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On August 13, 2005, QPR defeated Sheffield United 2-1 at Loftus Road. But it was an alleged off-the-field incident which made the major news. This "Year Retrospective" focuses on OFF-the-field related statements made in the year, since.
[With possibly a couple of exceptions, all material in this "Year Retrospective" comes either from statements and interviews on the QPR Official Site; or interviews with QPR Chairman Gianni Paladini given to QPR Rivals and QPR Net; or reports by LSA and QPR 1st of their Meetings with Paladini]
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QPR OFF-THE-FIELD STATEMENTS PART I: AUGUST-OCTOBER 2005
AUGUST 2005
15.08.2005 Latest CHAIRMAN: BEWILDERED Bill Power has spoken of his bewilderment and distress following an alleged incident on Saturday
25.08.2005 Latest STATEMENT A statement from the Board of Directors of QPR Holdings Ltd
30.08.2005 Latest BRIGHT FUTURE Gianni Paladini has promised a bright future for QPR following changes at Boardroom level
SEPTEMBER 2005
01.09.2005 Latest BILL POWER Bill Power has issued a statement to all supporters of Queens Park Rangers Football Club
09.09.2005 TV News PALADINI TALKS Gianni Paladini talks to QPR World about the recent changes at the and his plans for the future of the club
09.09.2005 Latest PALADINI ON CHANGES FREE VIDEO! Gianni Paladini on Boardroom changes, 'the legend' Ian Holloway and more
16.09.2005 Latest AUSTIN DEPARTURE Queens Park Rangers Commercial & Marketing Director Mark Austin is to leave the Club
22.09.2005 Latest ANGER & DISTRESS Gianni Paladini has reacted with anger and distress regarding allegations made in the press on Thursday
23.09.2005 Latest NO FA PROBE Gianni Paladini tells qpr.co.uk that the FA are NOT investigating Queens Park Rangers
28.09.2005 Latest GIANNI PALADINI Gianni Paladini has been appointed Chairman of QPR Football Club and QPR Holdings Ltd
30.09.2005 Latest THE REAL STORY No investigation, no probe and nothing but nonsense from the Evening Standard
30.09.2005 Latest ENOUGH IS ENOUGH QPR Chairman Gianni Paladini has today begun legal action against the London Evening Standard
OCTOBER 2005
25.10.2005 Latest OLLIE ANSWERS Ian Holloway answered your questions in a live Q&A - here is what he had to say
31.10.2005 Latest HARRIS DEPARTS Queens Park Rangers Communications Manager Phil Harris is to leave the club
OTHER
QPR LSA Meeting with Club Representatives - September 5...Also, ousted CEO's Mark Devlin's Response
QPR 1st Report on Meeting with Club/Board - September 15 2005
Ross Jones Responds to some of the Comments
QPR1st Report on Meeting with Gianni Paladini and Antonio Caliendo - October 21, 2005
AND A FEW OF THE STATEMENTS (FROM THE LINKS ABOVE)
QPR OFFICIAL SITE - August 30, 2006
PALADINI - BRIGHT FUTURE
Gianni Paladini has promised a bright future for Queens Park Rangers following the changes at Boardroom level last week.
Bill Power is no longer Chairman and Mark Devlin's position as Chief Executive was made redundant following a Board meeting at Loftus Road.
But the Director insists that the decisions taken were made with only the Club's interest at heart and he has played down suggestions of turmoil at the highest level.
"I am still friends with Bill. We go out for lunch and we talk on the phone every day. I have no problem with Bill.
"This is not about individuals or personalities, it is about the future of this great Club and all of us - Bill included -want nothing more than to see QPR continue to grow and improve."
Paladini is also sympathetic with supporters who may have been worried about the situation.
He appreciates that the supporters are concerned and has stressed that their feelings are at the forefront of his mind.
"The supporters are what makes this Club great and from the moment I arrived at Loftus Road I have been overwhelmed by their passion and devotion.
"All supporters will worry when they see change and I can understand that. But I believe that change was necessary for long term stability.
"The investors and directors are ambitious - I am ambitious - but we are not turning things upside down. We are going to make sensible steady progress and take Rangers back to where we belong - the Premiership."
Paladini also believes that the root of stability lies with the manager and that is why he hopes to sit down with Ian Holloway this week to discuss a new contract.
"Ollie is responsible for so much that has happened here during the past few years. Our successes on the pitch are down to him and he should be rewarded accordingly."
QPR - AUGUST 30, 2005
BILL POWER - September 1, 2005
Today following advice from my doctor and after lengthy discussions with my family and each member of the board I am confirming my departure as chairman of QPR.
I am well aware of the feelings of supporters having received literally hundreds of goodwill messages. But I must be selfish and think of my own health and also the health of two family members, both lifelong R's - my beautiful mum and my lovely father-in-law, who are both in hospital and not in the best of health.
I have been in discussions for the last two months with my fellow board members regarding who could, should or would 'pick up the baton'. I have told Gianni that he should become chairman with immediate effect to help focus everyone on going forward and I have advised him to meet with the supporters groups as quickly as he can.
As I write this, I have just enjoyed a day talking and having lunch with Gianni and on the phone with Ollie discussing possible new signings and things that we thought could take the club forward. I hope, and am sure, that those discussions and my advice will be acted upon and that we all see the benefits for ourselves .
