Five Years Ago QPR Fans Were Protesting

-
November 21, 2001 - This is Local London - QPR Protest
Rs fans angry at the ongoing fight for ownership of their club planned to form a ring around its Loftus Road stadium in South Africa Road last night (Nov 21).
Fans living abroad or who couldn't make the fixture were encouraged by supporters' trust QPR1st to e-mail the club at the same time.
The club is in the throes of being sold by ex-chairman Chris Wright. A consortium led by Brian Melzack is currently negotiating and fans are worried that a deal may involve selling the ground - This is Local Lonon

See also QPR 1st for November 20 and 22 2001 - QPR1st

Also LSA for November 2001 - LSA

BBC -Tuesday, 20 November, 2001, The fall and fall of QPR
Ian Holloway must lead QPR out of trouble
QPR fan Ian Pyke reveals the heartache of watching his beloved club plummet towards obscurty.
QPR's season of suffering hit its lowest point with the 4-0 FA Cup first round exit at Swansea City.
It meant support for the team from long-suffering supporters came in the shape of barracking for players and some club officials at every opportunity.
This may seem an unusual method of backing - but it is an understandable reaction from fans who have suffered three cup exits and a series of poor performances in recent weeks.
It was a season of high expectations at Loftus Road under manager Ian Holloway, despite relegation in the previous campaign.
A home victory against Stoke on the opening day of the season seemed to support the optimism, especially as it was followed by an away win at Bury.
If you've followed QPR over recent years, you will know an away win is rarer than an Englishman playing for Chelsea.
Obviously the league table and the number of free Saturdays until the end of the season show the picture has changed.
If you allow me to reminisce, it was only eight years ago QPR finished as top London club.
And although no one expected us to remain in this position forever, we didn't expect to now have only Leyton Orient below us.
QPR was regarded by as many as a model of how to run a relatively small club.
Alan Curbishley was once quoted as saying "I want Charlton to be the new QPR" when they were restructuring their club and looking to return to The Valley.
Charlton announced a profit this week, and look to have established themselves as a Premiership club.
So QPR now aspire to be like Charlton.
The fall and fall of QPR can mainly be attributed to the previous club owners and their lack of foresight.
When we parted company with the Premiership, we had a wage bill that was unsustainable in the First Division.
Alan Curbishley was once quoted as saying 'I want Charlton to be the new QPR' when they were restructuring their club and looking to return to The Valley
QPR fan Ian Pyke
Not only did we fail to reduce this, we went on to sign players with limited ability on relatively big contracts.
Although some may say we gambled to get back into the top flight, I would argue the real gamble should have taken place a year earlier when were still there.

Last summer saw almost 30 players leave the club and QPR go into admistration - and yet this summer the sales of season tickets increased.

I have on three occasions had to queue at 7am to get tickets for away games. This is a measure of QPR's fan base and the club's potential.

So my final word is about the fans.

Yes we have voiced our opinions against individuals recently, but after two relegations and being dumped out of the FA Cup in the first round for the first time in almost 50 years, we have had cause to complain.

OK enough moaning - a home win against Swindon at Loftus Road on Wednesday and a win at Brentford will make things look better.
I can dream. And this is why we still have a healthy home attendance and we queue for tickets for away games.
We all dream of better times.
Sadly, at the moment we are not too fond of reality.
BBC

