Clash of ABCs Tonight as QPR Travel to Derby

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It's the classic top vs bottom tonight as relegation "prospects" QPR travel to promotion prospects Derby. Derby who WERE Haunted by their ABC Loan versus QPR who currently are haunted. Derby of course WERE managed by QPR...And QPR's Chairman Gianni Paladini WAS at least interested in the buying Derby before he came to QPR. There probably won't be a replay of QPR's brilliant 5-1 victory at Derby in 1975/76.
See also: "ABC QPR and Derby County - Looking Back"

Update: Darren Currie is joining Derby on loan AFTER tonight's game (which is good!)
Currie to join Rams on loan tomorrowDARREN Currie will join Premiership hopefuls Derby County tomorrow.The Blues midfielder returns from a spell with LA Galaxy later today, after a 24-hour flight delay, and will join the Rams on loan for the remainder of the season....Currie is due to watch second-placed Derby play QPR at Pride Park tonight but will have tomorrow off to recover before joining his new team-mates on Thursday when they return for training....News

QPR Official Site Preview
Rangers face a daunting trip to Pride Park - the home of high-flying Derby County - on Tuesday evening.
County currently sit second in the Championship, with Friday's 1-0 defeat against Birmingham City seeing the Blues leapfrog the Rams into top spot.
Much of the praise for the Rams' superb season must be credited to gaffer Billy Davies.
The former Preston North End boss has worked wonders since taking over at Pride Park in the summer, building a squad which finally seems capable of booking their golden ticket back to the Promised Land of the Premiership.
The acquisition of hot-shot Steve Howard from Luton in the summer provided hope for the Rams faithful and when Davies strengthened his squad in January by signing Jones, Craig Fagan, Gary Teale, Stephen Pearson and James McEveley, the dream neared ever closer to becoming a reality.
It's a marathon not a sprint though and although the Rams are in pole position as the business end of the season looms ever closer, Davies is refusing to get too carried away.
"All I can say is we've got a few games to go and hopefully they'll be plenty more wins to celebrate if we keep concentrating and play as well as I know we can."...
Top scorer (league goals only): Steve HOWARD 14 Last league game:
...Head to head:
Derby wins: 13 QPR wins: 9 Draws: 11
Last meeting: Queens Park Rangers 1 (Smith), Derby County 2 (Bisgaard, Howard).
Coca Cola Championship. October 17th 2006.."QPR

DERBY OFFICIAL SITE - UP AND AT THEM
Billy Davies wants to see his Derby County side get at Queens Park Rangers from the opening whistle on Tuesday night.

The Rams' last home outing was a 5-1 thrashing of Colchester United after they raced to a three-goal lead before 30 minutes had passed.

Davies was delighted by his team's performance that night and admits a repeat showing would be good.

"Yes, it would be nice, and that's the target now - we've got to go and really get at them as much as we can," he told an interview soon to be screened on RamsWorld.

"We have got to cause them a lot of problems and continue the target of picking up as many points as we can.

"It will be a tough match for both sides but it is one we're looking forward to."

QPR are scrapping for points at the wrong end of the Coca-Cola Championship after a run of five games without a win that has dragged them into relegation trouble.

But Davies expects "no favours" from John Gregory's side.

The visitors will be without Lee Camp and Adam Bolder, who are prevented from playing against the Rams due to clauses in their respective loan and permanent transfers.

But they will have in their ranks Spanish midfielder Inigo Idiakez, Derby's 2004/05 player of the year who joined the Londoners on loan from Southampton last week.

"We expect no favours but that's the way it has always been," Davies added.

"We have got to where we are because we have deserved it from the first day of the season.

"It doesn't matter who they have in their team, or on the bench, we know what we have got to do.

"We will continue to try and pick up the three points." Derby

DERBY OFFICIAL SITE
INI IS BACK IN TOWN

John Gregory
QPR boss John Gregory

An in-depth look at Tuesday's visit of Queens Park Rangers.

TEAM NEWS

Derby: Central defender Michael Johnson is the major absentee with his hamstring injury that could rule him out for the rest of the season.

Paul Boertien is also on the sidelines with his knee problem but there are no other big concerns for the Rams.

QPR: The visitors signed former Derby midfielder Inigo Idiakez on loan from Southampton last week and he is set for his first return to the club since leaving in August.

Inigo Idiakez
Inigo Idiakez

Rangers boss John Gregory - himself an ex-Ram - will be without two men who have moved from Pride Park to Loftus Road.

Goalkeeper Lee Camp is on loan with Rangers until the end of the season but is prevented from playing against his parent club.

And midfielder Adam Bolder, who joined on a permanent deal in January, is also ruled out due to a clause in his transfer.

Club captain Marcus Bignot came back on Saturday after two months out with a knee ligament injury.

Rangers' attack is likely to be led by Dexter Blackstock, who scored three goals for Derby during a loan spell last season.

THE REFEREE

Steve Tanner makes the journey up from Somerset to take charge of a game at Pride Park for the first time...

LAST TIME AT PRIDE PARK
Derby County 1 Queens Park Rangers 2
Coca-Cola Championship October 29 2005
Derby: Poole, Kenna (Thirlwell 58), Michael Johnson, Thome, Johnnie Jackson, Bisgaard, Idiakez, Seth Johnson, Whittingham, John (Blackstock 59), Peschisolido (Tudgay 81).
Subs: Camp, Doyle.
Scorer: Blackstock 84.

QPR: Royce, Bignot, Shittu, Evatt, Dyer, Ainsworth (Milanese 89), Doherty (Langley 81), Santos, Gallen, Furlong (sent off 34), Sturridge (Moore 62).
Subs: Shimmin, Donnelly.

Scorers: Ainsworth 30; Gallen 80.

Bookings: Peschisolido (Derby).

Attendance: 24,427.

Match report

RamsWorld highlights

TICKETS

Already over 24,500 tickets have been sold for the visit of John Gregory's Londoners and it's time to once again get behind Billy Davies's Rams for another vital game.

Season ticket holders can bring along a friend for a fiver (strictly one £5 ticket per season ticket holder per game) while there are also price reductions across the board.

Adults who are gold members will pay just £10, seniors and young adults will pay £8, and tickets for juveniles are only £5.

The prices apply in all areas of Pride Park Stadium, as do the special deals for non-members.

Prices for non-members will be £20 for adults, £10 for seniors young adults and £5 for juveniles.

Gold membership is available at £10 for adults and £7.50 for Junior Rams.

Tickets for Tuesday are now on general sale and available by calling 0870 444 1884, on-line at www.shopdcfc.co.uk and in person at the Pride Park Stadium ticket office.

Buy home match tickets on-line at www.shopdcfc.co.uk

RAMSWORLD

The build-up will begin later today with the pre-match thoughts of Rams boss Billy Davies - then it will be time for the players to have their say on Tuesday.

And - as ever - you'll be able to listen to live commentary from Pride Park, the only internet site that allows you to do so legally while helping the club too.

We'll be back with highlights and reaction on Wednesday so make sure you stay tuned to RamsWorld to catch all the action.

If you're not already a subscriber then you can sign up to RamsWorld now for as little as £3.99 a month or the special price of £19.99 right the way through to August 1 2007.

RamsWorld - your on-line season ticket

MATCH ODDS WITH DCFCBET

Derby win - 4/9
Draw - 5/2
QPR win - 7/1

Full match odds and a wide range of other markets are available at www.dcfcbet.co.uk, where every bet you make helps the Rams financially. Derby Official Site