-
QPR REPORT Available on TWITTER!
- Check out the cutting-edge/continually-updated/football-only, quasi-blog/quasi-board QPR Report Messageboard! (Also: Feel free to check out the recently-created, general football blog Football Observer)
- Changing His Name to "Queens Park Rangers"
IPSWICH vs QPR: Today's Teams
Ipswich Town: Lee-Barrett, Delaney, McAuley, Leadbitter, Norris, Peters, Stead, Walters, John, Rosenior, Edwards.
Subs: Bruce, Garvan, Counago, Colback, McLoughlin, Wickham, Brown.
QPR: Cerny, Ramage, Stewart, Leigertwood, Routledge, Buzsaky, Gorkss, Watson, Williams, Simpson, Taarabt.
Subs: Hall, Agyemang, Connolly, Faurlin, Balanta, Taylor, Borrowdale.
TEAMS
- Frank McLintock Turns Seventy Today
- QPR (and Fulham) ostensibly Interested in Italian Player, Gianvito Plasmati
- Amos Buzsaky Speaks About QPR, post-Magilton
- Damien Delaney on QPR-Behind-The-Scenes
- Flashback: Thirty-Five Years Ago: QPR Crush Chelsea at Stamford Bridge
- NEXT: Ipswich vs QPR: Previews, Updates and Past Results
- Football League Cup at Fifty: Vote for your Favourite Moment (Say for example, in 1967....!
- QPR's Indian Football Involvement
Watford Observer/Frank Smith -Watford talking to Arsenal and QPR over the future of Henri Lansbury and Heidar Helguson Watford Observere
- Ex-QPR Richard Langley Hits30 - Born December 27, 1979
- Helguson should be back this week.
- Antonio Caliendo Back to being a big-time agent
- Video Snippets: QPR vs Chelsea (1970, FA Cup QF) and Millwall vs QPR (1988)
- Football Gangs and the English Defense League (EDL)
- Portsmouth (Dire) Financial Situation
Welcome to QPR REPORT - A completely unofficial and unaffiliated fan site focusing on G-d's Chosen Team, Queen's Park Rangers (QPR) FC. (Visit also QPR Report Messageboard and Follow on Twitter.) QPR Report accepts no sponsorship, advertising or financial contributions. In 2008, QPR Report was named as one of the top two blogs in the Football League
Monday, December 28, 2009
QPR's (and Arsenal's) Frank McLintock Turns Seventy...Helguson to Stay Longer at Watford?
-
QPR REPORT Available on TWITTER!
- Check out the cutting-edge/continually-updated/football-only, quasi-blog/quasi-board QPR Report Messageboard! (Also: Feel free to check out the recently-created, general football blog Football Observer)
- QPR (and Fulham) ostensibly Interested in Italian Player, Gianvito Plasmati
- Amos Buzsaky Speaks About QPR, post-Magilton
- Damien Delaney on QPR-Behind-The-Scenes
- Flashback: Thirty-Five Years Ago: QPR Crush Chelsea at Stamford Bridge
- NEXT: Ipswich vs QPR: Previews, Updates and Past Results
- Football League Cup at Fifty: Vote for your Favourite Moment (Say for example, in 1967....!
- QPR's Indian Football Involvement
Watford Observer/Frank Smith -Watford talking to Arsenal and QPR over the future of Henri Lansbury and Heidar Helguson Monday 28th December 2009
- Watford are hoping to extend the loan spells of Henri Lansbury and Heidar Helguson.
- This afternoon's game with Bristol City is set to be the pair's final game for Watford before their current loan deals expire and they return to their respective clubs.
- But Hornets boss Malky Mackay has confirmed the club are in discussions with QPR and Arsenal over the possibility of Lansbury and Helguson remaining at Vicarage Road.
- Lansbury is currently in contract negotiations with Arsenal as his current deal expires at the end of the season...
- QPR have just appointed a new manager in Paul Hart and Mackay admits that will come into the “equation” when it comes to the Hornets' chances of Helguson remaining in Hertfordshire.
- Mackay said: “Heidar is a player who has had a great impact for us and I think he enjoys being at the club and the people enjoy him being here.
“We have had constant discussions with QPR and they have had a change of manager there so that will come into the equation as well, but we are talking to them about extending Heidar's loan...” Watford Observere
Frank Mclintock: Born December 28, 1939: - Released by Arsenal at age 33 (who preferred Jeff Blockley and later Terry Mancini!), the ex-Arsenal captain who led Arsenal to the 1971 "Double" and won the "Player of the Year," was signed by Gordon Jago after our promotion back to Division One. In four seasons in the First Division, McLintock played 120+ games, scoring 5 goals and formed an elderly, but brilliant, defensive central pairing alongside David Webb. He was a major reason why QPR stabilized in the First Division and why they (so very, very nearly) won the Championship.
- After retiring in the summer of 1977, McLintock became manager of Leicester and a coach at a couple of clubs, including briefly at QPR. And QPR - at least partly because they no longer had Mclintock - were relegated a couple of seasons later. In a club profile of/Interview with Mclintock, earlier this year, Mclintock said ""They were four of the best years of my life,''..
"I was so happy during my time at QPR and that's me speaking straight from the heart"
McLintock's autobiography, True Grit- "Synopsis
- Frank McLintock was a leading players of his generation and is acclaimed as one of the Arsenal's greatest captains. After transferring from Leicester, in 1970 he led Arsenal to a famous victory in the Fairs Cup and followed this up with even greater glory a year later, winning an historic league and FA Cup double. He left Arsenal in 1973 after being controversially dropped, and enjoyed four successful years at QPR. He retired from playing in 1977, to make an ill-conceived and hasty move into management. Following this difficult period he entered the often shady world of agents, and faced perhaps his worst moment in the game, becoming involved in the infamous bungs scandal over Teddy Sherringham's transfer from Forest to Spurs. Frank continues to retain a high profile in the game, appearing weekly as a Sky pundit. His is a captivating football story spanning 45 years during which he achieved fabulous success and faced shattering lows, all told with enthusiasm, humour, honesty and intense passion."
QPR Official Site BLAST FROM THE PAST - Frank McLintock
- In our latest instalment of exclusive past player interviews on www.qpr.co.uk, former R's legend Frank McLintock comes under the spotlight.
Few players achieve legendary status at more than one Football Club - Frank McLintock is the exception to the rule.
- When McLintock arrived at Loftus Road in 1973, he was already a legend of the beautiful game on the back of his memorable nine-year spell with North London giants Arsenal.
- When he retired from professional football in 1977, his glowing reputation had reached arguably even greater heights in W12.
- Described by former R's boss John Gregory as 'the first player I'd buy if I had the pick of any QPR players past and present,' McLintock joined Rangers for a paltry £20,000 in the summer of 1973.
- "Bertie Mee (the Arsenal Manager) didn't think I was capable of playing in the top flight any more, but I knew I could still produce the goods at the highest level,'' McLintock told www.qpr.co.uk.
- "It (joining QPR) was a simple choice to make - I didn't want my family to leave London.
- "I knew very little about QPR as a Club, but they'd recently got promoted so I saw it as a great opportunity, a great challenge if you like.
- "I didn't go there expecting much, but I received one of the biggest surprises of my life.''
- Indeed, having carved out a successful playing career down the road at Highbury, many viewed McLintock's move to Loftus Road as a step in the wrong direction.
However, in a QPR side full of flamboyance and guile, McLintock embodied the desire and will-to-win that saw Rangers - in Frank's own words - emerge as one of the 'greatest teams in the land.'
- "The quality within the QPR squad was something else. It took me totally by surprise,'' he told www.qpr.co.uk.
- "Gordon Jago was a real gentleman and Bobby Campbell the coach made me feel really welcome.
- "I arrived at QPR intent on proving a point to Bertie Mee and as it contrived a few years later, Arsenal dropped down the table and we were up there competing for the title.''
- After finishing eighth and eleventh respectively in McLintock's first two seasons in W12, Rangers mounted a serious charge for title in the 1975/76 campaign.
- "We were the best football team in the country that year, probably in the whole of Britain. It was a magnificent team to play for.
- "There was a great spine to the side. Phil (Parkes) was probably the number one ke- eper in the land at the time, up there with (Gordon) Banks as the best ever.
"Myself and Webby (Dave Webb) formed a nice little partnership at the back and Don Masson and Dave Thomas were class too. Don made the step up from division three side Notts County look so simple - it was amazing.
- "And then we had Gerry (Francis) and Stan (Bowles) - two of the best players ever to have graced the game. Gerry was just a fraction behind Stan, but they were both absolute class - a joy to play with.
- "It was a joy to behold playing in that team and the team spirit at the time was as good as I'd known throughout my playing career.''
- With just three matches of the season remaining, Rangers held a slender one point advantage over fellow title contenders Liverpool.
- Victory in all three fixtures would guarantee them the coveted Championship - but as fans of the beautiful game know only too well - football is anything but straightforward.
- Easter Saturday 1976 presented Rangers with a tricky away trip to Norwich City - and as R's fans now know - it was an afternoon which saw their title dreams all but evaporate.
- "We just made a mistake against Norwich in our final away game,'' recalled McLintock.
- "Dave Clement didn't get enough weight on his header back to Phil (Parkes) and their striker nipped in to score.''
- For the record, Norwich ran out narrow 3-2 victors, while Liverpool thumped Stoke City 5-2 at Anfield.
- Rangers now had to win their last two matches and hope that Liverpool lost one of their two remaining away games.
- The R's did all they could by beating Arsenal on Easter Monday, but the Reds also produced the goods, scoring three without reply against Manchester City.
- On the last Saturday of the season, QPR were at home to Leeds United and in front of their largest gate of the season - 31,002 - eased to a 2-0 win.
- Unbelievably though, Liverpool weren't playing their all-important final match of the season until ten days later due to international commitments. The wait was almost unbearable: "It was a crazy situation really - the type that wouldn't happen in the present day,'' recalled McLintock.
- "I owned a pub at the time. There were about 35-40 journalists down there for Liverpool's final game of the season against Wolverhampton. They'd all come along to get my reaction to winning another piece of silverware, or so I hoped!
- "We were all listening to it on the radio. They were one down with 15 minutes to go, but scored three to win the Championship and the rest is history.
- "It was such a disappointment, but so typical of that Liverpool side.''
Despite that setback, McLintock insists he has nothing but fond memories of his time in W12.
"They were four of the best years of my life,'' he said.
- "I was so happy during my time at QPR and that's me speaking straight from the heart.'' QPR
Dave Webb Talking about McClintock QPR Official Site
- "...It was probably the best team I ever played in. We were really ahead of the times with our passing football. Gordon Jago had a part to play in that. Then Dave Sexton took over, changed things slightly and gelled it all together.
"They were fun days and we had great flair players. Stan Bowles up front; Gerry Francis in the middle; and Dave Thomas wide. We constantly played the ball out from the back, which was very unusual in those days.
- "My centre-back partner Frank McLintock was always better at that than me, so we tried to make sure he was the spare man. But the full-backs, Dave Clement and Ian Gillard, were also extremely comfortable on the ball so we could build our moves up from defence. .."
- "In saying that, my main role was as a defender. Some people used to say that Frank McLintock and I were a bit too old. He was 37 and I was 30, so the pundits felt we were slow and we couldn't turn.
- "But we used to out-cute opposing strikers. We used a lot of know-how between the two of us and I recall that Rangers only conceded 33 goals in the League in 1975/76.
"I used to have little laughs out on the pitch with Frank - a sort of a nod and a wink to each other, because we did things as a pair that were almost sixth sense and like a married couple!
- "You might have left your partner in a position that people would think was vulnerable as a defender, but we both instinctively knew exactly how the other one wanted to play and what we wanted to do in matches. So we had total respect and trust in each other and it worked a treat." QPR
Don Givens on McLintock (QPRNet Interview)-
"...We had someone in Frank McLintock who was a marvellous influence on the team, he’d come from Arsenal where things were done at a different level and he tried to introduce those things to QPR and help make it better for us. He didn’t always succeed on the club side of things but he did help the team. He was probably the most influential player I’ve ever lined up with." QPRNet
- Sunday: Arsenal Welcomed/Introduce Mclintock to Fans prior to Villa Game.
- Ex-QPR Richard Langley Hits30 - Born December 27, 1979
- Helguson should be back this week.
- Antonio Caliendo Back to being a big-time agent
- Video Snippets: QPR vs Chelsea (1970, FA Cup QF) and Millwall vs QPR (1988)
- Football Gangs and the English Defense League (EDL)
- Portsmouth (Dire) Financial Situation
QPR REPORT Available on TWITTER!
- Check out the cutting-edge/continually-updated/football-only, quasi-blog/quasi-board QPR Report Messageboard! (Also: Feel free to check out the recently-created, general football blog Football Observer)
- QPR (and Fulham) ostensibly Interested in Italian Player, Gianvito Plasmati
- Amos Buzsaky Speaks About QPR, post-Magilton
- Damien Delaney on QPR-Behind-The-Scenes
- Flashback: Thirty-Five Years Ago: QPR Crush Chelsea at Stamford Bridge
- NEXT: Ipswich vs QPR: Previews, Updates and Past Results
- Football League Cup at Fifty: Vote for your Favourite Moment (Say for example, in 1967....!
- QPR's Indian Football Involvement
Watford Observer/Frank Smith -Watford talking to Arsenal and QPR over the future of Henri Lansbury and Heidar Helguson Monday 28th December 2009
- Watford are hoping to extend the loan spells of Henri Lansbury and Heidar Helguson.
- This afternoon's game with Bristol City is set to be the pair's final game for Watford before their current loan deals expire and they return to their respective clubs.
- But Hornets boss Malky Mackay has confirmed the club are in discussions with QPR and Arsenal over the possibility of Lansbury and Helguson remaining at Vicarage Road.
- Lansbury is currently in contract negotiations with Arsenal as his current deal expires at the end of the season...
- QPR have just appointed a new manager in Paul Hart and Mackay admits that will come into the “equation” when it comes to the Hornets' chances of Helguson remaining in Hertfordshire.
- Mackay said: “Heidar is a player who has had a great impact for us and I think he enjoys being at the club and the people enjoy him being here.
“We have had constant discussions with QPR and they have had a change of manager there so that will come into the equation as well, but we are talking to them about extending Heidar's loan...” Watford Observere
Frank Mclintock: Born December 28, 1939: - Released by Arsenal at age 33 (who preferred Jeff Blockley and later Terry Mancini!), the ex-Arsenal captain who led Arsenal to the 1971 "Double" and won the "Player of the Year," was signed by Gordon Jago after our promotion back to Division One. In four seasons in the First Division, McLintock played 120+ games, scoring 5 goals and formed an elderly, but brilliant, defensive central pairing alongside David Webb. He was a major reason why QPR stabilized in the First Division and why they (so very, very nearly) won the Championship.
- After retiring in the summer of 1977, McLintock became manager of Leicester and a coach at a couple of clubs, including briefly at QPR. And QPR - at least partly because they no longer had Mclintock - were relegated a couple of seasons later. In a club profile of/Interview with Mclintock, earlier this year, Mclintock said ""They were four of the best years of my life,''..
"I was so happy during my time at QPR and that's me speaking straight from the heart"
McLintock's autobiography, True Grit- "Synopsis
- Frank McLintock was a leading players of his generation and is acclaimed as one of the Arsenal's greatest captains. After transferring from Leicester, in 1970 he led Arsenal to a famous victory in the Fairs Cup and followed this up with even greater glory a year later, winning an historic league and FA Cup double. He left Arsenal in 1973 after being controversially dropped, and enjoyed four successful years at QPR. He retired from playing in 1977, to make an ill-conceived and hasty move into management. Following this difficult period he entered the often shady world of agents, and faced perhaps his worst moment in the game, becoming involved in the infamous bungs scandal over Teddy Sherringham's transfer from Forest to Spurs. Frank continues to retain a high profile in the game, appearing weekly as a Sky pundit. His is a captivating football story spanning 45 years during which he achieved fabulous success and faced shattering lows, all told with enthusiasm, humour, honesty and intense passion."
QPR Official Site BLAST FROM THE PAST - Frank McLintock
- In our latest instalment of exclusive past player interviews on www.qpr.co.uk, former R's legend Frank McLintock comes under the spotlight.
Few players achieve legendary status at more than one Football Club - Frank McLintock is the exception to the rule.
- When McLintock arrived at Loftus Road in 1973, he was already a legend of the beautiful game on the back of his memorable nine-year spell with North London giants Arsenal.
- When he retired from professional football in 1977, his glowing reputation had reached arguably even greater heights in W12.
- Described by former R's boss John Gregory as 'the first player I'd buy if I had the pick of any QPR players past and present,' McLintock joined Rangers for a paltry £20,000 in the summer of 1973.
- "Bertie Mee (the Arsenal Manager) didn't think I was capable of playing in the top flight any more, but I knew I could still produce the goods at the highest level,'' McLintock told www.qpr.co.uk.
- "It (joining QPR) was a simple choice to make - I didn't want my family to leave London.
- "I knew very little about QPR as a Club, but they'd recently got promoted so I saw it as a great opportunity, a great challenge if you like.
- "I didn't go there expecting much, but I received one of the biggest surprises of my life.''
- Indeed, having carved out a successful playing career down the road at Highbury, many viewed McLintock's move to Loftus Road as a step in the wrong direction.
However, in a QPR side full of flamboyance and guile, McLintock embodied the desire and will-to-win that saw Rangers - in Frank's own words - emerge as one of the 'greatest teams in the land.'
- "The quality within the QPR squad was something else. It took me totally by surprise,'' he told www.qpr.co.uk.
- "Gordon Jago was a real gentleman and Bobby Campbell the coach made me feel really welcome.
- "I arrived at QPR intent on proving a point to Bertie Mee and as it contrived a few years later, Arsenal dropped down the table and we were up there competing for the title.''
- After finishing eighth and eleventh respectively in McLintock's first two seasons in W12, Rangers mounted a serious charge for title in the 1975/76 campaign.
- "We were the best football team in the country that year, probably in the whole of Britain. It was a magnificent team to play for.
- "There was a great spine to the side. Phil (Parkes) was probably the number one ke- eper in the land at the time, up there with (Gordon) Banks as the best ever.
"Myself and Webby (Dave Webb) formed a nice little partnership at the back and Don Masson and Dave Thomas were class too. Don made the step up from division three side Notts County look so simple - it was amazing.
- "And then we had Gerry (Francis) and Stan (Bowles) - two of the best players ever to have graced the game. Gerry was just a fraction behind Stan, but they were both absolute class - a joy to play with.
- "It was a joy to behold playing in that team and the team spirit at the time was as good as I'd known throughout my playing career.''
- With just three matches of the season remaining, Rangers held a slender one point advantage over fellow title contenders Liverpool.
- Victory in all three fixtures would guarantee them the coveted Championship - but as fans of the beautiful game know only too well - football is anything but straightforward.
- Easter Saturday 1976 presented Rangers with a tricky away trip to Norwich City - and as R's fans now know - it was an afternoon which saw their title dreams all but evaporate.
- "We just made a mistake against Norwich in our final away game,'' recalled McLintock.
- "Dave Clement didn't get enough weight on his header back to Phil (Parkes) and their striker nipped in to score.''
- For the record, Norwich ran out narrow 3-2 victors, while Liverpool thumped Stoke City 5-2 at Anfield.
- Rangers now had to win their last two matches and hope that Liverpool lost one of their two remaining away games.
- The R's did all they could by beating Arsenal on Easter Monday, but the Reds also produced the goods, scoring three without reply against Manchester City.
- On the last Saturday of the season, QPR were at home to Leeds United and in front of their largest gate of the season - 31,002 - eased to a 2-0 win.
- Unbelievably though, Liverpool weren't playing their all-important final match of the season until ten days later due to international commitments. The wait was almost unbearable: "It was a crazy situation really - the type that wouldn't happen in the present day,'' recalled McLintock.
