Dougie Freedman Recalls QPR and Chelsea Being Similar Size!.....Transfer Window Opening Flashbacks

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Ex-QPR Dougie Freedman Comparing Chelsea and QPR: Essex Echo/Chris Phillips
"...DOUGIE Freedman is urging his less experienced team-mates to treat Saturday’s trip to Chelsea as just another game....“The club has grown massively over the last 15 years or so because when I first came to England from Glasgow I joined QPR and at that time they were of a similar size to Chelsea.
“The league positions and crowds were virtually the same but now Chelsea are one of the biggest clubs in the world.....“They are now a massive club and it’s totally different to when I first came over here.” .” Echo


- Gavin Mahon Turns 32! Stats: Also Mahon profiled, including Nice things said about him by Watford fans - Mahon Profiles


Flashbacks:
- One Year Ago, The Transfer Window opened - and on the opening day, QPR signed three players and a fourth reported in th epress!
- QPR Official Site - EXCLUSIVE: BUZSAKY SIGNS
- Arsenal's Matthew Connolly Becomes QPR's Latest Confirmed Signing
- QPR's Latest Signing: West Ham's Hogan Ephraim
- And a fourth player, reported in the Press as coming "Lancashire Evening Post - Agyemang set for Rangers move" - Agyemang Coming

QPR Official Site - EXCLUSIVE: BUZSAKY SIGNSQueens Park Rangers Football Club are delighted to announce the permanent signing of Hungarian international Akos Buzsaky.
The Plymouth Argyle midfielder - who joined the R's on loan in October - has put pen to paper on a two-and-a-half year contract, after the two Clubs agreed an undisclosed fee for his services.
Speaking exclusively to www.qpr.co.uk, Buzsaky - who is now tied to the Club until the summer of 2010 - revealed his delight at the move, commenting: "I'm very excited about the future.
"I have enjoyed the last two months and we're improving from game to game.
"The Rangers supporters are very passionate and they really want to see this Club going forward and being in the Premiership, where it should be.
"I am sure, like me, they are looking forward to a new era."
When asked about the QPR fans and their chant labelling him 'The White Pele,' Buzsaky said: "It's a little bit unrealistic, but when supporters sing about you, it shows that they are fond of you, which is great."
The Magical Magyar has been something of a revelation since his loan move from Home Park earlier this season, scoring six goals in just 13 appearances for the R's. QPR

QPR Official Site - EPHRAIM SIGNS
Queens Park Rangers Football Club are delighted to announce the signing of attacking midfielder Hogan Ephraim.
The highly-rated West Ham United winger, who spent three months on loan in W12 earlier this season, has joined for an undisclosed fee, penning a three-and-a-half year contract.
Speaking exclusively to www.qpr.co.uk, Ephraim expressed his delight at the move, commenting: "I'm so pleased to be back here.
"I really enjoyed my time here on loan earlier this season and when the Club showed an interest in offering me a permanent deal, I was made up.
"It's a great time to be at QPR. Big things are going to happen here - the new owners are very ambitious."
Ephraim added: "It has been a nightmare watching the Rangers results on Soccer Saturday in the last few weeks, because I just want to be playing football.
"The last minute goal at Plymouth was a real choker for the lads, but the result against Watford showed just what this group of players are capable of.
"Things appear to be improving under the new Manager and I can't wait to get started."
The 19 year-old, who made 13 appearances in all competitions for the R's during his first spell in W12, scoring two goals, instantly adhered himself to the QPR faithful, with his trademark celebration of pretending to shoot a basketball into a Hoop earning him the vocal backing of the R's support.
"That's just something me and my mates do when we're out and my girlfriend was in the crowd when I scored my first goal at Loftus Road, so I knew she'd appreciate it," added Ephraim.
"There's a few more in the locker too, so I can't wait to start finding the back of the net." Ephraim will wear squad number 25. QPR

Matt Connolly Signs - QPR OFFICIAL SITE - EXCLUSIVE: YOUNG GUN SIGNS
Queens Park Rangers Football Club are delighted to announce the signing of Arsenal youngster Matthew Connolly.
The 20 year-old has penned a three-and-a-half year deal with the R's, after the two Clubs agreed an undisclosed fee.
"It's very difficult to make the breakthrough at a Club like Arsenal, so when QPR made an offer I knew it was the right time to move on," Connolly told www.qpr.co.uk.
"Arsenal provided me with a great launch pad, but I need to be playing first team football at my age and this is a fantastic Club for me to pursue my career at.
"I know what the Championship is all about after my spell at Colchester United and I'm delighted to be part of what appears to be a very bright future at this Football Club."
Connolly, who spent the first part of the 2007/08 season on loan at Championship rivals Colchester United, is a product of the successful Arsenal academy.
After working his way through the academy system at the North London Club, Connolly was named as captain of the Gunners' Reserve side in September 2006, before he was handed his First Team debut against West Bromwich Albion in the Carling Cup a month later.
After impressing whilst on loan at Layer Road this season, Connolly received his first call up to Stuart Pearce's England Under-21 squad in November.
Connolly will wear squad number 16