In all honesty, and perhaps selfishly again, I must say it was like a weight being lifted from my shoulders having previously known that a decision I might make as Chairman could affect the hopes and dreams of so many fellow R's. Now it is time to let another friend push us forward. I am not leaving, just taking a well earned rest.
Words fail to express how much I have enjoyed my tenure as chairman, living every fan's dream of helping the club they love. I'm sure I will think of dozens of things I should have said, so for now I will just say a big thank you to everyone I have met and wish you all well.
Once again I ask you to get behind Gianni, Kevin, Ollie and the boys. I know that when we all pull together we are unstoppable.
Come on you R's.
Official
Sept 28 - PALADINI APPOINTED CHAIRMAN
GIANNI PALADINI
Gianni Paladini has been appointed Chairman of Queens Park Rangers Football Club and QPR Holdings Ltd.
Interim Chairman Gualtiero Trucco has stepped down and the Board of Directors have unanimously chosen Paladini to take on the role on a full-time basis.
The changes were agreed at a Loftus Road Board Meeting on Wednesday afternoon and Paladini is delighted by the honour of this 'challenging but exciting' role.
"The Monaco investors have recommended that I be appointed Chairman and I am deeply honoured that the Directors have allowed me this opportunity.
"I hope now that after a period of instability we can all look forward to the brightest of futures at Loftus Road.
"We have a wonderful manager, an exciting and improving squad and a real opportunity to push for a place in the play-offs and even the Premiership.
"I believe these are wonderful times to be a QPR supporter and I just want to play whatever part I can in bringing both success and stability to this Club.
"I fully appreciate that supporters will have been a little bewildered by recent events and I wish that so much of what has happened could have happened differently.
"But I believe we now have the right people in place, both on the pitch and behind the scenes, to take this club forward.
"I would like to thank every single fan for their continued, passionate support for QPR and I would also like to pay tribute to all the staff here.
"Life hasn't been particularly easy for them recently either but every single one continues to work as hard as ever for the benefit of this club.
"It has never been clearer to me that, both in the stands and behind the scenes, this is a wonderful place full of very special people."
QPR
Paladini Official Site - September 30 ANGER & DISTRESS
Gianni Paladini has reacted with anger and distress regarding allegations made in the press on Thursday.
Paladini strongly refutes allegations that have been made and asserts that they are without foundation.
He said: "All of our players have agents, if you are negotiating a contract you have to go through an agent. All of our payments have been done in the proper way."
"With the exception of Milanese, Langley & Lomas all the other deals were signed by either the ex-Chairman or the Chief Executive"
"The article lists players who were here before I even invested in the club. If we go over budget who has to pay? The fellow directors and I"
"I am very angry that both myself and the club are being dragged through the mud. We have had a difficult few months and we just want to concentrate on running the club properly and pushing up the league. I am incredibly angry about this and am taking legal advice."
Ian Holloway added: "I like to think the fans trust me and I trust Gianni. I cannot believe some of the stuff I've read today but I can assure everyone no matter what people throw at us it can only make us stronger."
"I have nothing but the utmost respect for Gianni Paladini and what he is trying to achieve at Queens Park Rangers. It seems to me that people are looking at the job that Gianni used to do before he came to QPR and are jumping to ridiculous conclusions."
"Gianni has the best interests of QPR at heart - I've absolutely no doubt about that."
QPR
EXCERPTS FROM HOLLOWAY INTERVIEW - OCTOBER 25, 2005
OLLIE ANSWERS
Ian Holloway spent Tuesday afternoon answering your questions in a live Q&A session on QPR World.
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Do you feel under pressure?
That's part of the job, but I don't like it when I hear people saying not to believe me because I'm just trying to get a new contract. I don't control the board I just pick the side.
I've had four chairman, two Chief Executives and now I don't have one. But at the end of the day, QPR fans still have a club and that's one thing I'm proud of - totally.
I have got the hump from the weekend because I believe certain things aren't right, there are rumours. But this will all take care of itself. You'll all know what happened, it will all be there. All you have to worry about is judging our players fairly.
If I had to leave today I'd be very proud of what my team and staff, past and present, have achieved.
Who has been a major factor for this club? It's everyone who buys a ticket - so don't leave us. If you don't agree with team selection, no problem. But don't pick sides in an argument you don't know anything about.
Will we see any players coming in or out in the next transfer window?
The board are trying to sort out all the bills at the moment. But I've been told I can look for some signings in the January transfer window, I just don't know how much I've got.
As for letting people go, there are some who aren't happy and have been out on loan and might not like having to fight for a place here.....
What's the latest on your future with the club?
Gianni said he wanted to give some stability to the club, but I feel the most important thing is that the board get sorted and I get some direction regarding the future because that's what matters to the fans.
My focus is on the team more than myself. If the board wants to talk to my agent that's fine, but I want to put that on the back burner. I'm more than happy to work for the new board in the same way that I was happy to work for the last board.
As long as whoever is in charge is happy to pick up the baton and run with it, I'm happy to work for them.
Do you want to increase the size of the squad and in what position?
I've got some loan signings lined up if people get injured and we're also looking at some targets. The most I've ever spent was borrowed from a fan and that was £250,000
QPR
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