- "I owned a pub at the time. There were about 35-40 journalists down there for Liverpool's final game of the season against Wolverhampton. They'd all come along to get my reaction to winning another piece of silverware, or so I hoped!
- "We were all listening to it on the radio. They were one down with 15 minutes to go, but scored three to win the Championship and the rest is history.
- "It was such a disappointment, but so typical of that Liverpool side.''
Despite that setback, McLintock insists he has nothing but fond memories of his time in W12.
"They were four of the best years of my life,'' he said.
- "I was so happy during my time at QPR and that's me speaking straight from the heart.'' QPR
Dave Webb Talking about McClintock QPR Official Site
- "...It was probably the best team I ever played in. We were really ahead of the times with our passing football. Gordon Jago had a part to play in that. Then Dave Sexton took over, changed things slightly and gelled it all together.
"They were fun days and we had great flair players. Stan Bowles up front; Gerry Francis in the middle; and Dave Thomas wide. We constantly played the ball out from the back, which was very unusual in those days.
- "My centre-back partner Frank McLintock was always better at that than me, so we tried to make sure he was the spare man. But the full-backs, Dave Clement and Ian Gillard, were also extremely comfortable on the ball so we could build our moves up from defence. .."
- "In saying that, my main role was as a defender. Some people used to say that Frank McLintock and I were a bit too old. He was 37 and I was 30, so the pundits felt we were slow and we couldn't turn.
- "But we used to out-cute opposing strikers. We used a lot of know-how between the two of us and I recall that Rangers only conceded 33 goals in the League in 1975/76.
"I used to have little laughs out on the pitch with Frank - a sort of a nod and a wink to each other, because we did things as a pair that were almost sixth sense and like a married couple!
- "You might have left your partner in a position that people would think was vulnerable as a defender, but we both instinctively knew exactly how the other one wanted to play and what we wanted to do in matches. So we had total respect and trust in each other and it worked a treat." QPR
Don Givens on McLintock (QPRNet Interview)-
"...We had someone in Frank McLintock who was a marvellous influence on the team, he’d come from Arsenal where things were done at a different level and he tried to introduce those things to QPR and help make it better for us. He didn’t always succeed on the club side of things but he did help the team. He was probably the most influential player I’ve ever lined up with." QPRNet
- Sunday: Arsenal Welcomed/Introduce Mclintock to Fans prior to Villa Game.
- Ex-QPR Richard Langley Hits30 - Born December 27, 1979
- Helguson should be back this week.
- Antonio Caliendo Back to being a big-time agent
- Video Snippets: QPR vs Chelsea (1970, FA Cup QF) and Millwall vs QPR (1988)
- Football Gangs and the English Defense League (EDL)
- Portsmouth (Dire) Financial Situation
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Amos Buzsaky on QPR Post-Magilton...Further Damien Delaney Assessment/Critique re QPR Board/Manager Activities
-
- QPR REPORT Available on TWITTER!
- Check out the cutting-edge/continually-updated/football-only, quasi-blog/quasi-board QPR Report Messageboard! (Also: Feel free to check out the recently-created, general football blog Football Observer)
- NEXT: Ipswich vs QPR: Previews, Updates and Past Results
- Football League Cup at Fifty: Vote for your Favourite Moment (Say for example, in 1967....!
Mirror - QPR 2-1 Bristol City match report: The Daily Mirror verdict
- Akos Buzsaky reckons the Hoops are back on course for the Premier League now Jim Magilton has been given the boot.
- The Hungarian spoke for the first time since becoming the centre of the dressing room bust-up that cost Magilton his job.
- Buzsaky has been banned by the club from reliving the moment Magilton allegedly went forehead to forehead with a player he had accused of not trying hard enough in a defeat at Watford.
- But he made it clear he reckoned Loftus Road was a far happier place now the genial Paul Hart is gaffer.
- That means a faltering promotion challenge is back on and Buzsaky intends to prove it on the pitch starting today at Ipswich - ironically another club that dispensed with Magilton’s services not so long ago.
- He said: “I’m very confident that this year is going to be the year for QPR, to be at least in the play-offs.
-“I’m sure the club and all the players are happy and we are very together.
“We look like a group and we can fight for each other. That is the starting point - from there you can play well.
- “Everyone can see the attitude now. Everyone is relaxed and just wanting to get wins by fighting for one another, which is important in a team game.
- “We have had two games so far with the new manager and we have four points. If you get four points every two games you will be promoted.”
- The Loftus Road faithful are not so sure though and actually booed the players off on the final whistle.
- They had been disappointed to see Hart’s boys out-played by an out-of-form Bristol City side and told them “You’re supposed to be at home”. But Buzsaky insisted: “The fans need to understand that every game is different. Sometimes you play brilliantly and score four or five, sometimes you need to hold on to a lead.
- “They need to understand that football is all about points and if we want to get promoted or get in the play-offs we need three points.
- “When they go home and think about it they will realise the three points were better than playing well and losing.”
- Rangers had done nothing until Jay Simpson pounced to give them a first-half lead and City were shocked when Mikele Leigertwood thumped home a second from range a few minutes later..." Mirror
Daily Mail/Ian Gibb - QPR 2 Bristol City 1: Rangers unite and fight but can't win over the fans
- Akos Buzsaky, the Hungarian midfielder who helped usher Jim Magilton out of Loftus Road, claims the QPR players are united, happy and fighting for each other.
- His former manager will think that a bit rich after their nose-to-nose confrontation two games ago in the Watford dressing-room.
- Then, Buzsaky stormed out, still in his kit, alleging he had been butted. Magilton’s suspension was inevitably followed by his departure.
- Four points and two home games later, new manager Paul Hart would have expected more from the punters than the players being booed off, albeit after a fortuitous win.
- ‘I’m sure the club and the players are very happy and we are very together,’ was Buzsaky’s sardonic view on QPR post-Magilton, about whom he was asked by the club not to comment.
- Facing a trip to Ipswich on Monday, Buzsaky fancies another win, saying: ‘Everyone knows about Roy Keane but he is a manager now and won’t play against us. This is going to be the year for QPR to be at least in the play-offs.’
- They led 2-0 with goals from Jay Simpson and Mikele Leigertwood before City’s Nicky Maynard fashioned a contender for goal of the season.
- Hart was at a loss to explain the boos, saying: ‘I can’t look inside their heads, I’m concentrating on other things.’ Mail
IPSWICH OFFICIAL SITE - DAMIEN RELISHING RANGERS' REUNION
- Town will have Jon Walters, Grant Leadbitter and Stern John available for the visit of QPR as Roy Keane looks for a reaction from his players after the defeat at Crystal Palace.
Jon and Grant missed the trip to Selhurst Park through suspension while Stern wasn't permitted to play under the terms of his month loan move from the Eagles.
"Fortunately we have not had to wait long for another game after the defeat at Palace," says Roy.
"QPR had a win on Saturday and have good players and a good team. They will be among a number of clubs who feel they can finish in the top six this season.
"We have the three lads back and that will give us options. Two games in three days is hard work so we will be using the squad."
Jon Stead is clear to play, with Town's appeal over his red card at Palace to be heard later in the week.
Damien Delaney will be facing QPR for the first time since leaving Loftus Road to join Town in the summer and in an interview in Monday's matchday programme, the defender outlines the problems faced by the Rangers players at the continual change in manager at the club.
Seven managers have come and gone in the two years since Flavio Briatore took over as chairman at Rangers and Damien says: "When you have a new manager coming in, you have new ideas, new systems, new tactics. He'll like certain players, he won't like certain players.
"Now that happens at every club when there is a change in manager but when it happens every three months or so, like it does at QPR - you will never be successful. If you run a Football Club like that, you've got no chance.
"Paul Hart has taken over from Jim Magilton now but I see he's only been given a contract to the end of the season. If he does well then he'll get an extension but there's been no stability there since Flavio Briatore took over.
"Playing wise, I really enjoyed it at QPR. I've got a lot of friends still at the club and I'm looking forward to seeing them.
"We played some good football, the supporters are fantastic there and on the pitch, it was great. Off the pitch, not so great. It's been well documented how things work there - although it's probably worse than has been documented to be honest - but that's the way it is."
Read the full interview with Damien in Monday's matchday programme along with an exclusive interview with Town owner Marcus Evans and an extended programme column with Blues' boss Roy Keane. Kick-off at Portman Road is 3.00pm. Ipswich
- Ex-QPR Richard Langley Hits30 - Born December 27, 1979
- Helguson should be back this week.
- Antonio Caliendo Back to being a big-time agent
- Video Snippets: QPR vs Chelsea (1970, FA Cup QF) and Millwall vs QPR (1988)
- Football Gangs and the English Defense League (EDL)
- Portsmouth (Dire) Financial Situation
- QPR REPORT Available on TWITTER!
- Check out the cutting-edge/continually-updated/football-only, quasi-blog/quasi-board QPR Report Messageboard! (Also: Feel free to check out the recently-created, general football blog Football Observer)
- NEXT: Ipswich vs QPR: Previews, Updates and Past Results
- Football League Cup at Fifty: Vote for your Favourite Moment (Say for example, in 1967....!
Mirror - QPR 2-1 Bristol City match report: The Daily Mirror verdict
- Akos Buzsaky reckons the Hoops are back on course for the Premier League now Jim Magilton has been given the boot.
- The Hungarian spoke for the first time since becoming the centre of the dressing room bust-up that cost Magilton his job.
- Buzsaky has been banned by the club from reliving the moment Magilton allegedly went forehead to forehead with a player he had accused of not trying hard enough in a defeat at Watford.
- But he made it clear he reckoned Loftus Road was a far happier place now the genial Paul Hart is gaffer.
- That means a faltering promotion challenge is back on and Buzsaky intends to prove it on the pitch starting today at Ipswich - ironically another club that dispensed with Magilton’s services not so long ago.
- He said: “I’m very confident that this year is going to be the year for QPR, to be at least in the play-offs.
-“I’m sure the club and all the players are happy and we are very together.
“We look like a group and we can fight for each other. That is the starting point - from there you can play well.
- “Everyone can see the attitude now. Everyone is relaxed and just wanting to get wins by fighting for one another, which is important in a team game.
- “We have had two games so far with the new manager and we have four points. If you get four points every two games you will be promoted.”
- The Loftus Road faithful are not so sure though and actually booed the players off on the final whistle.
- They had been disappointed to see Hart’s boys out-played by an out-of-form Bristol City side and told them “You’re supposed to be at home”. But Buzsaky insisted: “The fans need to understand that every game is different. Sometimes you play brilliantly and score four or five, sometimes you need to hold on to a lead.
- “They need to understand that football is all about points and if we want to get promoted or get in the play-offs we need three points.
- “When they go home and think about it they will realise the three points were better than playing well and losing.”
- Rangers had done nothing until Jay Simpson pounced to give them a first-half lead and City were shocked when Mikele Leigertwood thumped home a second from range a few minutes later..." Mirror
Daily Mail/Ian Gibb - QPR 2 Bristol City 1: Rangers unite and fight but can't win over the fans
- Akos Buzsaky, the Hungarian midfielder who helped usher Jim Magilton out of Loftus Road, claims the QPR players are united, happy and fighting for each other.
- His former manager will think that a bit rich after their nose-to-nose confrontation two games ago in the Watford dressing-room.
- Then, Buzsaky stormed out, still in his kit, alleging he had been butted. Magilton’s suspension was inevitably followed by his departure.
- Four points and two home games later, new manager Paul Hart would have expected more from the punters than the players being booed off, albeit after a fortuitous win.
- ‘I’m sure the club and the players are very happy and we are very together,’ was Buzsaky’s sardonic view on QPR post-Magilton, about whom he was asked by the club not to comment.
- Facing a trip to Ipswich on Monday, Buzsaky fancies another win, saying: ‘Everyone knows about Roy Keane but he is a manager now and won’t play against us. This is going to be the year for QPR to be at least in the play-offs.’
- They led 2-0 with goals from Jay Simpson and Mikele Leigertwood before City’s Nicky Maynard fashioned a contender for goal of the season.
- Hart was at a loss to explain the boos, saying: ‘I can’t look inside their heads, I’m concentrating on other things.’ Mail
IPSWICH OFFICIAL SITE - DAMIEN RELISHING RANGERS' REUNION
- Town will have Jon Walters, Grant Leadbitter and Stern John available for the visit of QPR as Roy Keane looks for a reaction from his players after the defeat at Crystal Palace.
Jon and Grant missed the trip to Selhurst Park through suspension while Stern wasn't permitted to play under the terms of his month loan move from the Eagles.
"Fortunately we have not had to wait long for another game after the defeat at Palace," says Roy.
"QPR had a win on Saturday and have good players and a good team. They will be among a number of clubs who feel they can finish in the top six this season.
"We have the three lads back and that will give us options. Two games in three days is hard work so we will be using the squad."
Jon Stead is clear to play, with Town's appeal over his red card at Palace to be heard later in the week.
Damien Delaney will be facing QPR for the first time since leaving Loftus Road to join Town in the summer and in an interview in Monday's matchday programme, the defender outlines the problems faced by the Rangers players at the continual change in manager at the club.
Seven managers have come and gone in the two years since Flavio Briatore took over as chairman at Rangers and Damien says: "When you have a new manager coming in, you have new ideas, new systems, new tactics. He'll like certain players, he won't like certain players.
"Now that happens at every club when there is a change in manager but when it happens every three months or so, like it does at QPR - you will never be successful. If you run a Football Club like that, you've got no chance.
"Paul Hart has taken over from Jim Magilton now but I see he's only been given a contract to the end of the season. If he does well then he'll get an extension but there's been no stability there since Flavio Briatore took over.
"Playing wise, I really enjoyed it at QPR. I've got a lot of friends still at the club and I'm looking forward to seeing them.
"We played some good football, the supporters are fantastic there and on the pitch, it was great. Off the pitch, not so great. It's been well documented how things work there - although it's probably worse than has been documented to be honest - but that's the way it is."
Read the full interview with Damien in Monday's matchday programme along with an exclusive interview with Town owner Marcus Evans and an extended programme column with Blues' boss Roy Keane. Kick-off at Portman Road is 3.00pm. Ipswich
- Ex-QPR Richard Langley Hits30 - Born December 27, 1979
- Helguson should be back this week.
- Antonio Caliendo Back to being a big-time agent
- Video Snippets: QPR vs Chelsea (1970, FA Cup QF) and Millwall vs QPR (1988)
- Football Gangs and the English Defense League (EDL)
- Portsmouth (Dire) Financial Situation
QPR Report Sunday...Delaney's Perspective on QPR Turnover...Additional Bristol CIty Reports
-
- QPR REPORT Available on TWITTER!
- Check out the cutting-edge/continually-updated/football-only, quasi-blog/quasi-board QPR Report Messageboard! (Also: Feel free to check out the recently-created, general football blog Football Observer)
- Ex-QPR Richard Langley Turns 30 - Born December 27, 1979
- Helguson should be back this week.
- Antonio Caliendo Back to being a big-time agent
- Football League Cup at Fifty: Vote for your Favourite Moment (Say for example, in 1967....!
- Video Snippets: QPR vs Chelsea (1970, FA Cup QF) and Millwall vs QPR (1988)
- Football Gangs and the English Defense League (EDL)
- Portsmouth (Dire) Financial Situation
- NEXT: QPR at Ipswich: Past Results (Ipswich ARE appealing yesterday's sending off of Jon Stead. So Stead WILL be available to play vs QPR
- Damien Delaney Speaking re QPR and Ipswich
"...Joining Ipswich Town was one of the easiest decisions I have made in my footballing life....Rangers have had seven managers in the two years that the current owners have been in charge. They can't all be wrong. The track record of some of those managers shows they have really achieved something in the game. The atmosphere made it difficult, but on the pitch I had a great time at Loftus Road and they have a great set of lads. “And on their day they can beat any team in this division...”
“Jim Magilton was showing what a good manager he is and it was no shock for me to see Rangers high in the table a few weeks ago,” added Delaney. - “My move to Ipswich was set up by Jim (while he was still Ipswich manager) and sorted while I was away for much of the summer.” Greenun24
QPR 2 Bristol City 1 - Match Reports
- Previously-Posted QPR vs Bristol City Reports
People 27 December 2009
Rangers fans on the boos - Ian Gibb
Bristol C 1 QPR's first Boxing Day win for eight years was met by a barrage of boos from their frustrated fans.
It left new manager Paul Hart bewildered as his side hung on after leading by two goals.
Rangers' players too frequently missed passes and showed poor control, with City looking much the better side.
City boss Gary Johnson was aggrieved that Nicky Maynard, who scored a contender for the goal of the season, was denied what appeared a certain penalty when he was bought down by Fitz Hall.
Hart admitted: "We were fighting just to get in the game and find a rhythm about our play. But we were dogged, we stuck at it and I'm delighted with this result.
"I was pleased with Akos Buzsaky. He worked extremely hard and each player showed an attitude to get a result. Our performance will lead to us being vigilant at Ipswich on Monday."
City manager Johnson, who climbed off his sickbed, did not blame the defeat on referee Dave Phillips' failure to give a penalty - instead saying that his team were not clinical enough.
Anger
He said: "What disappointed me was that the referee went to his assistant with a question-mark look - and got the same look back.
"Nicky's strike certainly is a contender for goal of the season and I think I played an assist as I had words with him at halftime and it gave him the anger to smash the ball in the top corner."
It was totally against the run of play when the Londoners led on 31 minutes.
A hopeful ball from Fitz Hall bounced off City's Gavin Hall for Jay Simpson to stab in his ninth goal of the season.
City were further exasperated on 40 minutes when, from a simple throw-in by Peter Ramage, Buzsaky laid the ball off for Mikele Leigertwood to cut in from the right and curl a shot inside the far post.
Still QPR looked uncertain and Maynard deservedly hit the goal that brought City back into it on 57 minutes.
The striker took one touch to control the ball, another to switch it and the third was a walloping volley into the net.
Maynard was eventually booked for complaining about the penalty he should have been awarded.
Qpr: Cerny 6 - Ramage 6, Hall 6, Gorkss 7, T Williams 5 - Leigertwood 7 - Watson 6, Faurlin 6 (Agyemang, 62mins, 6) - *BUZSAKY 8 (Connolly, 82mins) - Simpson 7 (Borrowdale, 82mins), Routledge 6.
Bristol City: Gerken 6 - Orr 7, Carey 7, Fontaine 6, McAllister 6 - Hartley 7, G Williams 6 (Sno, 70mins, 6) - Haynes 7 (Sproule, 82mins), Skuse 6, *MAYNARD 8 - Saborio (Clarkson, 70mins, 6).
Referee : D.Phillips 6. People
News of The World
NICKY MAYNARD hit a wonder goal and then had appeals for a late penalty brushed aside.
Striker Maynard was clipped by defender Fitz Hall as he powered into the area after 79 minutes.
But ref David Phillips waved aside frantic cries for a spot kick.
City boss Gary Johnson said: "I always respect officials. My only gripe is that the referee gave the linesman a quizzical look.
"And the linesman looked back with the same expression. Neither wanted to make a decision and that disappointed me."
City had outplayed QPR for the first 30 minutes only to fall behind to Jay Simpson's strike.
Hall's cross came off midfielder Gavin Williams and Simpson fired in the loose ball. Rangers doubled their lead on 40 minutes when captain Mikele Leigertwood netted from 20 yards.
Maynard pulled a goal back on 57 minutes.
He controlled William's clip forward with two touches before turning and thumping an 18-yard shot into the top corner.
Boss Johnson said: "It is a contender for goal of the season but I am claiming the assist.
"I had words with him at half time and perhaps that made me public enemy No 1 with him."
News of The World
TELEGRAPH - Tom Harverson
Queens Park Rangers 2 Bristol City 1: match report
Paul Hart is looking to turn Loftus Road into a fortress and after a week in the hotseat, he has his first win. But before creating a hostile atmosphere to visiting sides he must first win over his own fans who booed Rangers off the field at full-time.
