Visit the site for QPR news, nostalgia and nattering: The QPR Report Messageboard. No focus on politics or films or music or food. And no ad-hominem attacks on fellow QPR posters. Just a focus on QPR and Football - Including:
- Bargain Price to See Wycombe Friendly vs QPR In Style
- Video: Jim Magilton (The Player) Highlights
- Day III: Where's Gareth Ainsworth?
- Where's QPR Youth Team Coach, Steve Brown?
- Some of the Other Managers Who Tabloids Linked to QPR
- The ongoing Rodney Marsh Q&A Thread
- re OneQPR-Club Meeting Minutes
- Flashback: Two Golden Profiles of QPR's New Manager, Paulo Sousa
- Les Ferdinand on What Happened to Newcastle
- Crystal Palace Warn of Fake Facebook Account for Palace Captain
- Fans Should Accept The Reality of Football Transfers
- Football Finances: Deloitte's Annual Report - Including re Championship Clubs
- Clubs Better Equipped to Avoid Administration
- Internet Vote to Decide if To Sell a Player
- La Liga - Team of The Season
- The Greatest Fifty Players Ever List
QPR Official Site: Rowan Vine - INGREDIENTS FOR SUCCESS
- Rowan Vine is relishing life under Jim Magilton.
- Following the appointment of the new R's gaffer on Wednesday afternoon, Vine says he can't wait for pre-season to start so that the squad can get in shape for what promises to be an important campaign for the Club.
"I think this is a good appointment, and it's nice for the guessing games to be over," Vine told www.qpr.co.uk.
"Jim has got a lot of experience; he's played loads of games in this league as well as in the Premiership, and I think it's got all the ingredients of a good decision."
Magilton spent nearly three years managing Ipswich Town in the Championship, and Vine believes the knowledge his new boss attained in that time will be of great benefit to the R's.
"Jim knows this division inside-out, so he knows most of the players as well as the teams.
"He'll have a great understanding of what the Championship is all about. He's got everything you need to be a success here.
"That knowledge he's got is vital."
Having seen the way Magilton's sides operate at close quarters, Vine is excited by the prospect of QPR adopting a similar style of play.
"I've played against his Ipswich teams a few times and, in my eyes, they always played the game the right way, with high energy.
"I remember playing for Luton against them live on TV - and they beat us 5-0! There was a real gulf between the sides that day, and I was really impressed by his team.
"He was a good player himself with plenty of ability and I think his managerial style reflects that. Hopefully we can play some of the good football that we know this squad is capable of."
With pre-season less than four weeks away, Vine says he's pleased the appointment has been made now.
"It's important that he's come in now because it gives him time to set everything up as he wants it before we all come back.
"It's vital to have that structure in place from the start.
"He's got plenty of time to really stamp his authority on the place, and I think we'll be well prepared come August.
"I am really looking forward to meeting him and any staff he brings in, to see what they want and expect from us. Hopefully we can kick on straight away."
Vine is certainly doing everything in his power to be in top shape for the new season.
Rather than waiting for the official preparation to begin at the start of July, the 26 year-old has been a regular at the Club's training ground since the 2008/09 campaign ended.
"You can't keep me away from the place," Vine said following another self-induced training session.
"I am raring to go. I've missed a lot of football over the past year and now I'm chomping at the bit to get out there and make up for it." QPR
East Anglia Daily Times/Derek Davis - Jim set to block Town move
- JIM Magilton will try to block any further attempt by his old club Ipswich Town to land QPR left back Damien Delaney.
- The former Blues boss is well aware of Roy Keane's interest in the Irish defender and has been told Rangers would be willing to sell if they can recoup the £1.2m they paid Hull City for him in January 2008.
- Delaney struggled to hold down his place at the end of the season, when Matt Connolly was converted from his preferred central defender's berth to play at left-back.
- But Magilton, who was himself interested in landing the27-year-old when he was at Portman Road, does not want to sell to the club who sacked him and who will be a main rival for a top six place in the coming season.
- Although the final decision is not his to take, sporting director Giovanni Paladini, deals with the buying and selling of players with co-owner and chairman Flavio Briatore in overall command, Magilton's views will be taken into consideration
- Delaney is from Keane's home town of Cork but that is about as far as any connection goes.
