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QPR's team for last year's game at Stoke, almost exactly a year ago:
QPR: Royce, Bignot, Shittu, Milanese, Dyer (Evatt 59), Bean, Langley, Rowlands, Ainsworth (Cook 88), Moore (Baidoo 90), Furlong. Subs Not Used: Cole, Donnelly. BBC
Aidan Magee/The Mirror, December 9, 2006 "ROYCE: I WILL NEVER GO TO POTT
SIMON ROYCE admits he fears returning to the scene of his "worst nightmare" in the Potteries today.
The QPR keeper was attacked by a fan in the goalmouth during Rangers' win at Stoke just over a year ago. Royce's attacker was sentenced to 164 days in a young offenders' institution and banned from the Britannia Stadium for life.
Amazingly, Rangers were fined £5,000 by the FA for "failing to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion".
John Gregory's struggling side return to the Stoke today looking to end a run of three straight defeats.
Royce said: "I am a little bit apprehensive - I wouldn't be human if I wasn't after what happened last year.
"But it's not going to affect my performance. I've been in the game long enough to put those things out of my mind.
"We got fined for what went on there, which was a bit silly, but nothing happened to Stoke, which was also silly.
"It probably is the worst thing that's ever happened to me. But we've got to forget about that and try to pick up points because we're right back in it now.
"I've never in my life seen what happened to me that day happen on any other pitch.
"I've seen a couple of fans running on to the pitch but I've never seen a fan jump all over a player. But the fella's done time for it so we have to forget about that and concentrate on putting our recent form right."
Mirror