The victory against stuttering City was QPR’s first in seven league games and the only win at home since the end of October.
And with seemingly untold riches behind-the-scenes, patience seems to be wearing thin with the Rangers faithful who now expect nothing less than promotion.
“I don’t know the supporters, I try not to let things like that play a part or influence anything I do,” said Hart.
“With things that have happened at this football club over the last year it is understandable that expectations have been raised.
“I think when you have been in football a long time managing people’s expectations is as important as the team – or seems to be these days.”
Despite early confusion in the Rangers defence, the hosts were first to draw blood with Jay Simpson pouncing on Gavin Williams’ error four yards out to hit the opener.
There were no signs of rust on Akos Buzsaky who made his first return to the Rangers side since the alleged incident at Watford last month that saw the eventual departure of manager Jim Magilton.
The Hungarian’s perfectly weighted flick from a short throw provoked the second goal as Mikele Leigertwood collected, stepped inside and curled past the outstretched fingers of Dean Gerken at the far post.
Nicky Maynard produced a moment of magic for City with a stunning solo effort to mark his tenth goal of the campaign but it will be little consolation for the West-Country outfit. The promotion hopefuls now hang just above the bottom half of the Championship with one win in their last nine fixtures. Telegraph
- Past QPR Boxing Day Results
- QPR Interest in Crewe's Calvin Zola?
- QPR REPORT Available on TWITTER!
- Check out the cutting-edge/continually-updated/football-only, quasi-blog/quasi-board QPR Report Messageboard! (Also: Feel free to check out the recently-created, general football blog Football Observer)
- Ex-QPR Richard Langley Turns 30 - Born December 27, 1979
- Helguson should be back this week.
- Antonio Caliendo Back to being a big-time agent
- Football League Cup at Fifty: Vote for your Favourite Moment (Say for example, in 1967....!
- Video Snippets: QPR vs Chelsea (1970, FA Cup QF) and Millwall vs QPR (1988)
- Football Gangs and the English Defense League (EDL)
- Portsmouth (Dire) Financial Situation
- NEXT: QPR at Ipswich: Past Results (Ipswich ARE appealing yesterday's sending off of Jon Stead. So Stead WILL be available to play vs QPR
- Damien Delaney Speaking re QPR and Ipswich
"...Joining Ipswich Town was one of the easiest decisions I have made in my footballing life....Rangers have had seven managers in the two years that the current owners have been in charge. They can't all be wrong. The track record of some of those managers shows they have really achieved something in the game. The atmosphere made it difficult, but on the pitch I had a great time at Loftus Road and they have a great set of lads. “And on their day they can beat any team in this division...”
“Jim Magilton was showing what a good manager he is and it was no shock for me to see Rangers high in the table a few weeks ago,” added Delaney. - “My move to Ipswich was set up by Jim (while he was still Ipswich manager) and sorted while I was away for much of the summer.” Greenun24
QPR 2 Bristol City 1 - Match Reports
- Previously-Posted QPR vs Bristol City Reports
People 27 December 2009
Rangers fans on the boos - Ian Gibb
Bristol C 1 QPR's first Boxing Day win for eight years was met by a barrage of boos from their frustrated fans.
It left new manager Paul Hart bewildered as his side hung on after leading by two goals.
Rangers' players too frequently missed passes and showed poor control, with City looking much the better side.
City boss Gary Johnson was aggrieved that Nicky Maynard, who scored a contender for the goal of the season, was denied what appeared a certain penalty when he was bought down by Fitz Hall.
Hart admitted: "We were fighting just to get in the game and find a rhythm about our play. But we were dogged, we stuck at it and I'm delighted with this result.
"I was pleased with Akos Buzsaky. He worked extremely hard and each player showed an attitude to get a result. Our performance will lead to us being vigilant at Ipswich on Monday."
City manager Johnson, who climbed off his sickbed, did not blame the defeat on referee Dave Phillips' failure to give a penalty - instead saying that his team were not clinical enough.
Anger
He said: "What disappointed me was that the referee went to his assistant with a question-mark look - and got the same look back.
"Nicky's strike certainly is a contender for goal of the season and I think I played an assist as I had words with him at halftime and it gave him the anger to smash the ball in the top corner."
It was totally against the run of play when the Londoners led on 31 minutes.
A hopeful ball from Fitz Hall bounced off City's Gavin Hall for Jay Simpson to stab in his ninth goal of the season.
City were further exasperated on 40 minutes when, from a simple throw-in by Peter Ramage, Buzsaky laid the ball off for Mikele Leigertwood to cut in from the right and curl a shot inside the far post.
Still QPR looked uncertain and Maynard deservedly hit the goal that brought City back into it on 57 minutes.
The striker took one touch to control the ball, another to switch it and the third was a walloping volley into the net.
Maynard was eventually booked for complaining about the penalty he should have been awarded.
Qpr: Cerny 6 - Ramage 6, Hall 6, Gorkss 7, T Williams 5 - Leigertwood 7 - Watson 6, Faurlin 6 (Agyemang, 62mins, 6) - *BUZSAKY 8 (Connolly, 82mins) - Simpson 7 (Borrowdale, 82mins), Routledge 6.
Bristol City: Gerken 6 - Orr 7, Carey 7, Fontaine 6, McAllister 6 - Hartley 7, G Williams 6 (Sno, 70mins, 6) - Haynes 7 (Sproule, 82mins), Skuse 6, *MAYNARD 8 - Saborio (Clarkson, 70mins, 6).
Referee : D.Phillips 6. People
News of The World
NICKY MAYNARD hit a wonder goal and then had appeals for a late penalty brushed aside.
Striker Maynard was clipped by defender Fitz Hall as he powered into the area after 79 minutes.
But ref David Phillips waved aside frantic cries for a spot kick.
City boss Gary Johnson said: "I always respect officials. My only gripe is that the referee gave the linesman a quizzical look.
"And the linesman looked back with the same expression. Neither wanted to make a decision and that disappointed me."
City had outplayed QPR for the first 30 minutes only to fall behind to Jay Simpson's strike.
Hall's cross came off midfielder Gavin Williams and Simpson fired in the loose ball. Rangers doubled their lead on 40 minutes when captain Mikele Leigertwood netted from 20 yards.
Maynard pulled a goal back on 57 minutes.
He controlled William's clip forward with two touches before turning and thumping an 18-yard shot into the top corner.
Boss Johnson said: "It is a contender for goal of the season but I am claiming the assist.
"I had words with him at half time and perhaps that made me public enemy No 1 with him."
News of The World
TELEGRAPH - Tom Harverson
Queens Park Rangers 2 Bristol City 1: match report
Paul Hart is looking to turn Loftus Road into a fortress and after a week in the hotseat, he has his first win. But before creating a hostile atmosphere to visiting sides he must first win over his own fans who booed Rangers off the field at full-time.
The victory against stuttering City was QPR’s first in seven league games and the only win at home since the end of October.
And with seemingly untold riches behind-the-scenes, patience seems to be wearing thin with the Rangers faithful who now expect nothing less than promotion.
“I don’t know the supporters, I try not to let things like that play a part or influence anything I do,” said Hart.
“With things that have happened at this football club over the last year it is understandable that expectations have been raised.
“I think when you have been in football a long time managing people’s expectations is as important as the team – or seems to be these days.”
Despite early confusion in the Rangers defence, the hosts were first to draw blood with Jay Simpson pouncing on Gavin Williams’ error four yards out to hit the opener.
There were no signs of rust on Akos Buzsaky who made his first return to the Rangers side since the alleged incident at Watford last month that saw the eventual departure of manager Jim Magilton.
The Hungarian’s perfectly weighted flick from a short throw provoked the second goal as Mikele Leigertwood collected, stepped inside and curled past the outstretched fingers of Dean Gerken at the far post.
Nicky Maynard produced a moment of magic for City with a stunning solo effort to mark his tenth goal of the campaign but it will be little consolation for the West-Country outfit. The promotion hopefuls now hang just above the bottom half of the Championship with one win in their last nine fixtures. Telegraph
- Past QPR Boxing Day Results
- QPR Interest in Crewe's Calvin Zola?
Saturday, December 26, 2009
QPR Win. Bristol City Lose: Match Reports and Comments ...Delaney Critical of QPR Owners
-
- QPR REPORT Available on TWITTER!
- Check out the cutting-edge/continually-updated/football-only, quasi-blog/quasi-board QPR Report Messageboard! (Also: Feel free to check out the recently-created, general football blog Football Observer)
- Past QPR Boxing Day Results
- QPR Interest in Crewe's Calvin Zola?
- NEXT: QPR at Ipswich (Ipswich ARE appealing today's sending off of Jon Stead. So Stead WILL be available to play vs QPR
- Damien Delaney Speaking re QPR and Ipswich
"...Joining Ipswich Town was one of the easiest decisions I have made in my footballing life....Rangers have had seven managers in the two years that the current owners have been in charge. They can't all be wrong. The track record of some of those managers shows they have really achieved something in the game. The atmosphere made it difficult, but on the pitch I had a great time at Loftus Road and they have a great set of lads. “And on their day they can beat any team in this division...”
“Jim Magilton was showing what a good manager he is and it was no shock for me to see Rangers high in the table a few weeks ago,” added Delaney. - “My move to Ipswich was set up by Jim (while he was still Ipswich manager) and sorted while I was away for much of the summer.” Greenun24
QPR 2 Bristol City 1 - Match Reports
- Updated Table
SPORTING LIFE - HART: WE MUST MANAGE EXPECTATIONS
By Andy Sims, Press Association Sport
- QPR boss Paul Hart claimed expectations are too high at Loftus Road after his side were amazingly booed off following a 2-1 win over Bristol City.
First-half goals from Jay Simpson and Mikele Leigertwood put Rangers in control, but they were hanging on at the end after Nicky Maynard's stunning strike brought City back into the game.
Hart sacrificed attacking duo Simpson and Akos Buzsaky for defenders Gary Borrowdale and Matt Connolly late on, to jeers from some hard-to-please Rangers fans.
But after registering his first victory in his second game in charge, he said: "We hadn't won in six games and lost the lead in our last two, and there was an edginess in our game against a very good Bristol City side.
"We are fighting for any sort of rhythm but each player showed the right attitude to get a result. This club needed a win today."
Hart is Rangers' ninth manager in little under two years as the club's mega-rich owners look for a quick route to promotion.
"I've only been here two weeks, I don't know people, I don't know the supporters," he added.
"I try not to let that sort of thing influence what I do.
"With the things that have happened at this club over the past few years I think it is understandable that expectations are raised.
"When you've been in football a long time then managing people's expectations seems to be as important as managing the team these days..." Sporting Life
QPR Official Site - HART: 'A HARD FOUGHT VICTORY'
- Paul Hart readily admitted it wasn't a pretty victory, but was delighted to register his first win at the helm with a 2-1 success against Bristol City at Loftus Road.
Goals from Jay Simpson and Mikele Leigertwood won it for the hosts, as Hart's unbeaten start to life in the QPR hot-seat continued.
"I'm delighted with the victory," he told www.qpr.co.uk.
- "We knew we needed a win today after going on quite a long run without a victory, and that's four points from a possible six in my time here, so I'm really pleased.
"We got what we set out to do - get the victory.
"I won't kid anyone, I know we can play better and will play better, but we needed a win and we got it."
Hart added: "They're a good team and they played well, but we stuck to our guns and saw them off.
"We felt we should have won last week and although we didn't play as well as I'd have liked today, we got the win and now we need to go to Ipswich and put on a performance that warrants the win today.
"It wasn't pretty, but the desire to get a result was there for everyone to see."
Looking ahead to Monday's trip to the home of Roy Keane's Ipswich Town, Hart added: "I don't think there's an easy game to have in this division.
"It's a tough league and Portman Road is a tough place to go, but we'll try to impose ourselves on the opposition and get the result we crave." QPR
QPR Official Site
-Rangers played out their final game at Loftus Road this year in perfect fashion with a victory over promotion-chasing Bristol City.
- Jay Simpson scored the opening goal of the game in Paul Hart's first win as QPR boss, touching the ball home six yards from goal after a cross into the area wasn't dealt with by the Robins defence.
- And things got all the better only eight minutes later. Mikele Leigertwood cut in past his marker before sending the ball home with a low drive from outside the penalty box.
Nicky Maynard pulled one back for City after the break, but it turned out to be a consolatory strike for the visitors as Rangers moved up to 7th place in the Coca-Cola Championship.
R's manager Hart made three changes to the QPR side that started last Saturday's 1-1 draw at home to Sheffield United.
Fitz Hall, Alejandro Faurlin and Akos Buzsaky all returned for Rangers.
That meant that Adel Taarabt and Patrick Agyemang dropped to the bench, while Damion Stewart missed out through suspension.
Radek Cerny started in goal for the R's.
Peter Ramage, Fitz Hall, Kaspars Gorkss and Tommy Williams made up the back four.
Rangers began with a diamond formation in midfield. Leigertwood occupied the holding role, with Ben Watson and Faurlin out wide and Buzsaky in the most advanced role behind the front two.
Simpson partnered Wayne Routledge in attack.
Possession was fairly even in the opening stages, though the Robins had the first real opportunity to note.
Only a few minutes had gone when Cole Skuse's centre was nodded back onto the edge of the area to Gavin Williams, whose low drive went straight at the keeper.
At the other end, passes were exchanged between Faurlin, Leigertwood and Williams before he crossed into the area for Simpson, but Dean Gerken was aware of the danger to come out and claim the ball.
Soon after, a cutting pass found Danny Haynes out wide on the right for City before he drove into the area and shot at goal, but his effort was deflected out for a corner.
From the resulting kick, some confusion in the area ended with Skuse driving the ball straight at the oncoming Cerny from 12-yards out.
Moments later Rangers took the lead. Faurlin, Routledge and Buzsaky combined when breaking at pace before his cross was deflected wide for a corner.
From the resulting set-piece, Watson's centre was only cleared as far as Hall, whose lifted cross wasn't dealt with and left Simpson with the simple task of tucking the ball under the keeper and into the net.
The R's should have then extended their lead. Williams' devastating cross needed only tapping home from close-range though it went across the face of goal and clear.
But QPR weren't to be denied again just short of the break, adding a delicious second.
Leigertwood received the ball from a throw-in before beating one man and thumping the ball with his left foot past Gerken from 20-yards out, who had no chance in the Robins net.
As the second half got underway, the R's continued to attack their visitors.
Routledge drove at the Robins defence from his own half before sliding the ball into Simpson, though he could only fire wide of the target when under pressure from his marker.
Moments later, City were back in the game with a magnificent goal that was greeted with applause from all four sides of the ground.
Williams played the ball into Maynard - who had his back to goal on the edge of the area - before he held off two markers, flicked the ball up and lashed the ball into top left-hand corner of the goal.
Rangers responded in positive fashion to the setback. Simpson won the ball out on the left-hand side before sending over a centre for Routledge, though he misjudged the flight of the ball when he looked certain to test the keeper from 12-yards out.
Watson, Buzsaky and Routledge then combined before he sent over a cross for substitute Patrick Agyemang, though his effort from close-range just missed wide of Gerken's left-hand post.
At the other end, only a superb intervention from Hall stopped Maynard from levelling the scores, as his last-ditch challenge prevented the forward shooting for goal from a few yards out.
City could - and perhaps should - have found the net soon after. Maynard fed David Clarkson just six-yards out, though he could only shoot at the side-netting with just the keeper to beat.
The visitors, to their credit, continued to press, but the R's held out to claim a welcome Boxing Day win.
QPR: Cerny, Ramage, Hall, Leigertwood, Routledge, Buzsaky (Connolly 83), Gorkss, Watson, Faurlin (Agyemang 63), Williams, Simpson (Borrowdale 83).
Subs not used: Taylor, Pellicori, Balanta, Taarabt.
Goals: Simpson (32), Leigertwood (40)
Bristol City: Gerken, Orr, McAllister, Fontaine, Carey, Maynard, Hartley, Skuse, Williams (Sno 70), Haynes (Sproule 83), Saborio (Clarkson 71).
Subs not used: Henderson, Elliott, Edwards, Nyatanga.
Goals: Maynard (57)
Bookings: Haynes, Maynard, Sno
Referee: Mr D J Phillips
Attendance: 13, 534 QPR
Bristol CIty Official Site
QPR 2-1 Bristol City
Adam Baker reports from Loftus Road
There was no Christmas cheer for City as they lost out at QPR by two goals to one on Boxing Day.
After City had dominated for the first half-hour, they were undone by goals from Jay Simpson and Mikele Leigertwood.
Nicky Maynard scored a superb goal in the second half to give the visitors hope, but it wasn't to be for the visitors, who also had a strong penalty claim turned down at the death.
City started well and Gavin Williams almost netted after six minutes on his first Championship start of the season. Cole Skuse's cross was headed back out by Hall towards Williams on the edge of the box. The midfielder took aim with a driven shot from 18 yards but Radek Cerny held on.
QPR were at sixes and sevens, and a wayward Ben Watson pass had Alvaro Saborio running towards Cerny's goal. Left on his own, Saborio took too much time and was tackled by Hall.
Danny Haynes, looking lively on the right, had the next effort goalwards with a low deflected shot just past the far post. From the resulting corner, Fontaine challenged keeper Cerny and the ball dropped out towards Skuse. With his studs the midfielder stabbed the ball goalwards only for Cerny to save by his goal-line.
QPR's first foray forward led to a mistake by City that would ultimately lead to the opening goal. Wayne Routledge's cross was guided back towards his own goal by Bradley Orr, and then Paul Hartley was forced to head behind for a corner.
And from that flag kick the ball arrived at the far edge of the box with Hall. The defender whipped a cross into the box which Gavin Williams made a mess of clearing, allowing Simpson to sneak in and clip the ball over Dean Gerken for 1-0.
The goal arrived against the run of play, but QPR capitalised on a shocked City with a second goal on 40 minutes. Routledge fed the ball to Leigertwood on the edge of the area. Given too much time and space, the QPR captain whipped a low left-footed shot inside Gerken's far post for the hosts' second of the afternoon.
Liam Fontaine almost provided City with an instant response, heading straight into Cerny's arms from Jamie McAllister's raking pass.
And on the stroke of half-time Louis Carey's shot from 35 yards warmed the gloves of Cerny.
Simpson had a chance to wrap up the game six minutes after the restart when Routledge's pass sent him racing through on goal. Pressurised by Bradley Orr, Simpson rushed his shot and completedly missed the target.
Penalty claims for Maynard and Saborio were ignored by the official, but City were soon back in the game.
On 57 minutes Williams sent the ball towards Maynard. The City top scorer, with his back towards goal, took two controlling touches before sending a scissor-kick shot arrowing into the top corner for 2-1.
Chances dried up after that and Patrick Agyemang's shot wide from Routledge's cross was the next chance of the game on 79 minutes.
Moments later Maynard dashed on to Hartley's pass over the top and looked to be hauled to the ground by Hall. Referee David Phillips disagreed, much to the amazement of the 1,028 travelling fans.
Replacement David Clarkson had a brilliant chance to level seconds later as Maynard charged down Hall's clearance. The ball dropped kindly to Clarkson inside the box but his first time volley hit the side-netting.
It wasn't to be for City, though, despite four minutes of added on time." Bristol City
Skysports - Hart oversees first QPR win
First-half double enough to see off Robins
Last updated: 26th December 2009
Paul Hart enjoyed his first win as Queens Park Rangers manager following a battling 2-1 success over Bristol City at Loftus Road.
QPR appeared to be cruising towards the points after goals from Jay Simpson and Mikele Leigertwood had the hosts 2-0 up at half-time.
Nicky Maynard struck a stunning goal for the visitors just before the hour mark, but QPR held on to secure a maiden three-point haul for Hart.
The hosts were slow starters as they struggled to get to grips with a new diamond midfield formation and were camped in their own half early on.