- With two years left on his current contract Delaney is relaxed about his future and while flattered by Keane's interest has not been told he can talk to any other clubs as yet.
- He said: “There's not much you can say extra about Roy Keane is there? He's Roy Keane and a bit of a legend - but we've only met a couple of times.
- "I don't want to go shooting my mouth off about Ipswich without knowing whether they really want me - and whether Rangers want to let me go.
- "It's one thing to be wanted - it's another for clubs to agree a transfer."
- Delaney is not the only one who could be blocked from moving on.
- Nottingham Forest want Dextor Blackstock who impressed while on loan but the £1.8m asking price has yet to be met and Magilton may want the chance to use the former Southampton striker.... East Anglia Daily Times
Clubcall - Boss' loan record on line
- Jim Magilton is ready to work the loan market to improve QPR's squad and is ready to target two Man Utd defenders.
- The ex-Ipswich boss established a good record of picking up Premier League reserves while at Portman Road, signing Giovani Dos Santos from Spurs, and will look to bolster Rangers' options that way later this summer.
- His Northern Ireland connections have already alerted him to the potential availability of Old Trafford duo Craig Cathcart, 20, and Corry Evans, 18, who are both highly-rated by Sir Alex Ferguson.
- Cathcart spent most of last season on loan at Plymouth Argyle and established himself as a first-team regular and crowd favourite for his composed displays at centre-back.
- Evans, younger brother of Northern Ireland international Jonny Evans, was shortlisted for United's reserve team player of the year and has captained the youth team - playing in a number of positions at the back and in midfield.
-Magilton, who tried to sign his brother for Ipswich the season before last, is hoping to persuade Ferguson to let one, or both, come Rangers way next season.
ClubCall
David Healy/Belfast Telegraph -
- "...Another appointment this week saw my old international team-mate Jim Magilton given the job at QPR.
Jim could have a few quid to spend as well given the riches at Loftus Road.
I was shocked when Jim was sacked by Ipswich but always felt he would make a quick return and that has happened.
I’m backing him to do well at QPR." Belfast Telegraph
Ex-QPR goalie, Alan Spratley Turns 60.
- Born June 5, 1949, Spratley made his first team debut in QPR's FA Cup defeat at Aston Villa in January 1969. Perhaps not one of the best known of ex-QPR players - and certainly he didn't play that many league games for the club (about 30 games) but in the the 1968/69 "First Division Disaster season" and QPR's promotion challenging 1969/1970 season, he played about 1/3 of each of those two seasons in goal. Spratley was the backup goalie first to Mike Kelly and then to Phil Parkes.
- Spratley eventually signed for Swindon in the 1973/74 Season.
- Among the games Spratley played for QPR:
March 19, 1969 - Manchester United 8 QPR 1
Spratley Clement Hazell Hunt Watson Glover I.Morgan Sibley Clarke Marsh Leach Sub: Keetch
[Manchester United - Willie Morgan 3, George Best 2, John Aston, Brian Kidd and Nobby Stiles got the goals. Man Ut's Team included: Stepney, Fitzpatrick, Dunne, Crerand, James, Stiles, Morgan, Kidd, Aston, Law, Best]
- And QPR's final game of their First Division Season at Chelsea 19th April 1969 Chelsea 2 QPR 1 Scorers: Baldwin (2); Bridges
QPR: Alan Spratley, Dave Clement, Alan Harris, Ian Watson, Ron Hunt, Tony Hazell, Ian Morgan, Mike Leach, Frank Clarke, Rodney Marsh, Barry Bridges
Chelsea: Peter Bonetti, David Webb, Eddie McCreadie, Ron Harris, John Dempsey, Peter Osgood (Charlie Cooke), Tommy Baldwin, Alan Birchenall, Ian Hutchinson, Bobby Tambling, Peter Houseman
And in the 1970/71 season: Spratley played in the opening game a 2-1 loss at Birmingham (Mike Kelly had just been sold and Spratley was preferred to Parkes)
Spratley - The other goalie in the photo!