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Monday, July 02, 2007

Marcus Bignot Talks About Staying at QPR; QPR's Prospects and QPR's Current and Previous Managers

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Marcus sets his sights on staying even longer
Ealing Gazette/Yann Tear - Jun 28 2007


"Marcus Bignot has revealed he will not rest on his laurels after landing a one year contract - he is determined to extend his stay for another couple of seasons at least.
It is all a far cry from a year ago when the 32-year-old fullback was placed on the transfer list and out of favour when Gary Waddock was in charge.
But the way he knuckled down to fight for his place impressed new boss John Gregory and now he is seen as an integral part of QPR's next chapter.
"I really feel in the next couple of years, there are good times ahead and I want to be around for that," Bignot told the Gazette after reporting back to Loftus Road this week for fitness tests.
"I'm confident I can deliver even more than I delivered last year, and if I do, the gaffer's one of those guys who will reward you if you do the business.
"He did that last season and the same applies this time. If I do the business, I will get rewarded again, there's no doubt about it and I'm confident I'll be around for a couple more seasons at least."
Bignot looks back positively at his experience over the past 12 months and believes he is reaping the rewards for not giving in and looking for another club when it appeared he was surplus to requirements.
"Going into last season, I was on the transfer list and I wasn't in the ex-manager's plans," he explained.
"But I made the decision then that instead of enjoying the summer, I was going to work even harder and I had my own mini close-season programme.
"I made sure I was flying when I came back and I was one of the fittest in the squad.
"I had 12 months of my contract to run and said then I didn't want to go anywhere else and was confident of being here beyond that year and I'm glad to say I was proved right.
"I look back on that close season now when everyone else was on their holiday and me doing my own pre-season and realise I got my reward in the end."
Bignot continued: "The ex manager [Gary Waddock] had a new contract and at first I couldn't see light at the end of the tunnel, but I believed in my ability and always believed I was good enough.
"It was obviously a blessing for me John Gregory coming in."When he did take over, I was part of the old regime, an Ian Holloway signing and I know that when new managers come in they want to bring in their own players, so signing this new contract was a massive boost for me, because it meant I was now a John Gregory signing.
"It's no longer a case of being simply a player he inherited.
"He could have let me go, but he made me captain last year and this new contract has given me huge confidence."
The defender added: "I can't wait for the new season to start because I honestly believe good times lie ahead.

"Fans shouldn't worry about us having fewer players around this season. Let's be realistic, you could have picked three teams from the squad we had before.
"There's not a lot of sense bringing in truckloads of players to the club
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"We can all see the type of player the gaffer's brought in - players like Adam Bolder and Danny Cullip. They are players who will improve us.
"We've got a manger who's not going to waste the club's money and who's not going to sign every Tom, Dick and Harry.
"We are not blessed with money and it won't be like the old regime where having too many players created a burden on the club in terms of wages. I'm encouraged by the signings he has made.
"We would have been relegated if the change hadn't been made by the chairman last year. He was quick to rectify the situation last year when things weren't working out by bringing in a new manager and a lot of credit's got to go to him for that."

Bignot was happy to report that all the players passed the weight targets set by the club at the end of last season and everyone reporting back for duty sailed through the fitness tests with flying colours.
"We've been checked out to make sure we haven't eaten too much or drunk too much over the summer and everyone's OK and can't wait for pre-season next week," bignot said.
"Season after season just seems to roll into one because the close season is so short, but we had a real good break and I got the impression all the lads are itching to get back." Ealing Gazette