Hungarian star Akos Buzsaky, involved for the first time since his dressing-room 'difference of opinion' accounted for Hart's predecessor Magilton, was a bystander as City dominated.
Gavin Williams forced a save from home keeper Radek Cerny and Danny Haynes had a shot just deflected wide.
But, totally against the run of play, Rangers took the lead just after the half-hour when Fitz Hall crossed towards Simpson.
The on-loan Arsenal forward's initial touch was poor but the ball bounced kindly off Williams back into his path to poke beyond Dean Gerken for his ninth goal of the season.
Unstoppable effort
City boss Gary Johnson had considered not travelling to the game due to a chest infection.
And he must have been regretting his decision not stay in his sick bed when, five minutes before the break, Rangers went two ahead.
Leigertwood collected Buzsaky's flick, cut inside on his left foot and curled an unstoppable effort from 20 yards low inside Gerken's right-hand post.
Simpson had a chance to put the hosts out of sight after the interval when Wayne Routledge sent him through but the young striker curled his shot high and wide.
And Johnson's mood improved in the 58th minute when Maynard conjured up his 11th goal of the season in superb style.
The striker juggled Williams' pass twice in turning and shaking off two Rangers defenders before his third touch, a stunning 20-yard volley, flew past Cerny and into the top corner.
Johnson and City were twice screaming for penalties in the last 10 minutes when Maynard tumbled under last-ditch challenges from Hall and Peter Ramage but referee David Phillips waved away the appeals.
Hart saw fit to sacrifice Simpson and Buzsaky for defenders Gary Borrowdale and Matt Connolly to hold off City's late flurry - prompting derision from a number of hard-to-please Rangers fans.
And the home boss breathed a sigh of relief when City sub David Clarkson hit the side netting with the visitors' last chance. Skysports
Yann Tear/London Informer
Hart's first win fails to convince Rs faithful
Dec 26 2009 By Yann Tear
TWO goals in nine minutes set Rangers on their way to their first win under Paul Hart and a first victory in seven matches.
But there were boos rather than cheers at the end as Rangers limped home unimpressively.
Jay Simpson's ninth goal of an increasingly prolific campaign got the ball rolling after a tame beginning by the Hoops and Mike Leigertwood's smart drive doubled the advantage.
Nicky Maynard, who scored a late winner for City when the teams met earlier in the season at Ashton Gate, rifled in a rising shot on the turn after 58 minutes to make a game of it.
But Rangers held on in spite of two heart-stopping moments late on - first when Fitz Hall's tackle on the City goalscorer incited loud penalty appeals and then when a shot from sub David Clarkson rippled the side netting.
The win is unlikely to engender widespread belief that the promotion campaign is back on track with a vengeance.
Indeed, there even a few chants of 'you don't know what you're doing' and 'we're supposed to be at home' aimed at the new QPR boss when he brought on two defenders in the closing moments to protect the lead.
Rangers were treading water during an undistinguished first half until some dozy defending gifted them their advantage.
Hall found himself joining a rare attack for the Hoops and did his bit after a corner by playing in a looping cross towards the six yard box that City midfielder Gavin Williams obligingly teed up for Simpson.
The corner had been won after a rare moment of danger from the home side, when Akos Buzsaky's awkward angled cross was almost touched into his own net by a City defender.
Not long after Simpson had turned the ball in from six yards, Leigertwood was allowed to take delivery of a throw in and turn onto his left foot from just outside the area to bury a low shot to the right of keeper Dean Gerken.
City had been in control of possession, but apart from a couple of long-range efforts, Radek Cerny was not tested enough to raise alarm bells for the home side." London Informer
Bristol City Official Site
WE NEED TO DO MORE - GARY
Posted on: Sat 26 Dec 2009
Gary Johnson refused to blame the officials for City's 2-1 defeat at QPR, despite a late, strong penalty claim for Nicky Maynard.
City were comfortable for the first half hour but failed to net, and succumbed to strikes from Jay Simpson and Mikele Leigertwood.
Although Maynard did find the net with a stunning second half strike, City couldn't make the next vital breakthrough to rescue anything from their Boxing Day game.
"I wasn't happy with our performance and the lads know that, Gary told Player.
"We have to be doing more at this stage [of the season]. We have to be careful we don't drift into the bottom half and start competing with those teams.
"There was good football at times, especially in the first half, but we have to be more clinical.
"We need centre-halves getting a cut eye by getting on the end of crosses. We want our midfielders running into to dangerous areas and dangerous balls being played into our strikers.
"All the things that make you win games aren't there at the moment. We're okay in between the penalty boxes but it's what's happening in them that is costing us at the moment."
Of the penalty claim, when Fitz Hall appeared to bring down Maynard with 12 minutes left, Gary admitted to being displeased.
He said: "I was on the halfway line at ground level, but the referee and assistant had a far better view.
"I wasn't necessarily screaming for a penalty, I just wanted a decision.
"The referee looked at the linesman with a questioning face, and he looked back with the same face. Both had no idea and stupid frowns on their faces.
"There was no decision made and the play went on. I think that's terrible - you either want a yes or a no."
Lee Johnson missed the trip to QPR with illness and is likely to be absent again for the home game with Watford on Monday.
Evander Sno was a substitute at QPR despite suffering a family bereavement over Christmas. He will now fly out for his relative's funeral and miss the Watford match" Bristol City
- QPR REPORT Available on TWITTER!
- Check out the cutting-edge/continually-updated/football-only, quasi-blog/quasi-board QPR Report Messageboard! (Also: Feel free to check out the recently-created, general football blog Football Observer)
- Past QPR Boxing Day Results
- QPR Interest in Crewe's Calvin Zola?
- NEXT: QPR at Ipswich (Ipswich ARE appealing today's sending off of Jon Stead. So Stead WILL be available to play vs QPR
- Damien Delaney Speaking re QPR and Ipswich
"...Joining Ipswich Town was one of the easiest decisions I have made in my footballing life....Rangers have had seven managers in the two years that the current owners have been in charge. They can't all be wrong. The track record of some of those managers shows they have really achieved something in the game. The atmosphere made it difficult, but on the pitch I had a great time at Loftus Road and they have a great set of lads. “And on their day they can beat any team in this division...”
“Jim Magilton was showing what a good manager he is and it was no shock for me to see Rangers high in the table a few weeks ago,” added Delaney. - “My move to Ipswich was set up by Jim (while he was still Ipswich manager) and sorted while I was away for much of the summer.” Greenun24
QPR 2 Bristol City 1 - Match Reports
- Updated Table
SPORTING LIFE - HART: WE MUST MANAGE EXPECTATIONS
By Andy Sims, Press Association Sport
- QPR boss Paul Hart claimed expectations are too high at Loftus Road after his side were amazingly booed off following a 2-1 win over Bristol City.
First-half goals from Jay Simpson and Mikele Leigertwood put Rangers in control, but they were hanging on at the end after Nicky Maynard's stunning strike brought City back into the game.
Hart sacrificed attacking duo Simpson and Akos Buzsaky for defenders Gary Borrowdale and Matt Connolly late on, to jeers from some hard-to-please Rangers fans.
But after registering his first victory in his second game in charge, he said: "We hadn't won in six games and lost the lead in our last two, and there was an edginess in our game against a very good Bristol City side.
"We are fighting for any sort of rhythm but each player showed the right attitude to get a result. This club needed a win today."
Hart is Rangers' ninth manager in little under two years as the club's mega-rich owners look for a quick route to promotion.
"I've only been here two weeks, I don't know people, I don't know the supporters," he added.
"I try not to let that sort of thing influence what I do.
"With the things that have happened at this club over the past few years I think it is understandable that expectations are raised.
"When you've been in football a long time then managing people's expectations seems to be as important as managing the team these days..." Sporting Life
QPR Official Site - HART: 'A HARD FOUGHT VICTORY'
- Paul Hart readily admitted it wasn't a pretty victory, but was delighted to register his first win at the helm with a 2-1 success against Bristol City at Loftus Road.
Goals from Jay Simpson and Mikele Leigertwood won it for the hosts, as Hart's unbeaten start to life in the QPR hot-seat continued.
"I'm delighted with the victory," he told www.qpr.co.uk.
- "We knew we needed a win today after going on quite a long run without a victory, and that's four points from a possible six in my time here, so I'm really pleased.
"We got what we set out to do - get the victory.
"I won't kid anyone, I know we can play better and will play better, but we needed a win and we got it."
Hart added: "They're a good team and they played well, but we stuck to our guns and saw them off.
"We felt we should have won last week and although we didn't play as well as I'd have liked today, we got the win and now we need to go to Ipswich and put on a performance that warrants the win today.
"It wasn't pretty, but the desire to get a result was there for everyone to see."
Looking ahead to Monday's trip to the home of Roy Keane's Ipswich Town, Hart added: "I don't think there's an easy game to have in this division.
"It's a tough league and Portman Road is a tough place to go, but we'll try to impose ourselves on the opposition and get the result we crave." QPR
QPR Official Site
-Rangers played out their final game at Loftus Road this year in perfect fashion with a victory over promotion-chasing Bristol City.
- Jay Simpson scored the opening goal of the game in Paul Hart's first win as QPR boss, touching the ball home six yards from goal after a cross into the area wasn't dealt with by the Robins defence.
- And things got all the better only eight minutes later. Mikele Leigertwood cut in past his marker before sending the ball home with a low drive from outside the penalty box.
Nicky Maynard pulled one back for City after the break, but it turned out to be a consolatory strike for the visitors as Rangers moved up to 7th place in the Coca-Cola Championship.
R's manager Hart made three changes to the QPR side that started last Saturday's 1-1 draw at home to Sheffield United.
Fitz Hall, Alejandro Faurlin and Akos Buzsaky all returned for Rangers.
That meant that Adel Taarabt and Patrick Agyemang dropped to the bench, while Damion Stewart missed out through suspension.
Radek Cerny started in goal for the R's.
Peter Ramage, Fitz Hall, Kaspars Gorkss and Tommy Williams made up the back four.
Rangers began with a diamond formation in midfield. Leigertwood occupied the holding role, with Ben Watson and Faurlin out wide and Buzsaky in the most advanced role behind the front two.
Simpson partnered Wayne Routledge in attack.
Possession was fairly even in the opening stages, though the Robins had the first real opportunity to note.
Only a few minutes had gone when Cole Skuse's centre was nodded back onto the edge of the area to Gavin Williams, whose low drive went straight at the keeper.
At the other end, passes were exchanged between Faurlin, Leigertwood and Williams before he crossed into the area for Simpson, but Dean Gerken was aware of the danger to come out and claim the ball.
Soon after, a cutting pass found Danny Haynes out wide on the right for City before he drove into the area and shot at goal, but his effort was deflected out for a corner.
From the resulting kick, some confusion in the area ended with Skuse driving the ball straight at the oncoming Cerny from 12-yards out.
Moments later Rangers took the lead. Faurlin, Routledge and Buzsaky combined when breaking at pace before his cross was deflected wide for a corner.
From the resulting set-piece, Watson's centre was only cleared as far as Hall, whose lifted cross wasn't dealt with and left Simpson with the simple task of tucking the ball under the keeper and into the net.
The R's should have then extended their lead. Williams' devastating cross needed only tapping home from close-range though it went across the face of goal and clear.
But QPR weren't to be denied again just short of the break, adding a delicious second.
Leigertwood received the ball from a throw-in before beating one man and thumping the ball with his left foot past Gerken from 20-yards out, who had no chance in the Robins net.
As the second half got underway, the R's continued to attack their visitors.
Routledge drove at the Robins defence from his own half before sliding the ball into Simpson, though he could only fire wide of the target when under pressure from his marker.
Moments later, City were back in the game with a magnificent goal that was greeted with applause from all four sides of the ground.
Williams played the ball into Maynard - who had his back to goal on the edge of the area - before he held off two markers, flicked the ball up and lashed the ball into top left-hand corner of the goal.
Rangers responded in positive fashion to the setback. Simpson won the ball out on the left-hand side before sending over a centre for Routledge, though he misjudged the flight of the ball when he looked certain to test the keeper from 12-yards out.
Watson, Buzsaky and Routledge then combined before he sent over a cross for substitute Patrick Agyemang, though his effort from close-range just missed wide of Gerken's left-hand post.
At the other end, only a superb intervention from Hall stopped Maynard from levelling the scores, as his last-ditch challenge prevented the forward shooting for goal from a few yards out.
City could - and perhaps should - have found the net soon after. Maynard fed David Clarkson just six-yards out, though he could only shoot at the side-netting with just the keeper to beat.
The visitors, to their credit, continued to press, but the R's held out to claim a welcome Boxing Day win.
QPR: Cerny, Ramage, Hall, Leigertwood, Routledge, Buzsaky (Connolly 83), Gorkss, Watson, Faurlin (Agyemang 63), Williams, Simpson (Borrowdale 83).
Subs not used: Taylor, Pellicori, Balanta, Taarabt.
Goals: Simpson (32), Leigertwood (40)
Bristol City: Gerken, Orr, McAllister, Fontaine, Carey, Maynard, Hartley, Skuse, Williams (Sno 70), Haynes (Sproule 83), Saborio (Clarkson 71).
Subs not used: Henderson, Elliott, Edwards, Nyatanga.
Goals: Maynard (57)
Bookings: Haynes, Maynard, Sno
Referee: Mr D J Phillips
Attendance: 13, 534 QPR
Bristol CIty Official Site
QPR 2-1 Bristol City
Adam Baker reports from Loftus Road
There was no Christmas cheer for City as they lost out at QPR by two goals to one on Boxing Day.
After City had dominated for the first half-hour, they were undone by goals from Jay Simpson and Mikele Leigertwood.
Nicky Maynard scored a superb goal in the second half to give the visitors hope, but it wasn't to be for the visitors, who also had a strong penalty claim turned down at the death.
City started well and Gavin Williams almost netted after six minutes on his first Championship start of the season. Cole Skuse's cross was headed back out by Hall towards Williams on the edge of the box. The midfielder took aim with a driven shot from 18 yards but Radek Cerny held on.
QPR were at sixes and sevens, and a wayward Ben Watson pass had Alvaro Saborio running towards Cerny's goal. Left on his own, Saborio took too much time and was tackled by Hall.
Danny Haynes, looking lively on the right, had the next effort goalwards with a low deflected shot just past the far post. From the resulting corner, Fontaine challenged keeper Cerny and the ball dropped out towards Skuse. With his studs the midfielder stabbed the ball goalwards only for Cerny to save by his goal-line.
QPR's first foray forward led to a mistake by City that would ultimately lead to the opening goal. Wayne Routledge's cross was guided back towards his own goal by Bradley Orr, and then Paul Hartley was forced to head behind for a corner.
And from that flag kick the ball arrived at the far edge of the box with Hall. The defender whipped a cross into the box which Gavin Williams made a mess of clearing, allowing Simpson to sneak in and clip the ball over Dean Gerken for 1-0.
The goal arrived against the run of play, but QPR capitalised on a shocked City with a second goal on 40 minutes. Routledge fed the ball to Leigertwood on the edge of the area. Given too much time and space, the QPR captain whipped a low left-footed shot inside Gerken's far post for the hosts' second of the afternoon.
Liam Fontaine almost provided City with an instant response, heading straight into Cerny's arms from Jamie McAllister's raking pass.
And on the stroke of half-time Louis Carey's shot from 35 yards warmed the gloves of Cerny.
Simpson had a chance to wrap up the game six minutes after the restart when Routledge's pass sent him racing through on goal. Pressurised by Bradley Orr, Simpson rushed his shot and completedly missed the target.
Penalty claims for Maynard and Saborio were ignored by the official, but City were soon back in the game.
On 57 minutes Williams sent the ball towards Maynard. The City top scorer, with his back towards goal, took two controlling touches before sending a scissor-kick shot arrowing into the top corner for 2-1.
Chances dried up after that and Patrick Agyemang's shot wide from Routledge's cross was the next chance of the game on 79 minutes.
Moments later Maynard dashed on to Hartley's pass over the top and looked to be hauled to the ground by Hall. Referee David Phillips disagreed, much to the amazement of the 1,028 travelling fans.
Replacement David Clarkson had a brilliant chance to level seconds later as Maynard charged down Hall's clearance. The ball dropped kindly to Clarkson inside the box but his first time volley hit the side-netting.
It wasn't to be for City, though, despite four minutes of added on time." Bristol City
Skysports - Hart oversees first QPR win
First-half double enough to see off Robins
Last updated: 26th December 2009
Paul Hart enjoyed his first win as Queens Park Rangers manager following a battling 2-1 success over Bristol City at Loftus Road.
QPR appeared to be cruising towards the points after goals from Jay Simpson and Mikele Leigertwood had the hosts 2-0 up at half-time.
Nicky Maynard struck a stunning goal for the visitors just before the hour mark, but QPR held on to secure a maiden three-point haul for Hart.
The hosts were slow starters as they struggled to get to grips with a new diamond midfield formation and were camped in their own half early on.
Hungarian star Akos Buzsaky, involved for the first time since his dressing-room 'difference of opinion' accounted for Hart's predecessor Magilton, was a bystander as City dominated.
Gavin Williams forced a save from home keeper Radek Cerny and Danny Haynes had a shot just deflected wide.
But, totally against the run of play, Rangers took the lead just after the half-hour when Fitz Hall crossed towards Simpson.
The on-loan Arsenal forward's initial touch was poor but the ball bounced kindly off Williams back into his path to poke beyond Dean Gerken for his ninth goal of the season.
Unstoppable effort
City boss Gary Johnson had considered not travelling to the game due to a chest infection.
And he must have been regretting his decision not stay in his sick bed when, five minutes before the break, Rangers went two ahead.
Leigertwood collected Buzsaky's flick, cut inside on his left foot and curled an unstoppable effort from 20 yards low inside Gerken's right-hand post.
Simpson had a chance to put the hosts out of sight after the interval when Wayne Routledge sent him through but the young striker curled his shot high and wide.
And Johnson's mood improved in the 58th minute when Maynard conjured up his 11th goal of the season in superb style.
The striker juggled Williams' pass twice in turning and shaking off two Rangers defenders before his third touch, a stunning 20-yard volley, flew past Cerny and into the top corner.
Johnson and City were twice screaming for penalties in the last 10 minutes when Maynard tumbled under last-ditch challenges from Hall and Peter Ramage but referee David Phillips waved away the appeals.
Hart saw fit to sacrifice Simpson and Buzsaky for defenders Gary Borrowdale and Matt Connolly to hold off City's late flurry - prompting derision from a number of hard-to-please Rangers fans.
And the home boss breathed a sigh of relief when City sub David Clarkson hit the side netting with the visitors' last chance. Skysports
Yann Tear/London Informer
Hart's first win fails to convince Rs faithful
Dec 26 2009 By Yann Tear
TWO goals in nine minutes set Rangers on their way to their first win under Paul Hart and a first victory in seven matches.
But there were boos rather than cheers at the end as Rangers limped home unimpressively.
Jay Simpson's ninth goal of an increasingly prolific campaign got the ball rolling after a tame beginning by the Hoops and Mike Leigertwood's smart drive doubled the advantage.
Nicky Maynard, who scored a late winner for City when the teams met earlier in the season at Ashton Gate, rifled in a rising shot on the turn after 58 minutes to make a game of it.
But Rangers held on in spite of two heart-stopping moments late on - first when Fitz Hall's tackle on the City goalscorer incited loud penalty appeals and then when a shot from sub David Clarkson rippled the side netting.
The win is unlikely to engender widespread belief that the promotion campaign is back on track with a vengeance.
Indeed, there even a few chants of 'you don't know what you're doing' and 'we're supposed to be at home' aimed at the new QPR boss when he brought on two defenders in the closing moments to protect the lead.
Rangers were treading water during an undistinguished first half until some dozy defending gifted them their advantage.