Departing and Returning Loans on this Day, Last Year
January 2, 2008 - QPR Official Site LOAN WATCH
- Rowan Vine and Bob Malcolm have returned to Birmingham City and Derby County respectively, after their loan spells expired yesterday.
- Following them out of Loftus Road are Ben Sahar (Chelsea), Martin Cranie (Portsmouth) and Jason Jarrett (Preston North End), who have each returned to their respective Clubs.
- Returning to W12 today are Shabazz Baidoo and Dominic Shimmin, after their respective loan spells at Gillingham and Bournemouth, while Marcus Bignot is set to return from his loan spell at Millwall after Saturday's FA Cup third round clash against Walsall. QPR


Two Years Ago: Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Transfers & Loans
-On the opening day of the transfer window, a number of loans or signings were up in the air/had yet to be officially confirmed....
QPR OFFICIAL SITE - Doc Deal
QPR have extended the loan deal of Tommy Doherty to Wycombe Wanderers until the end of the season.
The midfield terrier will remain a Chairboy until May 5, but will still have a year to run on his initial three year deal with QPR.
Doherty has made 11 starts since joining Wycombe in September, but also amassed two red cards. The deal means that Doherty will be available for Saturday's game against Rochdale. QPR

SkySports on Possible Sean Thomas to Bristol City Loan
Bristol City are looking into signing Queens Park Rangers keeper Sean Thomas on loan.
Thomas has emerged as an option for the League One club as City boss Gary Johnson aims to ensure he has adequate cover at Ashton Gate.
Though Chris Weale is fit again to provide the back-up to Adriano Basso, Johnson is wary about being left short in the keeping department.
"If you lose one of your goalkeepers, then it leaves you exposed and with very few options," said Johnson.
"We want to be sure we have enough cover in the squad and he (Thomas) is something we have been looking at."
Thomas has yet to make his first-team debut for QPR and may be allowed to move out on loan to gain experience. Sky QPR Report


Three Years Ago, a result, a QPR Official Statement and Holloway Talking about Transfer Dealings:

QPR Official Site - January 2, 2006 - Holloway on Donnelly and Baidoo
"...With the January transfer window now open, Holloway also revealed he is due to discuss his long list of targets with Gianni Paladini on Tuesday morning."The transfer window will be used to look at moving the club forward and I'm due to sit down with Gianni and Antonio tomorrow to speak about the targets."I've got 6-8 targets in three different brackets. Some are buys, some expensive and some are in the loan category. We'll see what comes of it, but I've made a few calls and I'm quite optimistic.''Holloway reserved a final thought for two of the club's young guns, Shabazz Baidoo and home debutant Scott Donnelly."Shabazz and Scott are the type of characters I'm looking for at this club and will both do very well.''

Clubcall - Q.P.R - Holloway -"I need to sell"
Queens Park Rangers manager Ian Holloway has admitted he needs to sell some of his players in order to strengthen his squad in January.
Following the 1-1 home draw against Burnley, the Hoops boss will be looking to make moves in the transfer window.
"I've got to get rid of people in my squad to make room. I am due to talk to the players who have not been doing it for me," revealed Holloway.
"They can move on in this window and hopefully we can move on."
Holloway also pinpointed the need to bring a striker to Loftus Road : "At the moment we haven't got a striker in the higher echelons of the scoring charts

And a couple of days later: Ukah going as Holloway wields axe
BBC - An attempted clear-out is imminent at Loftus Road
Defender Ugo Ukah has been told he can leave Queens Park Rangers.
The Nigerian has made just two first-team appearances since being brought to the club by chairman Gianni Paladini last summer.
Manager Ian Holloway is set to tell at least four other players they are not in his plans and should move on.
"Some lads haven't done it for me. I've told Ugo that he can go and I'll be telling others the same. We need to move forward," said Holloway.
"I want to add to the squad. If I can't buy anyone I'll at least look to bring people in on loan." BBC


Meanwhile: January 2, 2006: Ian Holloway's QPR Played Steve Cotterill's Burnley at Loftus Road (and drew 1-1): The QPR Team: Royce, Bignot, Milanese, Shittu, Rose, Ainsworth, Rowlands, Cook, Baidoo, Nygaard, Langley. Subs: Cole, Santos, Moore, Donnelly, Furlong. - Match Reports


And off the field: January 2, 2006: QPR's Board of Directors Issues Statement Rejecting Transfer Speculation and stories re Jim Smith to QPR-
QPR OFFICIAL STATEMENT
- Following the weekend's media reports, the Board of Directors have issued a statement.
- Numerous stories alleged that QPR were on the brink of selling some of their most valuable players, most notably Dan Shittu, but the Board would like to state there is no such truth in the rumours.
- The statement reads:
- "The board unanimously condemns recent allegations from some badly informed newspapers with regards to the sale of some of our players for ridiculous amounts of money and also the replacement of our manager.
- "We would like to clarify that there is absolutely no need to sell players in order to settle monies due to the Inland Revenue as we are fully up to date with our repayments.
- "Furthermore, stories claiming that Jim Smith is to become the Director of Football at Loftus Road are completely unfounded."