QPR WOULD have been Playing MK Dons Today (but "threats" led to game's cancellation) - Five Years after Wimbledon Merger Failed!

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QPR WOULD have been playing Milton Keynes Dons today!

A month ago, QPR announced they would be playing Milton Keynes Dons ("Wimbledon") on July 15, after an originally (semi-) scheduled game against Brentford was cancelled by Brentford.
After some QPR fans expressed discontent at QPR playing MK Dons (colloquially referred to by some as "Franchise" because of the way they became the first English club to move many miles away to a new town), QPR announced they had cancelled the game.
In a statement posted on the Official Site (and subsequently removed from the site), QPR Chairman, Gianni Paladini declared "After Several phone calls and threats from our own supporters, I have decided not to go ahead with the game...."
(Paladini subsequently explained to some fans (but never on the official site) that by "threats" he meant threats by something like six fans not to renew their season tickets.
(There is a special QPR fan interest in MK Dons, given the efforts five years ago to merge the two teams. Also the fact that the current Chairman of MK Dons, Peter Winkelman tried to take over QPR.)

From Five Years Ago
QPR & Wimbledon in Merger Talks
QPR-Dons merger 'to be dead within 48 hours'
Winkelman Confirms QPR Bid


As Originally Posted on the Official Site
-QPR Official Site - June 16, 2006 - MK DONS GAME CANCELLED
Gianni Paladini would like to make the following statement, after making the decision to cancel the game against MK Dons on July 15."After several phonecalls and threats from our own supporters, I have decided not to go ahead with the game."I was extremely embarrassed at having to call the club secretary at MK Dons after he had done all he could to arrange a fixture on a day where we struggled to find any opposition."We were tremendously grateful to MK Dons for having initially agreed to play the fixture after Brentford cancelled the original game due to be played on July 18."Had that cancellation not have arisen, this whole situation would have been avoided."After Brentford pulled out, QPR re-contacted ALL Premiership and Football League clubs within a two hour travelling distance, yet MK Dons were the only club who answered our request."QPR apologises to everyone at MK Dons who pulled out all the stops to arrange a fixture at such short notice and also to all our fans that were willing to travel to the MK Dons fixture and were looking forward to visiting a new ground."Gianni Paladinihttp://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,10373~840228,00.htmlQPR

Official Site - June 15, 2006 -
QPR are pleased to announce a pre-season friendly against MK Dons on July 15.After only just receiving the official word from Brentford that the game scheduled for July 18 was to be cancelled, QPR have been busily trying to arrange a fixture to take its place and are delighted that MK Dons have been able to fulfil our requirements.MK Dons were themselves trying to hastily find opposition after also having a game cancelled.The game will take place at the National Hockey Stadium and will kick off at 3pm and will be the first meeting of the two clubs since the Dons' move to Milton Keynes.Gary Waddock said: "I'm obviously very pleased to have managed to get another pre-season game fixed up as quickly as this, and my thanks go to MK Dons for answering our request."We needed another game around that weekend, and I'm now looking forward to visiting Milton Keynes for the first time with a QPR side."It's not that far and hopefully our fans will turn out in force to support us there."http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,10373~839766,00.htmlQPR


OFFICIAL SITE - JUNE 13, 2006 BRENTFORD GAME OFF
This morning, QPR were informed that the pre-season game against Brentford has been cancelled.Despite contacting Brentford last week, we were led to believe that the game would still be taking place in spite of the fact the Club had received several phone calls from fans to ask if the game was still going ahead.Assistant Secretary Terry Springett explains: "It's very disappointing to have been informed of Brentford's decision to pull out at such a late stage, especially when we contacted the club last week when rumours had started to surface the game may have been in doubt."Only last Wednesday we were informed by Brentford that the game was indeed to go ahead, so at the time, felt it unnecessary to make an announcement on the official website."It would appear that their initial decision to take the game against us was taken without thorough consultation with their groundstaff, who have now informed the Club that the pitch at Griffin Park will not be ready in time."However, having received a phone call from Brentford this morning, we would like to inform our fans that the pre-season game against them, scheduled for Tuesday July 18, is indeed off."We will be doing our best in the next few days to find suitable alternative opponents for that weekhttp://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,10373~839038,00.html


Letter sent by QPR1st after MK Dons Game was announced http://www.qpr1st.co.uk/main/newsarticle.asp?id=94
http://qprreport.blogspot.com/2006/06/qpr-schedule-and-then-cancel-game-vs.html