Hall found himself joining a rare attack for the Hoops and did his bit after a corner by playing in a looping cross towards the six yard box that City midfielder Gavin Williams obligingly teed up for Simpson.
The corner had been won after a rare moment of danger from the home side, when Akos Buzsaky's awkward angled cross was almost touched into his own net by a City defender.
Not long after Simpson had turned the ball in from six yards, Leigertwood was allowed to take delivery of a throw in and turn onto his left foot from just outside the area to bury a low shot to the right of keeper Dean Gerken.
City had been in control of possession, but apart from a couple of long-range efforts, Radek Cerny was not tested enough to raise alarm bells for the home side." London Informer
Bristol City Official Site
WE NEED TO DO MORE - GARY
Posted on: Sat 26 Dec 2009
Gary Johnson refused to blame the officials for City's 2-1 defeat at QPR, despite a late, strong penalty claim for Nicky Maynard.
City were comfortable for the first half hour but failed to net, and succumbed to strikes from Jay Simpson and Mikele Leigertwood.
Although Maynard did find the net with a stunning second half strike, City couldn't make the next vital breakthrough to rescue anything from their Boxing Day game.
"I wasn't happy with our performance and the lads know that, Gary told Player.
"We have to be doing more at this stage [of the season]. We have to be careful we don't drift into the bottom half and start competing with those teams.
"There was good football at times, especially in the first half, but we have to be more clinical.
"We need centre-halves getting a cut eye by getting on the end of crosses. We want our midfielders running into to dangerous areas and dangerous balls being played into our strikers.
"All the things that make you win games aren't there at the moment. We're okay in between the penalty boxes but it's what's happening in them that is costing us at the moment."
Of the penalty claim, when Fitz Hall appeared to bring down Maynard with 12 minutes left, Gary admitted to being displeased.
He said: "I was on the halfway line at ground level, but the referee and assistant had a far better view.
"I wasn't necessarily screaming for a penalty, I just wanted a decision.
"The referee looked at the linesman with a questioning face, and he looked back with the same face. Both had no idea and stupid frowns on their faces.
"There was no decision made and the play went on. I think that's terrible - you either want a yes or a no."
Lee Johnson missed the trip to QPR with illness and is likely to be absent again for the home game with Watford on Monday.
Evander Sno was a substitute at QPR despite suffering a family bereavement over Christmas. He will now fly out for his relative's funeral and miss the Watford match" Bristol City
Today's TEAMS - QPR Vs Bristol City
-
- QPR REPORT Available on TWITTER!
- Check out the cutting-edge/continually-updated/football-only, quasi-blog/quasi-board QPR Report Messageboard! (Also: Feel free to check out the recently-created, general football blog Football Observer)
- Past QPR Boxing Day Results
- QPR Interest in Crewe's Calvin Zola?
TEAMS: QPR vs Bristol City
QPR: Cerny, Ramage, Hall, Leigertwood, Routledge, Buzsaky, Gorkss, Watson, Faurlin, Williams, Simpson.
Subs: Taylor, Agyemang, Pellicori, Connolly, Balanta, Borrowdale, Taarabt.
Bristol City: Gerken, Orr, McAllister, Fontaine, Carey, Maynard, Hartley, Skuse, Williams, Haynes, Saborio.
Subs: Henderson, Elliott, Clarkson, Sproule, Edwards, Sno, Nyatanga.
- Teams
- QPR REPORT Available on TWITTER!
- Check out the cutting-edge/continually-updated/football-only, quasi-blog/quasi-board QPR Report Messageboard! (Also: Feel free to check out the recently-created, general football blog Football Observer)
- Past QPR Boxing Day Results
- QPR Interest in Crewe's Calvin Zola?
TEAMS: QPR vs Bristol City
QPR: Cerny, Ramage, Hall, Leigertwood, Routledge, Buzsaky, Gorkss, Watson, Faurlin, Williams, Simpson.
Subs: Taylor, Agyemang, Pellicori, Connolly, Balanta, Borrowdale, Taarabt.
Bristol City: Gerken, Orr, McAllister, Fontaine, Carey, Maynard, Hartley, Skuse, Williams, Haynes, Saborio.
Subs: Henderson, Elliott, Clarkson, Sproule, Edwards, Sno, Nyatanga.
- Teams
QPR Zola Interest?...QPR on Boxing Day: Some Past Boxing-Day Games
-
- QPR REPORT Available on TWITTER!
- Check out the cutting-edge/continually-updated/football-only, quasi-blog/quasi-board QPR Report Messageboard! (Also: Feel free to check out the recently-created, general football blog Football Observer)
- Christmas Greetings From Loftus Road
- Mirror/James Nursey - Why this season is make or break for Jay Simpson's Arsenal career
- Martin Allen Speaking About Racism Allegations
- Brown and Oastler back at QPR?...Scott Donnelly's Christmas Day Birthday
- QPR vs Bristol City: Previews and Flashbacks
- Watford and Hearts Players Trained on Christmas Day
- Southend United's Journalistic Dress Code!
- The View of a Groundsman
- Six Months Flashback: Chris Charles/BBC - How Long Has Magilton Got?
Stoke Sentinel - Crewe Alex: Rangers poised for Zola swoop
- CHAMPIONSHIP play-off pretenders QPR are eyeing up a transfer window swoop for Crewe striker Calvin Zola.
It is understood the moneybags Londoners are already preparing a deal for the Alex's leading scorer, although it will be conditional on the price they are prepared to pay.
Crewe gave Tranmere £200,000 for Zola in the summer of 2008, but Championship strugglers Peterborough were recently quoted a £1m price tag.
Rangers's new boss Paul Hart is unlikely to be given such financial leeway to sign a League Two player, who will face competition from Patrick Agyemang and Rowan Vine.
However, with Crewe facing further cuts to their wage budget, Zola would appear to be the club's most saleable asset.
The Congo-born player has not hit the back of the net in the past six games.
But the striker, who will be 25 on New Year's Eve, has previously fired seven goals in six games to contribute to his best goal tally in his seven seasons of English football..." Sentinel
- Zola Profile and Stats
SOME PAST BOXING DAY QPR RESULTS & TEAMS
1966 QPR 3 Brighton 0
1967 Plymouth 0 QPR 1 (Keen Pen)
1968 QPR 0 WBA 4 (Part of our Division One 1968/69 Humiliation Season!)
1969 Millwall 2 QPR 0
1972 QPR 3 Orient 1 (Leach, Givens, Thomas)
1973 Spurs 0 QPR 0
1974 QPR 4 Leicester 2 (Beck, Thomas, Givens, Westwood)
1975 QPR 2 Norwich
1977 QPR 0 Derby 0
1978 QPR 2 Spurs 2 (Bowles, Shanks)
1980 QPR 3 West Ham 0 (Silkman, Curie, Stainrod)
1981 QPR 0 Chelsea 2
1984 QPR 2 Chelsea 2 (Bannister. MCdonald)
1987 QPR 1 Chelsea 1 (Kerslake)
1988 Aston Villa 2 QPR 1 (T. Francis)
1989 QPR 1 Coventry 1 (Falco)
1990 QPR 1 Liverpool 1 (Falco)
1981 QPR 0 Liverpool 0
1994 Crystal Palce 0 QPR 0
1995 Arsenal QPR 0
1996 QPR 3 Norwich 2 (Peacock, Dichio, Mcdermott)
1997 Portsmouth 3 QPR 1 (Sheron)
1998 QPR 2 Norwich 0 (Murray Peacock)
1999 Norwich 2 QPR 1
2000 QPR 2 Norwich 3
2001 QPR 0 Brighton 0
2002 QPR 2 Wycombe 1 (Rose, Gallen)
2003 Notts County 3 QPR 3
2004 Plymouth 2 QPR 1
2005 Brighton 1 QPR 0
2006 Birmingham 2 QPR 1
2007 Plymouth 2 QPR 1 (Ainsworth)
Boxing Day 2008 - Charlton 2 QPR 2QPR: Cerny; Ramage, Connolly, Hall, Gorkss; Alberti (Ephraim 60), Leigertwood, Cook (Ledesma 67), Rowlands; Di Carmine (Helguson 82), Blackstock. Subs (not used): Mahon, Agyemang. - Match Reports and Comments
Boxing Day 2007 - Plymouth 2-1 QPR 1
QPR: Camp, Barker, Bolder, Buzsaky (Blackstock, 78), Ainsworth, Rowlands (Nygaard, 67), Walton, Malcolm, Vine, Rehman, Leigertwood.Subs: Cole, Moore, Kanyuka.
Goals: Ainsworth (19) Bookings: Buzsaky (30), Rowlands (45), Ainsworth (51), Walton (52), Bolder (70), Nygaard (76), Leigertwood (90) - Match Reports and Comments
Boxing Day 2006 Birmingham 2 QPR 1
QPR Royce, Bignot, Mancienne, Rehman, Stewart,Milanese (Rowlands 75), Bircham (Bailey 59), Smith, Cook,Furlong, Blackstock (Ray Jones 81). Subs Not Used: Cole, Ward. Match Reports and Comments
Boxing Day 2004 - Plymouth 2 QPR 1
QPR Day, Bignot, Shittu, Santos, Padula (Edghill 70), Miller (Best 45), Rowlands, Gallen, Cook (Ainsworth 73), Bircham, Furlong. Subs Not Used: Bean, McLeod. Sporting Life
Boxing Day 2002, QPR 2 Wycombe 1
QPR's squad: Chris Day, Clarke Carlisle, Terrell Forbes, Matthew Rose, Richard Langley, Steve Palmer, Brett Angell, Marc Bircham, Lee Cook, Nicky Culkin, Paul Furlong, Kevin Gallen, Daniel Shittu, Andy Thomson
Boxing Day, 1999 Norwich 2 QPR 1
QPR: Miklosko, Breacker, Baraclough, Ward, Darlington, Plummer, Wardley, Langley, Murray (Gallen 89), Steiner, Kiwomya. Subs Not Used: Bankole, Kulcsar, McGovern, Bruce Sent Off: Langley (89). Booked: Langley. Goals: Wardley 40. Sporting Life
Boxing Day, 1997 Portmouth 3 QPR 1- Victory for bottom of the table Portsmouth! QPR: Roberts, Yates, Brazier, Quashie, Ready, Maddix, Spencer (Gallen 74), Peacock, Murray, Sheron, Sinclair. Subs Not Used: Barker, Perry. Goals: Sheron 31. Sporting Life
Boxing Day 1968 - QPR 0 WBA 4
Ron Springett - Harris Keetch Hazell Watson - Keen Hunt R. Morgan - Bridges Clarke Marsh - Allen (sub)
Boxing Day 1967: Plymouth 0 QPR 1
On Boxing Day, 1967, QPR won at Plymouth 1-0 through a Mike Keen penalty.
(Four days later, QPR completed their double, by defeating Plymouth 4-1 at Loftus Road. Rodney Marsh, 2 and Mike Keen 2.)
QPR's team at Plymouth: Springett, Clement Hazell Keetch Harris, Morgan, Keen, Sanderson, Morgan, McGovern, Marsh.
- QPR REPORT Available on TWITTER!
- Check out the cutting-edge/continually-updated/football-only, quasi-blog/quasi-board QPR Report Messageboard! (Also: Feel free to check out the recently-created, general football blog Football Observer)
- Christmas Greetings From Loftus Road
- Mirror/James Nursey - Why this season is make or break for Jay Simpson's Arsenal career
- Martin Allen Speaking About Racism Allegations
- Brown and Oastler back at QPR?...Scott Donnelly's Christmas Day Birthday
- QPR vs Bristol City: Previews and Flashbacks
- Watford and Hearts Players Trained on Christmas Day
- Southend United's Journalistic Dress Code!
- The View of a Groundsman
- Six Months Flashback: Chris Charles/BBC - How Long Has Magilton Got?
Stoke Sentinel - Crewe Alex: Rangers poised for Zola swoop
- CHAMPIONSHIP play-off pretenders QPR are eyeing up a transfer window swoop for Crewe striker Calvin Zola.
It is understood the moneybags Londoners are already preparing a deal for the Alex's leading scorer, although it will be conditional on the price they are prepared to pay.
Crewe gave Tranmere £200,000 for Zola in the summer of 2008, but Championship strugglers Peterborough were recently quoted a £1m price tag.
Rangers's new boss Paul Hart is unlikely to be given such financial leeway to sign a League Two player, who will face competition from Patrick Agyemang and Rowan Vine.
However, with Crewe facing further cuts to their wage budget, Zola would appear to be the club's most saleable asset.
The Congo-born player has not hit the back of the net in the past six games.
But the striker, who will be 25 on New Year's Eve, has previously fired seven goals in six games to contribute to his best goal tally in his seven seasons of English football..." Sentinel
- Zola Profile and Stats
SOME PAST BOXING DAY QPR RESULTS & TEAMS
1966 QPR 3 Brighton 0
1967 Plymouth 0 QPR 1 (Keen Pen)
1968 QPR 0 WBA 4 (Part of our Division One 1968/69 Humiliation Season!)
1969 Millwall 2 QPR 0
1972 QPR 3 Orient 1 (Leach, Givens, Thomas)
1973 Spurs 0 QPR 0
1974 QPR 4 Leicester 2 (Beck, Thomas, Givens, Westwood)
1975 QPR 2 Norwich
1977 QPR 0 Derby 0
1978 QPR 2 Spurs 2 (Bowles, Shanks)
1980 QPR 3 West Ham 0 (Silkman, Curie, Stainrod)
1981 QPR 0 Chelsea 2
1984 QPR 2 Chelsea 2 (Bannister. MCdonald)
1987 QPR 1 Chelsea 1 (Kerslake)
1988 Aston Villa 2 QPR 1 (T. Francis)
1989 QPR 1 Coventry 1 (Falco)
1990 QPR 1 Liverpool 1 (Falco)
1981 QPR 0 Liverpool 0
1994 Crystal Palce 0 QPR 0
1995 Arsenal QPR 0
1996 QPR 3 Norwich 2 (Peacock, Dichio, Mcdermott)
1997 Portsmouth 3 QPR 1 (Sheron)
1998 QPR 2 Norwich 0 (Murray Peacock)
1999 Norwich 2 QPR 1
2000 QPR 2 Norwich 3
2001 QPR 0 Brighton 0
2002 QPR 2 Wycombe 1 (Rose, Gallen)
2003 Notts County 3 QPR 3
2004 Plymouth 2 QPR 1
2005 Brighton 1 QPR 0
2006 Birmingham 2 QPR 1
2007 Plymouth 2 QPR 1 (Ainsworth)
Boxing Day 2008 - Charlton 2 QPR 2QPR: Cerny; Ramage, Connolly, Hall, Gorkss; Alberti (Ephraim 60), Leigertwood, Cook (Ledesma 67), Rowlands; Di Carmine (Helguson 82), Blackstock. Subs (not used): Mahon, Agyemang. - Match Reports and Comments
Boxing Day 2007 - Plymouth 2-1 QPR 1
QPR: Camp, Barker, Bolder, Buzsaky (Blackstock, 78), Ainsworth, Rowlands (Nygaard, 67), Walton, Malcolm, Vine, Rehman, Leigertwood.Subs: Cole, Moore, Kanyuka.
Goals: Ainsworth (19) Bookings: Buzsaky (30), Rowlands (45), Ainsworth (51), Walton (52), Bolder (70), Nygaard (76), Leigertwood (90) - Match Reports and Comments
Boxing Day 2006 Birmingham 2 QPR 1
QPR Royce, Bignot, Mancienne, Rehman, Stewart,Milanese (Rowlands 75), Bircham (Bailey 59), Smith, Cook,Furlong, Blackstock (Ray Jones 81). Subs Not Used: Cole, Ward. Match Reports and Comments
Boxing Day 2004 - Plymouth 2 QPR 1
QPR Day, Bignot, Shittu, Santos, Padula (Edghill 70), Miller (Best 45), Rowlands, Gallen, Cook (Ainsworth 73), Bircham, Furlong. Subs Not Used: Bean, McLeod. Sporting Life
Boxing Day 2002, QPR 2 Wycombe 1
QPR's squad: Chris Day, Clarke Carlisle, Terrell Forbes, Matthew Rose, Richard Langley, Steve Palmer, Brett Angell, Marc Bircham, Lee Cook, Nicky Culkin, Paul Furlong, Kevin Gallen, Daniel Shittu, Andy Thomson
Boxing Day, 1999 Norwich 2 QPR 1
QPR: Miklosko, Breacker, Baraclough, Ward, Darlington, Plummer, Wardley, Langley, Murray (Gallen 89), Steiner, Kiwomya. Subs Not Used: Bankole, Kulcsar, McGovern, Bruce Sent Off: Langley (89). Booked: Langley. Goals: Wardley 40. Sporting Life
Boxing Day, 1997 Portmouth 3 QPR 1- Victory for bottom of the table Portsmouth! QPR: Roberts, Yates, Brazier, Quashie, Ready, Maddix, Spencer (Gallen 74), Peacock, Murray, Sheron, Sinclair. Subs Not Used: Barker, Perry. Goals: Sheron 31. Sporting Life
Boxing Day 1968 - QPR 0 WBA 4
Ron Springett - Harris Keetch Hazell Watson - Keen Hunt R. Morgan - Bridges Clarke Marsh - Allen (sub)
Boxing Day 1967: Plymouth 0 QPR 1
On Boxing Day, 1967, QPR won at Plymouth 1-0 through a Mike Keen penalty.
(Four days later, QPR completed their double, by defeating Plymouth 4-1 at Loftus Road. Rodney Marsh, 2 and Mike Keen 2.)
QPR's team at Plymouth: Springett, Clement Hazell Keetch Harris, Morgan, Keen, Sanderson, Morgan, McGovern, Marsh.
Friday, December 25, 2009
QPR Report Christmas Snippets: Jay Simpson's Make or Break Season...Two Loanees Back at QPR? ...Ex-QPR Birthday
-
- Check out the cutting-edge/continually-updated/football-only, QPR Report Messageboard! (Feel free to check out the recently-created general football newsblog Football Observer)
- QPR REPORT Available on TWITTER!
- Christmas Greetings From Loftus Road
- QPR vs Bristol City: Previews and Flashbacks
- Watford Players Training on Christmas Day
- The View of a Groundsman
- Dress Code at Southend United!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Mirror/James Nursey - Why this season is make or break for Jay Simpson's Arsenal career
-I remember seeing Jay Simpson play for West Brom on loan from Arsenal last season.
- And I thought the young striker had half a chance of making a name for himself on his return to The Emirates.
But now Simpson, 21, finds himself out on loan again - this time at Championship QPR.
And Arsenal are believed to be considering using Simpson as bait in a swap deal for 15-year-old QPR and England schoolboy Raheem Sterling.
- Simpson is a Gunners fan and understandably wants a decent crack at trying to make it with his favourite side.
- It just underlines the dilemma facing youngsters with Premier League clubs as they debate whether to wait for their chance or move to a smaller club to carve out their career.
- Certainly there is a lot of hype about Sterling and I can understand why Arsenal want him.
- But Simpson also played for England at U17, U18 and U19 levels.
- At 13 years of age Simpson was playing Academy football for Arsenal U18s and then went on to write history by becoming the first player at Arsenal to score a hat-trick at the Emirates Stadium in the FA Youth Cup.
- He has not had a Premiership appearance for Arsenal but in his one senior start for the Gunners, he netted two goals against a strong Premier League Wigan side in the Carling Cup.
- The forward, who can also play on either flank, has plenty of experience behind him having been out on loan to Millwall and West Brom previously.
- He was PFA Player of the Year for Coca-Cola League One for 2007/2008 after scoring eight times in 46 games for the Lions as he helped steer them clear from relegation.
- While at West Brom, Simpson started fantastically for the Baggies but never sustained that form as they were bolted to the bottom of the Premier League.
- He had to come to terms with defeat week in, week out but now appears to be thriving at Loftus Road with eights goals in 19 games.
