recent 0-0 draw displayed a poppy, highlighting the Club's commitment to the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal.
- No replicas of the limited edition shirts will be made available for public sale.
- Congratulations to all our successful bidders and thank you for your fantastic support! QPR


- Updated: Football Championship Champions Odds!

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