Flashback Six Years: QPR Relegated

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Tomorrow, April 21, 2007, QPR will hopefully defeat Cardiff and make absolutely certain their remaining in the English Championship. Flashback six years ago, to one of the worst moments in QPR memory: QPR's relegation back to the old "Third Division" (in 2001 called the Second Division; and now called League 1) was made certain with a 2-1 loss at Huddersfield. QPR were under the recently-appointed Ian Holloway. (And of course, off the field, the club was in some considerable turmoil, with the Chairman selling up and the club going into Administration - having just fought off a merger with Wimbledon.)
The QPR team on that sad, sad day: Harper, Baraclough, Ready, Plummer, Perry, Knight, Bignot, Peacock, Darlington, Crouch, Thomson. Subs: Bull, Wardley, Paquette, Kulcsar, Kiwomya. - Bignot is the only one still playing for QPR (and he left and returned)

April 21, 2001

BBC - Saturday, 21 April, 2001, Huddersfield 2-1 QPR

Striker Delroy Facey's injury-time tap-in condemned QPR to Second Division football next season.
Facey picked up his 10th goal of the season in the fourth minute of stoppage time after Andy Booth's shot was parried straight to him by the visitors' keeper Lee Harper.

Facey, who turns 21 on Sunday, wheeled away in celebration knowing that his goal also helped the Terriers in their own fight against relegation.

Huddersfield took the lead on 33 minutes when Dean Gorre's low, 18-yard drive took a deflection off Ian Baraclough, leaving Harper stranded.

Action-packed

Rangers hit back on 43 minutes when Marcus Bignot's long ball down the right was expertly controlled by Andy Thomson, who then lobbed advancing keeper Nico Vaesen from 10 yards.

In an action-packed first half, Huddersfield had three shots cleared off the line by Mark Perry (twice) and then Baraclough.

Andy Booth struck a fierce shot goalwards after rounding Harper on nine minutes, but Perry, at full stretch, denied the recent recruit from Sheffield Wednesday.

Booth turned provider on 28 minutes with a fine left-wing cross which Simon Baldry thumped goalwards only to see Perry block the effort.

Sterile second half

Town's Chris Lucketti followed up but Baraclough stuck his leg out and blocked the ball before Karl Ready hacked the ball to safety.

At the other end, 6ft 6in striker Peter Crouch seemed certain to put Rangers ahead on three minutes but he mishit a shot into the ground and saw the ball balloon high over Vaesen's right-hand upright despite having only the big Belgian to beat from just six yards.

The second period was a sterile non-event in which neither side produced much of note.

QPR substitute Chris Kiwomya had a late goal ruled out for offside, and Huddersfield's best chance came on 74 minutes when Lucketti headed unmarked straight at Harper from a Baldry free-kick.

Facey's winning touch was a cruel blow on a hard working QPR side who matched Huddersfield stride for stride in an evenly balanced game.

The visiting players collapsed on the floor at the final whistle knowing that they were certain to be relegated.

Huddersfield: Vaesen, Heary, Lucketti, Jenkins, Baldry, Armstrong, Gorre, Holland, Thornley, Booth, Facey. Subs: Margetson, Gray, Moses, Irons, Gallen.

QPR: Harper, Baraclough, Ready, Plummer, Perry, Knight, Bignot, Peacock, Darlington, Crouch, Thomson. Subs: Bull, Wardley, Paquette, Kulcsar, Kiwomya.

Referee: A Bates (Stoke on Trent). BBC

OTHER RESULTS THAT DAY
Sunday review
Preston 3-2 Watford
Saturday review
Bolton 1-0 Norwich
Burnley 0-0 Birmingham
Gills 1-2 West Brom
Grimsby 0-1 Sheff Utd
Huddersfield 2-1 QPR
Portsmouth 1-1 Fulham
Sheff Wed 2-1 Barnsley
Stockport 3-0 Crewe
Tranmere 1-1 C Palace
Wimbledon 2-1 Forest
Wolves 0-0 Blackburn