- I recall a young Nicklas Bendtner, who had a loan spell with Birmingham City in the Championship, scoring 13 goals in Brum's promotion season in 2006/2007 and has progressed since.
- Simpson's statistics are almost as good as he is always fit, works extremely hard and has an eye for goal.
- But his current contract expires at the end of next season and I know he wants first team football.
Surely providing Simpson has a decent remainder of season, he will be on his way to playing Premier League football either way.
But we will all have to wait and see if Wenger has Simpson in his plans." Mirror
Oastler & Brown Back at QPR?
Forest Green Rovers v Salisbury City preview Thursday 24th December 2009
- THE frosty conditions provided Salisbury City with a free weekend they could have done without on Saturday.
- Their home game against Tamworth was postponed, denying the Whites the chance to build on their two previous wins, both away from home.
- “The Saturday before Christmas is not renowned for big football crowds, so we weren’t too disappointed in that respect, but the momentum we have gave us cause to look forward to the game,” said manager Tommy Widdrington.
- It also meant that Queens Park Rangers loanees Lee Brown and Joe Oastler were unable to play one last game for City, as their maximum 93-day short-term loan spells came to an end.
- Widdrington’s former Southampton team-mate Jim Magilton lost his job at Loftus Road last week.
“I have to thank Jim Magilton, (assistant) John Gorman and (reserves manager) Keith Ryan for helping us out,” commented Widdrington.
“Lee and Joe are only 19-years-old and still finding their way in the game but whenever they were called upon, they did well.
“Our resources have been further reduced, but hopefully there will be some good news on that soon.”
Both played some part in the reserves’ impressive 2-1 win at Plymouth Argyle last Tuesday. “The staff were ribbing Darrell Clarke because he hadn’t won in charge of the reserves until then, but he was ribbing us back after his first win and it was a comfortable 2-1,” said Widdrington....". Salisbury Journal
Ex-QPR Scott Donnelly Turns 22 -Born December 25, 1987
- In his time at QPR, Donnelly made 13 league appearances (3 full, + 10 as sub). Made his debut as a 16 year old in October 2004, against Preston. Released last year, Donnelly joined Wealdstone. He's currently at Garry Waddock's Aldershot. See also: Wikipedia/Donnelly
What Donnelly Said in February 2007, re his QPR Departure
Scott sets his sights on league comeback - Ben Kosky/Kilburn Times
SCOTT Donnelly is determined to prove John Gregory wrong for booting him out of QPR - despite dropping down five divisions to kick-start his career.
Donnelly, one of eight Rangers players to be axed by Gregory last month, has been tur ning out for Southern League strugglers Wealdstone in recent weeks.
But the midfield playmaker - once rated as the best prospect to emerge from the yo uth set-up at Loftus Road for several years - is confident of returning to the Football League sooner rather than later.
Referring to his exit from QPR, the 19-year-old told the Times: "I saw it coming, to be honest. I'd been training with the youth team and you pick up signs that you're not really wanted.
"No disrespect to John Gregory or Richard Hill, they'd decided on their squad and unfortunately I wasn't in it.
"It's a kick in the teeth, but I've got to be strong enough to get back in there and make them regret releasing me. Hopefully it won't be long and I'll be back, maybe playing against QPR, who knows?
"When D-Day came, I didn't want to go - not only leaving some of the lads and that, also QPR was a good club to be at. But hopefully I've taken a step back to take two steps forward and I want to achieve that soon."
Donnelly was just 16 when he made his first-team debut for Rangers at Preston and had become a regular on the substitutes' bench by the end of Ian Holloway's reign at the club.
The youngster also featured significantly under Gary Waddock - his old youth team boss - but was given just one appearance by Gregory, against Derby last October.
Offloaded in January, Donnelly had a brief trial at Leyton Orient before John O'Brien, formerly QPR's head of recruitment, recommended him to Wealdstone boss Gordon Bartlett.
"I got a phone call from Gordon about a month ago and he asked me if I wanted to come down, play a couple of games and keep myself ticking over until I found something else," said Donnelly.
"I hadn't played for quite a few weeks, so I jumped at the chance and I'm enjoying myself again. It's just around the corner, so it's easy to get to and I'm trying to get back into the swing of playing football regularly."
So far, the midfielder has played five matches in a Stones shirt and, while the hurly-burly of Southern League football often passes him by, there is little doubt that his ability on the ball exceeds any other at this level.
Wealdstone have won four of those five games and Bartlett has made it clear he intends to get as much as he can out of the youngster, describing him as 'a good player with a lovely attitude'.
Donnelly added: "I can't wait to get back into the Football League - this is a stepping stone and the manager knows what I'm here for. He's very understanding of that.
"I'm more motivated now than in the last few weeks I spent at QPR and when something does come along, I'll be fit, ready and raring to go. Kilburn Times
January 2007 - QPR OFFICIAL SITE - DONNELLY DEPARTS
QPR midfielder Scott Donnelly has had his contract terminated by mutual consent.
The 19 year-old - who made just three starts for the R's in all competitions, as well as featuring a further 11 times from the bench - has left the Club with immediate effect.
Another product of the clubs Centre of Excellence, Donnelly signed a professional contract with the Superhoops in December 2005, just days before his 18th birthday.
Donnelly - who has previously represented England at Under-17 level - made nine appearances in total during the 2005/06 campaign.
However, he has failed to make an impact under the guidance of gaffer John Gregory and has today parted company with the Club. QPR
- Check out the cutting-edge/continually-updated/football-only, QPR Report Messageboard! (Feel free to check out the recently-created general football newsblog Football Observer)
- QPR REPORT Available on TWITTER!
- Christmas Greetings From Loftus Road
- QPR vs Bristol City: Previews and Flashbacks
- Watford Players Training on Christmas Day
- The View of a Groundsman
- Dress Code at Southend United!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Mirror/James Nursey - Why this season is make or break for Jay Simpson's Arsenal career
-I remember seeing Jay Simpson play for West Brom on loan from Arsenal last season.
- And I thought the young striker had half a chance of making a name for himself on his return to The Emirates.
But now Simpson, 21, finds himself out on loan again - this time at Championship QPR.
And Arsenal are believed to be considering using Simpson as bait in a swap deal for 15-year-old QPR and England schoolboy Raheem Sterling.
- Simpson is a Gunners fan and understandably wants a decent crack at trying to make it with his favourite side.
- It just underlines the dilemma facing youngsters with Premier League clubs as they debate whether to wait for their chance or move to a smaller club to carve out their career.
- Certainly there is a lot of hype about Sterling and I can understand why Arsenal want him.
- But Simpson also played for England at U17, U18 and U19 levels.
- At 13 years of age Simpson was playing Academy football for Arsenal U18s and then went on to write history by becoming the first player at Arsenal to score a hat-trick at the Emirates Stadium in the FA Youth Cup.
- He has not had a Premiership appearance for Arsenal but in his one senior start for the Gunners, he netted two goals against a strong Premier League Wigan side in the Carling Cup.
- The forward, who can also play on either flank, has plenty of experience behind him having been out on loan to Millwall and West Brom previously.
- He was PFA Player of the Year for Coca-Cola League One for 2007/2008 after scoring eight times in 46 games for the Lions as he helped steer them clear from relegation.
- While at West Brom, Simpson started fantastically for the Baggies but never sustained that form as they were bolted to the bottom of the Premier League.
- He had to come to terms with defeat week in, week out but now appears to be thriving at Loftus Road with eights goals in 19 games.
- I recall a young Nicklas Bendtner, who had a loan spell with Birmingham City in the Championship, scoring 13 goals in Brum's promotion season in 2006/2007 and has progressed since.
- Simpson's statistics are almost as good as he is always fit, works extremely hard and has an eye for goal.
- But his current contract expires at the end of next season and I know he wants first team football.
Surely providing Simpson has a decent remainder of season, he will be on his way to playing Premier League football either way.
But we will all have to wait and see if Wenger has Simpson in his plans." Mirror
Oastler & Brown Back at QPR?
Forest Green Rovers v Salisbury City preview Thursday 24th December 2009
- THE frosty conditions provided Salisbury City with a free weekend they could have done without on Saturday.
- Their home game against Tamworth was postponed, denying the Whites the chance to build on their two previous wins, both away from home.
- “The Saturday before Christmas is not renowned for big football crowds, so we weren’t too disappointed in that respect, but the momentum we have gave us cause to look forward to the game,” said manager Tommy Widdrington.
- It also meant that Queens Park Rangers loanees Lee Brown and Joe Oastler were unable to play one last game for City, as their maximum 93-day short-term loan spells came to an end.
- Widdrington’s former Southampton team-mate Jim Magilton lost his job at Loftus Road last week.
“I have to thank Jim Magilton, (assistant) John Gorman and (reserves manager) Keith Ryan for helping us out,” commented Widdrington.
“Lee and Joe are only 19-years-old and still finding their way in the game but whenever they were called upon, they did well.
“Our resources have been further reduced, but hopefully there will be some good news on that soon.”
Both played some part in the reserves’ impressive 2-1 win at Plymouth Argyle last Tuesday. “The staff were ribbing Darrell Clarke because he hadn’t won in charge of the reserves until then, but he was ribbing us back after his first win and it was a comfortable 2-1,” said Widdrington....". Salisbury Journal
Ex-QPR Scott Donnelly Turns 22 -Born December 25, 1987
- In his time at QPR, Donnelly made 13 league appearances (3 full, + 10 as sub). Made his debut as a 16 year old in October 2004, against Preston. Released last year, Donnelly joined Wealdstone. He's currently at Garry Waddock's Aldershot. See also: Wikipedia/Donnelly
What Donnelly Said in February 2007, re his QPR Departure
Scott sets his sights on league comeback - Ben Kosky/Kilburn Times
SCOTT Donnelly is determined to prove John Gregory wrong for booting him out of QPR - despite dropping down five divisions to kick-start his career.
Donnelly, one of eight Rangers players to be axed by Gregory last month, has been tur ning out for Southern League strugglers Wealdstone in recent weeks.
But the midfield playmaker - once rated as the best prospect to emerge from the yo uth set-up at Loftus Road for several years - is confident of returning to the Football League sooner rather than later.
Referring to his exit from QPR, the 19-year-old told the Times: "I saw it coming, to be honest. I'd been training with the youth team and you pick up signs that you're not really wanted.
"No disrespect to John Gregory or Richard Hill, they'd decided on their squad and unfortunately I wasn't in it.
"It's a kick in the teeth, but I've got to be strong enough to get back in there and make them regret releasing me. Hopefully it won't be long and I'll be back, maybe playing against QPR, who knows?
"When D-Day came, I didn't want to go - not only leaving some of the lads and that, also QPR was a good club to be at. But hopefully I've taken a step back to take two steps forward and I want to achieve that soon."
Donnelly was just 16 when he made his first-team debut for Rangers at Preston and had become a regular on the substitutes' bench by the end of Ian Holloway's reign at the club.
The youngster also featured significantly under Gary Waddock - his old youth team boss - but was given just one appearance by Gregory, against Derby last October.
Offloaded in January, Donnelly had a brief trial at Leyton Orient before John O'Brien, formerly QPR's head of recruitment, recommended him to Wealdstone boss Gordon Bartlett.
"I got a phone call from Gordon about a month ago and he asked me if I wanted to come down, play a couple of games and keep myself ticking over until I found something else," said Donnelly.
"I hadn't played for quite a few weeks, so I jumped at the chance and I'm enjoying myself again. It's just around the corner, so it's easy to get to and I'm trying to get back into the swing of playing football regularly."
So far, the midfielder has played five matches in a Stones shirt and, while the hurly-burly of Southern League football often passes him by, there is little doubt that his ability on the ball exceeds any other at this level.
Wealdstone have won four of those five games and Bartlett has made it clear he intends to get as much as he can out of the youngster, describing him as 'a good player with a lovely attitude'.
Donnelly added: "I can't wait to get back into the Football League - this is a stepping stone and the manager knows what I'm here for. He's very understanding of that.
"I'm more motivated now than in the last few weeks I spent at QPR and when something does come along, I'll be fit, ready and raring to go. Kilburn Times
January 2007 - QPR OFFICIAL SITE - DONNELLY DEPARTS
QPR midfielder Scott Donnelly has had his contract terminated by mutual consent.
The 19 year-old - who made just three starts for the R's in all competitions, as well as featuring a further 11 times from the bench - has left the Club with immediate effect.
Another product of the clubs Centre of Excellence, Donnelly signed a professional contract with the Superhoops in December 2005, just days before his 18th birthday.
Donnelly - who has previously represented England at Under-17 level - made nine appearances in total during the 2005/06 campaign.
However, he has failed to make an impact under the guidance of gaffer John Gregory and has today parted company with the Club. QPR
Christmas Greetings From Loftus Road
-
- Check out the cutting-edge/continually-updated/football-only, QPR Report Messageboard! (Feel free to check out the recently-created general football newsblog Football Observer)
- QPR REPORT Available on TWITTER!
- Watford Players Training on Christmas Day
- Dress Code at Southend United!
QPR Official Site - HAPPY CHRISTMAS! Fri 25 Dec 2009
- The Board, coaching staff, players and everyone at Queens Park Rangers Football Club wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year, with many thanks for your continued and outstanding support.
Come on you R's! QPR
PAST PHOTOS
PAST QPR Christmas Greetings
QPR Official Site - December 25, 2008 - HAPPY CHRISTMAS!
Dear Supporter,
We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy Christmas and a fun-filled New Year.
Your support over the last 12 months has been incredible and we - the Board, management staff and players alike - are all eternally grateful.
2009 has the potential to be a very special year for the Club and with your on-going support, we can achieve our goals and objectives.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
QPR Board of Directors
December 25, 2007 - QPR Official Site - HAPPY CHRISTMAS!
-Dear Supporter,
- We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy Christmas and a fun-filled New Year.
- Your support over the last 12 months has been exceptional and each and every one of you has played a part in both the 2006/07 and 2007/08 Coca Cola Championship campaigns.
- Your fanatical support in these difficult times is much appreciated, and rest assured, we will be doing everything within our powers to strengthen the squad in the January transfer window, as we attempt to pull ourselves clear of the relegation zone in the Championship.
- The new investors are determined to bring the glory days back to W12 and with your continued support; we firmly believe we can achieve our goals.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
QPR Board of Directors
Christmas Greetings 2006 - QPR Official Site - December 25, 2006 - QPR RESPONSE TO DAILY EXPRESS
- QPR Official Site: Official Club statement by Antonio Caliendo and Gianni Paladini.
- We owe it to QPR fans to respond to the allegations made in the Daily Express on Saturday in an article entitled "Are Rangers Going bust?"
- The article was misleading in many respects and we can assure our many supporters that there is no possibility of QPR going bust whilst we remain on board.
- We have seen too many attacks on QPR in the press that simply don't reflect the reality of today's situation. It seems there is always someone who wants to discredit our club.
- Our goal remains the same as always: to take QPR to the highest position in English football. Despite injuries and recent results, we believe John Gregory will be able to take QPR back to the position it was in when he played for the Club.
We accept that talk is cheap. Actions speak louder than words. We will only ever prove our critics wrong by taking the Club forward, and we are 100 per-cent committed to continuing with that.
- Finally, we would also like to take this opportunity to wish all of the staff and fans of QPR a very happy Christmas and a successful New Year.
Antonio Caliendo - Chairman of QPR Holdings
Gianni Paladini - Chairman of QPR FC QPR Official Site QPR
QPR Official Site - Christmas 2005 - HAPPY CHRISTMAS
QPR/Snow Photo
- Everyone at QPR would like to wish our fans a very happy Christmas and we would like to thank you for your support in 2005. QPR
QPR Official Site - Christmas 2004 - MERRY CHRISTMAS From Bill Power
- On behalf of everybody at the club I would like to take this opportunity to thank you, the finest fans in the land, for your amazing continued support.
- We are only half way through the season so we still have a long way to go but with you all there alongside Ollie and the team, I am certain the best of this season is yet to come.
- There is no need to ask what you all want for Christmas and hope for in the new year and I am just as sure that Ollie and the lads will do their best to give you all what you wish for.
- Thank you again and Merry Christmas from Kevin, Antonio, Carlos and Gianni.
And my very best wishes to you all. Bill
QPR Official Site - 2004 MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Rangers manager Ian Holloway offers his own very special Christmas message to all QPR fans.
It's been quite a year for the club and at this time of reflection, Ollie speaks to Rangers fans everywhere.
To listen to or watch Ollie's message, simply click on one of the icons below.
In the meantime though, and on behalf of everyone at Loftus Road, qpr.co.uk would also like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year.
QPR Christmas 2002 - MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY
Merry Christmas to you all from everyone at QPR! We hope you have a wonderful day and we look forward to seeing you at Loftus Road tomorrow for the Boxing Day clash with Wycombe. Kick off is at Midday.
In the meantime, you can download a QPR Christmas greeting by right-clicking on the icon below and then 'save target as'.
Christmas 1999 - GERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS
WITH the Rangers team training over the Christmas period, Gerry Francis has a special seasonal greeting for all our supporters.
- Gerry says:" The team have worked very, very hard this year. There's been a great improvement and we are in a reasonable position in the league.
"I hope the fans have a tremendous Christmas because they deserve it for the support they've given me. Also I hope we get a bit of luck in there with all these injury problems that we're having. It's been a bit frustrating, having started the season so well and now knowing that I've got some very good players that are not available for selection.
- "So well done the supporters, well done the players. Hopefully we can have a good Christmas and a Happy New Year."
- Team news for Sunday - Steiner(groin) and Baraclough(virus) will hope to shake off the problems that kept them out of the win at Torquay. Loan signing Darran Ward comes back into contention after being ineligible for the FA Cup. Rangers still have nine first team players out injured.
Christmas 1998 QPR Official Site - CHRIS' CHRISTMAS CHEER
RANGERS chairman Chris Wright has a special seasonal message to the supporters.
He says: "I would like to wish all of our wonderful fans a great Christmas. Enjoy your Christmas Day and get to the ground early on Boxing Day - it’s a 12 noon kick-off as everyone knows. So let’s get some atmosphere going for the Norwich game."
"I’m sure we’ll get a bumper crowd. And the best Christmas present will hopefully be three points on Boxing Day. That’s certainly the Christmas present that I want most! Hopefully the lads on the pitch will be able to deliver it for me."
Christmas 1998 -MERRY GERRY FRANCIS
RANGERS boss Gerry Francis extends Christmas greetings via the internet to supporters around the globe.
Gerry says: "I’d like to wish Rangers fans all over the world a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year."
"I thank you for your great support, especially since I’ve been back. You’ve got behind the team and the players have responded."
"We need to keep that going and certainly it’s going to be very important that we get as many points as we can over the Christmas period. With the crowd behind us, it helps the players and it helps me."
"So, have a lovely Christmas, we’ll see you all the Norwich game on Boxing Day and let’s hope we get the three points."
Team news for Rangers' clash with Norwich at Loftus Road on Boxing Day:
Lee Harper is ruled out with flu, but overall Rangers expect to be unchanged"
-
- Check out the cutting-edge/continually-updated/football-only, QPR Report Messageboard! (Feel free to check out the recently-created general football newsblog Football Observer)
- QPR REPORT Available on TWITTER!
- Watford Players Training on Christmas Day
- Dress Code at Southend United!
QPR Official Site - HAPPY CHRISTMAS! Fri 25 Dec 2009
- The Board, coaching staff, players and everyone at Queens Park Rangers Football Club wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year, with many thanks for your continued and outstanding support.
Come on you R's! QPR
PAST PHOTOS
PAST QPR Christmas Greetings
QPR Official Site - December 25, 2008 - HAPPY CHRISTMAS!
Dear Supporter,
We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy Christmas and a fun-filled New Year.
Your support over the last 12 months has been incredible and we - the Board, management staff and players alike - are all eternally grateful.
