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Tuesday, February 20, 2007

QPR Goalkeeping Coach, Tony Roberts Reportedly Suspended

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[Roberts remains listed on the Club's Staff page]
Daily Mail - Charles Sale Keeper coach out in QPR soap opera
There has been yet more turmoil at Queens Park Rangers, the Championship club careering out of control, with goalkeeping coach Tony Roberts being suspended by manager John Gregory, who gave no reason for his decision.
Roberts, who has been at Loftus Road for more than 20 years as player and coach, was told to leave the club without warning by Gregory, whose own position has been a matter of speculation, after a training session last Sunday.
It is believed that Gregory’s action is in some way related to the departure a week earlier of QPR press manager Jackie Bass, who has been the live-in girlfriend of Roberts since last April.
Bass, barred by Gregory from the dressing room areas of the training ground and the stadium earlier this season, is known to be consulting lawyers over the way the club released her.
There has been talk of an unfair dismissal claim, possibly including allegations of sexual discrimination.
Bass also felt her job had been made untenable on the administrative side. It might have been felt by the under-pressure Gregory that any claim of this nature would make it difficult for Roberts to remain within his inner circle at QPR.
The soap opera that is QPR has included an alleged hold-up at the club of chairman Gianni Paladini by seven men who were cleared of various charges, the mass brawl against a China team and the yearly accounts lodged at Companies House differing by millions of pounds from the figures approved by shareholders. Daily Mail