At this point, five years ago, Brian Melzak looked the likely takeover winner, as a number of people/groups had been making various bids to buy QPR
This is Local London - October 10, 2001 - Brian Makes An Offer For Qpr
Edgware property developer Brian Melzack is taking his obsession with Queens Park Rangers FC so seriously that he is heading a consortium bidding for ownership of the cash-strapped Second Division team.
The group is headed by Mr Melzack, 44, from Highview Avenue, and friend Laurence Selman, 43, from Bushey, is favourite to buy the club, based at the Loftus Road stadium in west London, for around £10million.
Owner Chris Wright and club administrators BDO Stoy Hayward have formally accepted a bid from the group, which secured a three-week deal blocking rival bids.
Mr Melzack is a lifelong QPR fan, a member of Edgware and District Reform Synagogue and a founder member of the Maccabi side Temple Fortune. He was part of a consortium led by Liberal Democrat peer Lord Tim Razzall to try to buy the club before it went into administration at the end of last season with debts of around £10 million.
QPR had been linked to a takeover bid by the religious cult the Moonies, after the club admitted to holding a meeting with the Church of Unification.
Mr Melzack has also fought off bids from a consortium led by businessman Maurice Fitzgerald and a mystery bidder from overseas.
Loftus Road chief executive David Davies said in a statement: "We are pleased to announce we have entered into this exclusivity period with Brian Melzack and his consortium.
"Due to confidentiality agreements signed by both parties we will be unable to discuss this any further until the matter is resolved one way or the other."
This is Local London

And on the field, QPR were winning 4-0 vs Swindon with Gallen returning
BBC -Wednesday, 21 November, 2001, QPR 4-0 Swindon
Striker Kevin Gallen was the QPR hero on his return to Loftus Road as he scored one and had a hand in two others as Rangers thrashed Swindon.
Gallen re-signed for Rangers on a free transfer on Monday and he took just three minutes to make an impression as his clever flick put Doudou away and he slotted home.
On eight minutes Rangers made it two and Gallen was at the heart of it again.
He crossed to Steve Palmer to shoot and though Robins keeper Bart Griemink made a brilliant save, he couldn't prevent Oliver Burgess scoring from the rebound.
The game was all over before half time as on 36 minutes Gallen grabbed a debut goal.
He beat Andy Gurney before storming into the box and firing into the corner.
Swindon had most of the possession in the second half but it was QPR who had the last word when in injury time Karl Connolly put away Andy Thomson and he rounded the keeper before slotting in the fourth.
QPR: Digby, Forbes, Rose, Shittu, Palmer, Warren, Burgess, Bonnot, Connolly, Gallen, Dodou. Subs: Bruce, Bignot, Paquette, Thomson, Evans.
Swindon: Griemink, Mark Robinson, Heywood, Gurney, Ruddock, Steve Robinson, Duke, Hewlett, Carlisle, Sabin, Invincible. Subs: Willis, Osei-Kuffour, Grazioli, McKinney, McAreavey.
BBC

And Kenny Jackett was praising QPR
BBC - Jackett lauds QPR November 26, 2001
QPR's 4-0 FA Cup defeat to Swansea has brought about an immediate improvement in the team's performances, according to assistant manager Kenny Jackett.
Since that defeat, QPR have beaten Swindon 4-0 and drawn 0-0 with promotion-chasing Brentford.
"Anyone who saw our performance at Swansea will recognise we have come a long way in just a week," said Jackett.
QPR's assisant manager added that the return of of Danny Shittu and Matthew Rose, plus the arrival of Kevin Gallen, had had an positive impact on the club already.
But Jackett cautioned that QPR would have to accept that opposition teams would always raise their game when they played the London side.
"We have got to handle the fact that for Second Division teams, playing against QPR is a big thing, he said.BBC

BBC - November 24, 2001 - Brentford 0 QPR 0
Brentford missed the chance to move clear at the top of Division Two after they were held to a draw by QPR at Griffin Park.
In a disappointing match, the Bees had the better chances and came close after 19 minutes when Paul Evans fired the ball wildly over the bar from a good position.
.... Brentford: Gottskalksson, Dobson, Powell, Ingimarsson, Gibbs, Rowlands, Evans, Mahon, Hunt, Owusu, Burgess. Subs: Paul Smith, McCammon, Hutchinson, O'Connor, Sidwell.
QPR: Digby, Forbes, Shittu, Rose, Warren, Bignot, Palmer, Bonnot, Connolly, Gallen, Dodou. Subs: Bruce, Wardley, Paquette, Thomson, Evans.
BBC