2009 has the potential to be a very special year for the Club and with your on-going support, we can achieve our goals and objectives.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
QPR Board of Directors
December 25, 2007 - QPR Official Site - HAPPY CHRISTMAS!
-Dear Supporter,
- We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy Christmas and a fun-filled New Year.
- Your support over the last 12 months has been exceptional and each and every one of you has played a part in both the 2006/07 and 2007/08 Coca Cola Championship campaigns.
- Your fanatical support in these difficult times is much appreciated, and rest assured, we will be doing everything within our powers to strengthen the squad in the January transfer window, as we attempt to pull ourselves clear of the relegation zone in the Championship.
- The new investors are determined to bring the glory days back to W12 and with your continued support; we firmly believe we can achieve our goals.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
QPR Board of Directors
Christmas Greetings 2006 - QPR Official Site - December 25, 2006 - QPR RESPONSE TO DAILY EXPRESS
- QPR Official Site: Official Club statement by Antonio Caliendo and Gianni Paladini.
- We owe it to QPR fans to respond to the allegations made in the Daily Express on Saturday in an article entitled "Are Rangers Going bust?"
- The article was misleading in many respects and we can assure our many supporters that there is no possibility of QPR going bust whilst we remain on board.
- We have seen too many attacks on QPR in the press that simply don't reflect the reality of today's situation. It seems there is always someone who wants to discredit our club.
- Our goal remains the same as always: to take QPR to the highest position in English football. Despite injuries and recent results, we believe John Gregory will be able to take QPR back to the position it was in when he played for the Club.
We accept that talk is cheap. Actions speak louder than words. We will only ever prove our critics wrong by taking the Club forward, and we are 100 per-cent committed to continuing with that.
- Finally, we would also like to take this opportunity to wish all of the staff and fans of QPR a very happy Christmas and a successful New Year.
Antonio Caliendo - Chairman of QPR Holdings
Gianni Paladini - Chairman of QPR FC QPR Official Site QPR
QPR Official Site - Christmas 2005 - HAPPY CHRISTMAS
QPR/Snow Photo
- Everyone at QPR would like to wish our fans a very happy Christmas and we would like to thank you for your support in 2005. QPR
QPR Official Site - Christmas 2004 - MERRY CHRISTMAS From Bill Power
- On behalf of everybody at the club I would like to take this opportunity to thank you, the finest fans in the land, for your amazing continued support.
- We are only half way through the season so we still have a long way to go but with you all there alongside Ollie and the team, I am certain the best of this season is yet to come.
- There is no need to ask what you all want for Christmas and hope for in the new year and I am just as sure that Ollie and the lads will do their best to give you all what you wish for.
- Thank you again and Merry Christmas from Kevin, Antonio, Carlos and Gianni.
And my very best wishes to you all. Bill
QPR Official Site - 2004 MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Rangers manager Ian Holloway offers his own very special Christmas message to all QPR fans.
It's been quite a year for the club and at this time of reflection, Ollie speaks to Rangers fans everywhere.
To listen to or watch Ollie's message, simply click on one of the icons below.
In the meantime though, and on behalf of everyone at Loftus Road, qpr.co.uk would also like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year.
QPR Christmas 2002 - MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY
Merry Christmas to you all from everyone at QPR! We hope you have a wonderful day and we look forward to seeing you at Loftus Road tomorrow for the Boxing Day clash with Wycombe. Kick off is at Midday.
In the meantime, you can download a QPR Christmas greeting by right-clicking on the icon below and then 'save target as'.
Christmas 1999 - GERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS
WITH the Rangers team training over the Christmas period, Gerry Francis has a special seasonal greeting for all our supporters.
- Gerry says:" The team have worked very, very hard this year. There's been a great improvement and we are in a reasonable position in the league.
"I hope the fans have a tremendous Christmas because they deserve it for the support they've given me. Also I hope we get a bit of luck in there with all these injury problems that we're having. It's been a bit frustrating, having started the season so well and now knowing that I've got some very good players that are not available for selection.
- "So well done the supporters, well done the players. Hopefully we can have a good Christmas and a Happy New Year."
- Team news for Sunday - Steiner(groin) and Baraclough(virus) will hope to shake off the problems that kept them out of the win at Torquay. Loan signing Darran Ward comes back into contention after being ineligible for the FA Cup. Rangers still have nine first team players out injured.
Christmas 1998 QPR Official Site - CHRIS' CHRISTMAS CHEER
RANGERS chairman Chris Wright has a special seasonal message to the supporters.
He says: "I would like to wish all of our wonderful fans a great Christmas. Enjoy your Christmas Day and get to the ground early on Boxing Day - it’s a 12 noon kick-off as everyone knows. So let’s get some atmosphere going for the Norwich game."
"I’m sure we’ll get a bumper crowd. And the best Christmas present will hopefully be three points on Boxing Day. That’s certainly the Christmas present that I want most! Hopefully the lads on the pitch will be able to deliver it for me."
Christmas 1998 -MERRY GERRY FRANCIS
RANGERS boss Gerry Francis extends Christmas greetings via the internet to supporters around the globe.
Gerry says: "I’d like to wish Rangers fans all over the world a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year."
"I thank you for your great support, especially since I’ve been back. You’ve got behind the team and the players have responded."
"We need to keep that going and certainly it’s going to be very important that we get as many points as we can over the Christmas period. With the crowd behind us, it helps the players and it helps me."
"So, have a lovely Christmas, we’ll see you all the Norwich game on Boxing Day and let’s hope we get the three points."
Team news for Rangers' clash with Norwich at Loftus Road on Boxing Day:
Lee Harper is ruled out with flu, but overall Rangers expect to be unchanged"
-
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Congolese Player to Trial at QPR?...Reid's Blackburn Return Confirmed
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- For a combination of cutting-edge, continually-updated, QPR-related news and also a broader football focus: Visit (and feel to post!) the QPR Report Messageboard!
- QPR REPORT Available on TWITTER!
- Reid Has Returned to Blackburn
- Watford Players Training on Christmas Day
- Impact of and changes caused by Money in Football Over Past Decade
- Portsmouth Debt Crisis/Selling Players
- Bristol City at Loftus Road on Boxing Day
Lancashire Telegraph: Bongo Christ for QPR?
- "Congolese striker Bongo Christ, who plays for Angolan outfit Sporting Cabinda, is set for a trial spell at Queens Park Rangers." Lancashire Telegraph
- WIkipedia Profile of Bongo Christ
Update re Reid's Blackburn Return
Blackburn Official Site - Reid back at Rovers
- Midfielder Steven Reid is back at Blackburn Rovers after his loan spell with Queens Park Rangers ended at the weekend.
- The Republic of Ireland international went to the Championship club in a bid to get some important match action under his belt, but a combination of knee and hamstring injuries meant that the 28-year-old was limited to just one start and one substitute appearance for the London club.
- It was initially thought that Reid may extend his loan deal with QPR in January, but with a change of manager at Loftus Road that now doesn't look like it will be the case.
- "Steven Reid is on his way back to us now," revealed Allardyce.
- "His loan deal hasn't been extended apparently so Steven will be back with us.
- "So hopefully he won't pick up the sort of niggling injuries he did when he was at Queens Park Rangers."
- Other players who have seen their loan deals end are Zurab Khizanishvili and Keith Treacy. Whilst Alan Judge and Mark Bunn's loan deals currently end at the end of this month. Blackburn Official Site
- For a combination of cutting-edge, continually-updated, QPR-related news and also a broader football focus: Visit (and feel to post!) the QPR Report Messageboard!
- QPR REPORT Available on TWITTER!
- Reid Has Returned to Blackburn
- Watford Players Training on Christmas Day
- Impact of and changes caused by Money in Football Over Past Decade
- Portsmouth Debt Crisis/Selling Players
- Bristol City at Loftus Road on Boxing Day
Lancashire Telegraph: Bongo Christ for QPR?
- "Congolese striker Bongo Christ, who plays for Angolan outfit Sporting Cabinda, is set for a trial spell at Queens Park Rangers." Lancashire Telegraph
- WIkipedia Profile of Bongo Christ
Update re Reid's Blackburn Return
Blackburn Official Site - Reid back at Rovers
- Midfielder Steven Reid is back at Blackburn Rovers after his loan spell with Queens Park Rangers ended at the weekend.
- The Republic of Ireland international went to the Championship club in a bid to get some important match action under his belt, but a combination of knee and hamstring injuries meant that the 28-year-old was limited to just one start and one substitute appearance for the London club.
- It was initially thought that Reid may extend his loan deal with QPR in January, but with a change of manager at Loftus Road that now doesn't look like it will be the case.
- "Steven Reid is on his way back to us now," revealed Allardyce.
- "His loan deal hasn't been extended apparently so Steven will be back with us.
- "So hopefully he won't pick up the sort of niggling injuries he did when he was at Queens Park Rangers."
- Other players who have seen their loan deals end are Zurab Khizanishvili and Keith Treacy. Whilst Alan Judge and Mark Bunn's loan deals currently end at the end of this month. Blackburn Official Site
QPR Report Christmas Eve: Reid's Return...Williams' Wait...Bowles and Bedford's Birthdays...Players' Hospital Visit
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- For a combination of cutting-edge, continually-updated, QPR-related news and also a broader football focus: Visit (and feel to post!) the QPR Report Messageboard!
- QPR REPORT Available on TWITTER!
- Reid Returns to Blackburn
- Impact of and changes caused by Money in Football Over Past Decade
- Portsmouth Debt Crisis/Selling Players
- Bristol City at Loftus Road on Boxing Day
- Nice Southampton Gesture to Fans
QPR Official Site - R'S SPREAD CHRISTMAS CHEER
- The R's First Team squad were on hand to spread some much-needed Christmas cheer to patients at the St Mary's Hospital in Paddington earlier this week.
- R's Club Captain Martin Rowlands and his team-mates spent a couple of hours visiting a number of wards throughout the hospital, including those seriously ill patients awaiting bone marrow transplants.
- Each patient received a number of gifts, ranging from footballs and mouse pads, to hats and scarves.
- Rowlands told www.qpr.co.uk: "It was a humbling experience meeting all the young children who were in the hospital.
- "It really puts things in to perspective, especially at this time of year when everyone is gearing up for the festive period.
- "It was great to see the smiles on the kid's faces and hopefully our visit will help to make their Christmas that little bit better." QPR
- Hospital Viist Photos
Mail - Leo's London - Raheem Sterling
"...Raheem Sterling may have to wait to make his QPR debut after all.
The teenager who celebrated his 15th birthday two weeks’ ago was supposed to be fast-tracked into the first team as part of the club’s plan to convince him to stay.
But the clock is ticking on his chance to break the Football League record as its all-time youngest player after yet another change of regime at Loftus Road.
Reuben Noble-Lazarus is the kid to beat after making his Barnsley debut aged 15 years and 45 days near the beginning of last season. Yet new manager Paul Hart - one of Rangers’ more sensible choices of manager - has got enough on his plate without that too.
Poor weather has disrupted his initial training programme and he has not even seen Sterling in action yet.
Given that Hart only has a contract until the end of the season and is under pressure to deliver at least a play-off place, he could be forgiven if the youngster’s future was not top of his agenda. Mail
- Two Rangers Heroes from different eras: Stan Bowles and Brian Bedford Stan Bowles turns sixty-one. Brian Bedford turns seventy-Six
Stan Bowles, turns Sixty-One: Born December 24, 1948...
Stan Bowles in Photos - Brief Bowles video snippets : -- Stan Bowles couple of seconds.......Bowles invovlement in 1975 Goal of the season......(and as posted yesterday)1977 Video of QPR (with Don Givens, Stan Bowles and Leighton James at home to Manchester United [Additional Bowles video clips welcome!)
It's almost thirty years since Stan Bowles played his last professional game for QPR, and still the memories linger on. The man who, in the eye of fans, superceeded Rodney Marsh as THE greatest at QPR! (Last year, supporters of every club were asked to pick their all time favourite player for their club. QPR fans selected Stan Bowles. (So did Brentford fans!)
Say QPR and #10 and the shirt belongs to either Marsh or Bowles....
For anyone old enough to remember the early 1970s: The despair at QPR/The End of the World: When Rodney left QPR in March 1972....And then six months later, the signing of Bowles joining (an already rampant) QPR under Gordon Jago...
Bowles made his QPR debut versus Nottingham Forest - September 16, 1972 after QPR paid a record transfer fee of 110,000 pounds.....Made the first; scored the second
Gordon Jago signed Forward/Midfielder Stan Bowles for QPR in September 1972 paying Carlisle 110,000 pounds (a then-record for QPR). Bowles played 250+ games scoring 70 league goals. Tommy Docherty sold him to Nottingham Forest in December 1979 for 250,000 pounds.
Bowles helped QPR to promotion in his first season and of course was an integral part of the 1975/76 "Championship" Side.
The only question for QPR fans is who was QPR's greatest-ever: Stan Bowles or Rodney Marsh...
Recent fan surveys give that title to Bowles. In a recent PFA Poll of fans, fans of each club were asked to vote for the best player in their club's history. For QPR fans, the vote went to Stan Bowles. (For Brentford fans, the vote went to...Stan Bowles!)
September 1972: Bowles Joins QPR
Bowles made his debut at home to (pre-Brian Clough's) Nottingham Forest, September 16, 1972, two or three days after signing from Carlisle for a club-record 110,000 pounds. Bowles, wearing from that very first game, HIS #10 shirt. Within an hour, he had made the first goal for Don Givens...and scored the second...as Gordon Jago's QPR won 3-0 (Andy McCulloch getting the third). And QPR, of course, went on to promotion.
QPR's team that day. Parkes
Clement Evans Hazell Watson
Venables Francis Busby
Givens Bowles Mcculloch
Sub: Salvage
From Bowles' autobiography "Stan The Man"
"I was 23 years old when I joined Queens Park Rangers in September 1972, for a then club record fee of 112,000 pounds...
"Rodney had made the No. 10 shirt his own, and, since he moved, no one wanted to tough the thing....The shirt thing didn't seem a big deal to me. I hadn't really heard of Rodney Marsh. So I just shrugged and said: "If no one wants it, I'll wear it."...
"...[A]s luck would have it, I scored one and made another for Don Givens in my first game - against Nottingham Forest on September 16th, 1972. We won 3-0, and the fans seemed to take to my style of play; which, to them, was a bit like Rodney's"(Stan The Man, page 33)
- Seven Years later, Bowles finally left QPR - ironically for Nottingham Forest (by then managed by Brian Clough).
25 October 2007 - Bowle-r hat: Stan Bowles’s England cap is going under the hammer
THE first England cap won by one of Carlisle United’s most colourful and talented players is expected to fetch up to £6,000 when it is auctioned next week.
The light green velvet cap was awarded to Stan Bowles when he made his debut for England against Portugal in Lisbon on April 3, 1974, not long after leaving Brunton Park. It will be auctioned at Bonhams in Chester next Wednesday.
The signing of Stan Bowles, from Crewe for £14,000 in October 1971, was one of the best bits of business in Carlisle United’s history.
For less than a year later,in September 1972, Carlisle sold him to Queens Park Rangers for £112,000.
Carlisle needed someone who could score goals after selling prolific striker Bob Hatton – 38 goals in 93 league appearances – to Birmingham for £90,000. So manager Ian Macfarlane swiftly moved for Bowles, who made his debut for Carlisle, alongside John Gorman,Stan Ternent and Chris Balderstone, in the 2-1 win against Oxford United at Brunton Park on October 30, 1971.
He went on to become Carlisle’s joint top scorer that season.
At QPR, Bowles scored 71 goals in 255 league appearances and became a legend. In 2004, QPR fans affectionately voted him the club’s greatest ever player.
It was at Manchester City that Bowles started gambling and it was an addiction that nearly wrecked his promising football career before it really started.
Bowles admitted: “I’ve never tried to stop the gambling.It’s part of me and has been pretty much all of my adult life.I was an apprentice at City earning £7 a week,but I’d run the bets across the town for a Manchester gang, from pub to pub, when it was illegal to do that. I was earning more doing that than I was from football.That’s how I got myself into trouble at City, because I wasn’t turning up for training.”
One of the final straws was when he failed to turn up at Manchester airport to join City team-mates as they set off for a friendly against Ajax in Holland. He claimed later that he had over-slept.
Years later he admitted : “I had everything going for me and tossed it out of the window.”
He became a friend of George Best, who starred for City’s arch rivals, Manchester United. Bowles said : “I used to enjoy a drink with George Best.
“He was telling me one day about the statue of him they had put in Belfast. I told him there was one of me outside Ladbrokes.”
During his career Bowles frequently clashed with authority and fell out with several managers, including Malcolm Allison, Brian Clough and Tommy Docherty.
Stan Bowles won five England caps, but his fans think he should have won more...
News and Star
See Also:
- Bowles
- Bowles Record II
- Bowles England Profile
- See: Dave's Queens Park Rangers - Bowles
See Bowles QPR Cult Hero BBC-Bowles
- Bowles Book Reviewed - WSC - Bowles
- Bowles -Wikipedia
- Profiled as an ex-Crewe Player - Bowles
RIAN VINER INTERVIEWS - Stan Bowles: 'Clough, Brooking, Eriksson Brian Viner, The Independent, October 13, 2005
BRIAN BEDFORD TURNS Seventy-Six
- Stan Bowles rightly receives much attention as the QPR hero born on Christmas Eve. But there is another great QPR hero also born on that day: Brian Bedford. Bedford Born December 24, 1933.
In 250+ league games for QPR, between 1959 and 1965 (all in the old Third Division) with Alec Stock as manager, Bedford scored 160+ goals. Joined QPR from Bournemouth in 1959. Went to Scunthorpe in September 1965 (Six months before Rodney Marsh arrived at Loftus Road)
1959-60 25 goals
1960-61 33 goals
1961-62 34 goals
1962-63 23 goals
1963-64 23 goals
1964-65 23 goals
1965-66 1 goal
QPR Official Site - BLAST FROM THE PAST - Brian Bedford
-In our latest instalment of exclusive past player interviews on www.qpr.co.uk, former R's front-man Brian Bedford comes under the spotlight.
Brian Bedford (1959-1965)
- Dexter Blackstock had a fantastic campaign for Queens Park Rangers in 2006/07, notching 14 goals; and Patrick Agyemang has made an immediate goalscoring impact since his January transfer from Preston North End.
But what would be the modern day value of a striker who was guaranteed to score a minimum of 25 goals for the R's every year? One such player from the past was Brian Bedford.
In his six full seasons at Loftus Road, Bedford scored a grand total of 180 goals. His lowest tally was 25 in 1963/64. His highest was a staggering 39 in 1961/62, thereby equalling George Goddard's record from 1929/30 for the all-time QPR record of League and Cup goals scored by one player in a season.
Bedford was born in Wales and joined Rangers from Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic in July 1959. He remembers the transfer with some amusement.
"When I signed for QPR, Alec Stock had just been named as the new Manager," said Bedford.
"I travelled up to West London to be interviewed by the Club and Alec said 'You'll score 30 goals a year for me son!' Just like that! So I said 'You're joking?' as my record down at Bournemouth was something like 32 goals over three years. But Alec said 'Yes you will!' And he wasn't far wrong, was he?"
Stock's all-out attacking policy was really beneficial for the strikers at Rangers and Bedford was happy to rattle home goals by the truckload.
"Alec played a big part in my goalscoring. We used to play with those old fashioned players called wingers. We always seemed to get good wide men at the Club like Mark Lazarus who could provide excellent crosses. So I was the benefactor of that.
"Then we would have one inside-forward who dropped deep. I was the inside-right and I would play up front alongside the centre-forward.
"Bernie Evans was my strike partner in my first few years at Rangers. He was a big, strong boy who was pretty useful in the air. So it was just sort of...BANG...flick on...run on...BANG...GOAL...and that's it! Very simple stuff.
"I was a very direct and hard-running player. I could hit the ball with both feet and I was good with my headers.
"I've still got the pen, plaque and two trophies that the QPR Supporters' Club presented me with for my goals in the 1961/62 season. I got six hat-tricks that year, including four in a game against Southend United.
"I recall that the top wage in the Third Division - which Rangers were in at the time - was about £35 to £40 a week. Ridiculous really! But it was still much better than the average working man's salary. Not only that, as far as I was concerned I was getting paid for something I loved doing. That was a big thing for me.
"There was certainly much more emphasis on attacking football in those days than there is today. A lot of teams nowadays play with just one lone striker, which I think is ludicrous. I call it 'dinosaur football.'
"When I see one man up front on his own, I feel so sorry for him, because he is on a hiding to nothing and it is not good entertainment for the fans."
After his great goalscoring adventures, Bedford eventually left Rangers to sign for Scunthorpe United in September 1965. It was a time of great change at Loftus Road.
"Jim Gregory was appointed as Chairman of QPR and he started pouring some money in with new players being signed. Unfortunately, I was just starting to go a little bit over the hill as far as age was concerned. I was nearly 32 years old then. The Club had to offload some of the playing staff and I was one of them, I'm afraid.
"I had six very happy seasons at Rangers. Then they transferred me to that Godforsaken place called Scunthorpe! I don't think Alec Stock wanted me to sign for any other London team or any nearby club in case I embarrassed him.
"It was very sad. I didn't like leaving Loftus Road. But you have to move on don't you? That's life."
Following spells with Scunthorpe United and then Brentford, Brian Bedford's football career started to wind down - but he continued to work in the sporting environment after hanging up his boots.
"In 1967, I went over to America to sign for a soccer team called Atlanta Chiefs. While I was out there, I started playing tennis. We had outdoor courts that were floodlit so we used to play well into the evening.
"I became a little bit addicted as I knew my time in football was more-or-less over. So when I returned to the United Kingdom, I became a professional tennis coach. I did it until my knees gave out and so I retired from that.
"Then I returned to QPR as Stadium Manager in the late 1980's for five years. It was a bit archaic compared to what they have at the Club now. There was only me running the whole ground to begin with, although eventually I managed to get a plumber to help out as the place was falling apart!
"I can remember one year when we had a very severe frost. Rangers were due to play Southampton on the Saturday and there were problems everywhere around the stadium. Most of the toilets were leaking and the overhead pipes were burst. So we stayed until four o'clock in the morning before the game repairing everything! We didn't get much money for it, but there you are."
Brian Bedford is now 73 and lives just outside Cardiff. He keeps himself busy on the local golf courses and continues to watch out for all of the R's results.
"I'm a golfing fanatic! But unfortunately, I'm having a lot of trouble with my legs at the moment so I am going to have to buy myself a buggy.
"It is hardly surprising when you consider the amount of strain I have put on my body over the years. One doctor said to me 'This is pay-back time!' It is poor circulation I think.
"I still follow football and the first score I always look for is QPR. I wish the Club well, I really do. They were really good times for me at Loftus Road - the best days of my life actually." QPR
- See Also
- Dave's QPR Site - Brian Bedford
- QPR Net Interview with Brian Bedford - QPR Net/Bedford
- See Wikipedia - Bedford
- Article Examining Impact of Managerial Changes (Bottom Line: Rarely Improves Results)
- Sepp Blatter Beats Out Bernie Ecclestone and Others
- The Worldwide of Football: "...Players and managers, whose income and lifestyle now placed them in a different world from the fans, came to be seen as fickle mercenaries whose relationship with the club was contractual and transitory. Directors and officials were venal, corrupt or both and clearly inadequate custodians of club identity. Only the fans were faithful to the colours..." [From "The Ball is Round: A Global History of Soccer" By David Goldblatt, page 803 talking about football ('soccer" in Argentina during the 1990s)]
- Nominate Your Sports Fan of The Year
- Home Office Report: STATISTICS ON FOOTBALL-RELATED ARRESTS & BANNING ORDERS SEASON 2008-09 -
QPR-related figures (QPR: 33 total arrests).
33 Total Arrests: 11 made at Home Matches - 22 Made at Away Matches
- 4 Violent Disorder - 16 Public Disorder - 3 Pitch Incursion - 8 Alcohol Offences
2 Possesion of Offensive Weapons
[Kudos to Charlton, Watford and Reading for having the least arrests in the Championship. And to Yeovil for having absolutely no arrests. Among the worst clubs last season in the Championship: Cardiff! Then, The two Sheffield Clubs, Birmingham, Nott F & Derby & Swansea, Bristol C Burnley, Wolves]
- Past Chistmas Greetings From The Club
- For a combination of cutting-edge, continually-updated, QPR-related news and also a broader football focus: Visit (and feel to post!) the QPR Report Messageboard!
- QPR REPORT Available on TWITTER!
- Reid Returns to Blackburn
- Impact of and changes caused by Money in Football Over Past Decade
- Portsmouth Debt Crisis/Selling Players
- Bristol City at Loftus Road on Boxing Day
- Nice Southampton Gesture to Fans
QPR Official Site - R'S SPREAD CHRISTMAS CHEER
- The R's First Team squad were on hand to spread some much-needed Christmas cheer to patients at the St Mary's Hospital in Paddington earlier this week.
- R's Club Captain Martin Rowlands and his team-mates spent a couple of hours visiting a number of wards throughout the hospital, including those seriously ill patients awaiting bone marrow transplants.
- Each patient received a number of gifts, ranging from footballs and mouse pads, to hats and scarves.
- Rowlands told www.qpr.co.uk: "It was a humbling experience meeting all the young children who were in the hospital.
- "It really puts things in to perspective, especially at this time of year when everyone is gearing up for the festive period.
- "It was great to see the smiles on the kid's faces and hopefully our visit will help to make their Christmas that little bit better." QPR
- Hospital Viist Photos
Mail - Leo's London - Raheem Sterling
"...Raheem Sterling may have to wait to make his QPR debut after all.
The teenager who celebrated his 15th birthday two weeks’ ago was supposed to be fast-tracked into the first team as part of the club’s plan to convince him to stay.
But the clock is ticking on his chance to break the Football League record as its all-time youngest player after yet another change of regime at Loftus Road.
Reuben Noble-Lazarus is the kid to beat after making his Barnsley debut aged 15 years and 45 days near the beginning of last season. Yet new manager Paul Hart - one of Rangers’ more sensible choices of manager - has got enough on his plate without that too.
Poor weather has disrupted his initial training programme and he has not even seen Sterling in action yet.
Given that Hart only has a contract until the end of the season and is under pressure to deliver at least a play-off place, he could be forgiven if the youngster’s future was not top of his agenda. Mail
- Two Rangers Heroes from different eras: Stan Bowles and Brian Bedford Stan Bowles turns sixty-one. Brian Bedford turns seventy-Six
Stan Bowles, turns Sixty-One: Born December 24, 1948...
Stan Bowles in Photos - Brief Bowles video snippets : -- Stan Bowles couple of seconds.......Bowles invovlement in 1975 Goal of the season......(and as posted yesterday)1977 Video of QPR (with Don Givens, Stan Bowles and Leighton James at home to Manchester United [Additional Bowles video clips welcome!)
It's almost thirty years since Stan Bowles played his last professional game for QPR, and still the memories linger on. The man who, in the eye of fans, superceeded Rodney Marsh as THE greatest at QPR! (Last year, supporters of every club were asked to pick their all time favourite player for their club. QPR fans selected Stan Bowles. (So did Brentford fans!)
Say QPR and #10 and the shirt belongs to either Marsh or Bowles....
For anyone old enough to remember the early 1970s: The despair at QPR/The End of the World: When Rodney left QPR in March 1972....And then six months later, the signing of Bowles joining (an already rampant) QPR under Gordon Jago...
Bowles made his QPR debut versus Nottingham Forest - September 16, 1972 after QPR paid a record transfer fee of 110,000 pounds.....Made the first; scored the second
Gordon Jago signed Forward/Midfielder Stan Bowles for QPR in September 1972 paying Carlisle 110,000 pounds (a then-record for QPR). Bowles played 250+ games scoring 70 league goals. Tommy Docherty sold him to Nottingham Forest in December 1979 for 250,000 pounds.
Bowles helped QPR to promotion in his first season and of course was an integral part of the 1975/76 "Championship" Side.
The only question for QPR fans is who was QPR's greatest-ever: Stan Bowles or Rodney Marsh...
Recent fan surveys give that title to Bowles. In a recent PFA Poll of fans, fans of each club were asked to vote for the best player in their club's history. For QPR fans, the vote went to Stan Bowles. (For Brentford fans, the vote went to...Stan Bowles!)
September 1972: Bowles Joins QPR
Bowles made his debut at home to (pre-Brian Clough's) Nottingham Forest, September 16, 1972, two or three days after signing from Carlisle for a club-record 110,000 pounds. Bowles, wearing from that very first game, HIS #10 shirt. Within an hour, he had made the first goal for Don Givens...and scored the second...as Gordon Jago's QPR won 3-0 (Andy McCulloch getting the third). And QPR, of course, went on to promotion.
QPR's team that day. Parkes
Clement Evans Hazell Watson
Venables Francis Busby
Givens Bowles Mcculloch
Sub: Salvage
From Bowles' autobiography "Stan The Man"
"I was 23 years old when I joined Queens Park Rangers in September 1972, for a then club record fee of 112,000 pounds...
"Rodney had made the No. 10 shirt his own, and, since he moved, no one wanted to tough the thing....The shirt thing didn't seem a big deal to me. I hadn't really heard of Rodney Marsh. So I just shrugged and said: "If no one wants it, I'll wear it."...
"...[A]s luck would have it, I scored one and made another for Don Givens in my first game - against Nottingham Forest on September 16th, 1972. We won 3-0, and the fans seemed to take to my style of play; which, to them, was a bit like Rodney's"(Stan The Man, page 33)
- Seven Years later, Bowles finally left QPR - ironically for Nottingham Forest (by then managed by Brian Clough).
25 October 2007 - Bowle-r hat: Stan Bowles’s England cap is going under the hammer
THE first England cap won by one of Carlisle United’s most colourful and talented players is expected to fetch up to £6,000 when it is auctioned next week.
The light green velvet cap was awarded to Stan Bowles when he made his debut for England against Portugal in Lisbon on April 3, 1974, not long after leaving Brunton Park. It will be auctioned at Bonhams in Chester next Wednesday.
The signing of Stan Bowles, from Crewe for £14,000 in October 1971, was one of the best bits of business in Carlisle United’s history.
For less than a year later,in September 1972, Carlisle sold him to Queens Park Rangers for £112,000.
Carlisle needed someone who could score goals after selling prolific striker Bob Hatton – 38 goals in 93 league appearances – to Birmingham for £90,000. So manager Ian Macfarlane swiftly moved for Bowles, who made his debut for Carlisle, alongside John Gorman,Stan Ternent and Chris Balderstone, in the 2-1 win against Oxford United at Brunton Park on October 30, 1971.
He went on to become Carlisle’s joint top scorer that season.
At QPR, Bowles scored 71 goals in 255 league appearances and became a legend. In 2004, QPR fans affectionately voted him the club’s greatest ever player.
It was at Manchester City that Bowles started gambling and it was an addiction that nearly wrecked his promising football career before it really started.
Bowles admitted: “I’ve never tried to stop the gambling.It’s part of me and has been pretty much all of my adult life.I was an apprentice at City earning £7 a week,but I’d run the bets across the town for a Manchester gang, from pub to pub, when it was illegal to do that. I was earning more doing that than I was from football.That’s how I got myself into trouble at City, because I wasn’t turning up for training.”
One of the final straws was when he failed to turn up at Manchester airport to join City team-mates as they set off for a friendly against Ajax in Holland. He claimed later that he had over-slept.
Years later he admitted : “I had everything going for me and tossed it out of the window.”
He became a friend of George Best, who starred for City’s arch rivals, Manchester United. Bowles said : “I used to enjoy a drink with George Best.
“He was telling me one day about the statue of him they had put in Belfast. I told him there was one of me outside Ladbrokes.”
During his career Bowles frequently clashed with authority and fell out with several managers, including Malcolm Allison, Brian Clough and Tommy Docherty.
Stan Bowles won five England caps, but his fans think he should have won more...
News and Star
See Also:
- Bowles
- Bowles Record II
- Bowles England Profile
- See: Dave's Queens Park Rangers - Bowles
See Bowles QPR Cult Hero BBC-Bowles
- Bowles Book Reviewed - WSC - Bowles
- Bowles -Wikipedia
- Profiled as an ex-Crewe Player - Bowles
RIAN VINER INTERVIEWS - Stan Bowles: 'Clough, Brooking, Eriksson Brian Viner, The Independent, October 13, 2005
BRIAN BEDFORD TURNS Seventy-Six
- Stan Bowles rightly receives much attention as the QPR hero born on Christmas Eve. But there is another great QPR hero also born on that day: Brian Bedford. Bedford Born December 24, 1933.
In 250+ league games for QPR, between 1959 and 1965 (all in the old Third Division) with Alec Stock as manager, Bedford scored 160+ goals. Joined QPR from Bournemouth in 1959. Went to Scunthorpe in September 1965 (Six months before Rodney Marsh arrived at Loftus Road)
1959-60 25 goals
1960-61 33 goals
1961-62 34 goals
1962-63 23 goals
1963-64 23 goals
1964-65 23 goals
1965-66 1 goal
QPR Official Site - BLAST FROM THE PAST - Brian Bedford
-In our latest instalment of exclusive past player interviews on www.qpr.co.uk, former R's front-man Brian Bedford comes under the spotlight.
Brian Bedford (1959-1965)
- Dexter Blackstock had a fantastic campaign for Queens Park Rangers in 2006/07, notching 14 goals; and Patrick Agyemang has made an immediate goalscoring impact since his January transfer from Preston North End.
But what would be the modern day value of a striker who was guaranteed to score a minimum of 25 goals for the R's every year? One such player from the past was Brian Bedford.
In his six full seasons at Loftus Road, Bedford scored a grand total of 180 goals. His lowest tally was 25 in 1963/64. His highest was a staggering 39 in 1961/62, thereby equalling George Goddard's record from 1929/30 for the all-time QPR record of League and Cup goals scored by one player in a season.
Bedford was born in Wales and joined Rangers from Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic in July 1959. He remembers the transfer with some amusement.
"When I signed for QPR, Alec Stock had just been named as the new Manager," said Bedford.
"I travelled up to West London to be interviewed by the Club and Alec said 'You'll score 30 goals a year for me son!' Just like that! So I said 'You're joking?' as my record down at Bournemouth was something like 32 goals over three years. But Alec said 'Yes you will!' And he wasn't far wrong, was he?"
Stock's all-out attacking policy was really beneficial for the strikers at Rangers and Bedford was happy to rattle home goals by the truckload.
"Alec played a big part in my goalscoring. We used to play with those old fashioned players called wingers. We always seemed to get good wide men at the Club like Mark Lazarus who could provide excellent crosses. So I was the benefactor of that.
"Then we would have one inside-forward who dropped deep. I was the inside-right and I would play up front alongside the centre-forward.
"Bernie Evans was my strike partner in my first few years at Rangers. He was a big, strong boy who was pretty useful in the air. So it was just sort of...BANG...flick on...run on...BANG...GOAL...and that's it! Very simple stuff.
"I was a very direct and hard-running player. I could hit the ball with both feet and I was good with my headers.
"I've still got the pen, plaque and two trophies that the QPR Supporters' Club presented me with for my goals in the 1961/62 season. I got six hat-tricks that year, including four in a game against Southend United.
"I recall that the top wage in the Third Division - which Rangers were in at the time - was about £35 to £40 a week. Ridiculous really! But it was still much better than the average working man's salary. Not only that, as far as I was concerned I was getting paid for something I loved doing. That was a big thing for me.
"There was certainly much more emphasis on attacking football in those days than there is today. A lot of teams nowadays play with just one lone striker, which I think is ludicrous. I call it 'dinosaur football.'
"When I see one man up front on his own, I feel so sorry for him, because he is on a hiding to nothing and it is not good entertainment for the fans."
After his great goalscoring adventures, Bedford eventually left Rangers to sign for Scunthorpe United in September 1965. It was a time of great change at Loftus Road.
"Jim Gregory was appointed as Chairman of QPR and he started pouring some money in with new players being signed. Unfortunately, I was just starting to go a little bit over the hill as far as age was concerned. I was nearly 32 years old then. The Club had to offload some of the playing staff and I was one of them, I'm afraid.
"I had six very happy seasons at Rangers. Then they transferred me to that Godforsaken place called Scunthorpe! I don't think Alec Stock wanted me to sign for any other London team or any nearby club in case I embarrassed him.
"It was very sad. I didn't like leaving Loftus Road. But you have to move on don't you? That's life."
Following spells with Scunthorpe United and then Brentford, Brian Bedford's football career started to wind down - but he continued to work in the sporting environment after hanging up his boots.
"In 1967, I went over to America to sign for a soccer team called Atlanta Chiefs. While I was out there, I started playing tennis. We had outdoor courts that were floodlit so we used to play well into the evening.
"I became a little bit addicted as I knew my time in football was more-or-less over. So when I returned to the United Kingdom, I became a professional tennis coach. I did it until my knees gave out and so I retired from that.
"Then I returned to QPR as Stadium Manager in the late 1980's for five years. It was a bit archaic compared to what they have at the Club now. There was only me running the whole ground to begin with, although eventually I managed to get a plumber to help out as the place was falling apart!
"I can remember one year when we had a very severe frost. Rangers were due to play Southampton on the Saturday and there were problems everywhere around the stadium. Most of the toilets were leaking and the overhead pipes were burst. So we stayed until four o'clock in the morning before the game repairing everything! We didn't get much money for it, but there you are."
Brian Bedford is now 73 and lives just outside Cardiff. He keeps himself busy on the local golf courses and continues to watch out for all of the R's results.
"I'm a golfing fanatic! But unfortunately, I'm having a lot of trouble with my legs at the moment so I am going to have to buy myself a buggy.
"It is hardly surprising when you consider the amount of strain I have put on my body over the years. One doctor said to me 'This is pay-back time!' It is poor circulation I think.
"I still follow football and the first score I always look for is QPR. I wish the Club well, I really do. They were really good times for me at Loftus Road - the best days of my life actually." QPR
- See Also
- Dave's QPR Site - Brian Bedford
- QPR Net Interview with Brian Bedford - QPR Net/Bedford
- See Wikipedia - Bedford
- Article Examining Impact of Managerial Changes (Bottom Line: Rarely Improves Results)
- Sepp Blatter Beats Out Bernie Ecclestone and Others
- The Worldwide of Football: "...Players and managers, whose income and lifestyle now placed them in a different world from the fans, came to be seen as fickle mercenaries whose relationship with the club was contractual and transitory. Directors and officials were venal, corrupt or both and clearly inadequate custodians of club identity. Only the fans were faithful to the colours..." [From "The Ball is Round: A Global History of Soccer" By David Goldblatt, page 803 talking about football ('soccer" in Argentina during the 1990s)]
- Nominate Your Sports Fan of The Year
- Home Office Report: STATISTICS ON FOOTBALL-RELATED ARRESTS & BANNING ORDERS SEASON 2008-09 -
QPR-related figures (QPR: 33 total arrests).
33 Total Arrests: 11 made at Home Matches - 22 Made at Away Matches
- 4 Violent Disorder - 16 Public Disorder - 3 Pitch Incursion - 8 Alcohol Offences
2 Possesion of Offensive Weapons
[Kudos to Charlton, Watford and Reading for having the least arrests in the Championship. And to Yeovil for having absolutely no arrests. Among the worst clubs last season in the Championship: Cardiff! Then, The two Sheffield Clubs, Birmingham, Nott F & Derby & Swansea, Bristol C Burnley, Wolves]
- Past Chistmas Greetings From The Club
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