Football Snippets Friday...QPR at Scunthorpe

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- John Spencer Honoured

- The Danny Dichio Story

- Birthdays: Ray Jones (RIP) and Jamie Cureton

- August 28 QPR Games, including Season Opener for Terry Venables Championship-winning team.

- Year Ago: Talk of Campbell to QPR and Ledesma Signing

- Abramovich Backs Curbing Spending...Platini: Balance Books or Out of Europe

- FA Deny Manchester United Pressure over Removal of England Phsyio

- Portsmouth Finances Examined

- Two More Big Sousa Signings for Swansea

- Southampton's Rasiac Joins Reading

- Danny Shittu Looking to Move


London Paper/Greg Stobart
Under fire QPR boss Jim Magilton ready to ring changes
The former Ipswich Town manager will drop underperforming players ahead of his side’s trip to Scunthorpe following Rangers’ poor start to the season
- JIM MAGILTON has fired a warning at his underperforming players and admitted he will make changes for the weekend’s trip to Scunthorpe.
- The QPR boss watched as his players were booed off the field at half time during last night’s 2-1 Carling Cup second round win over League Two outfit Accrington Stanley.
- Magilton is already under pressure at Loftus Road with Rangers yet to win a game in the Championship this season, and second half goals from Hogan Ephraim and Wayne Routledge secured a barely-deserved victory for the Hoops.
- He said: “We have to re-jig things. If those lads who are currently in the team aren’t doing it, we’ve certainly got enough back-up that will come in and do a bit better.”
- One player who could find himself out of the side is Hungarian international Akos Buzsaky.
- “I know he’s a crowd favourite here but I don’t think a player of his ability should give the ball away as cheaply as he does. I can’t tolerate that,” said Magilton. London Paper


Next: QPR Travel to Scunthorpe
Last time they met: In December 2007, QPR under De Canio, drew 2-2 at Scunthorpe (Buzsaky 2). QPR: Camp, Barker, Stewart, Bolder, Buzsaky (Ainsworth 92), Rowlands, Malcolm, Vine, Rehman (Timoska 74), Leigertwood, Sinclair (Nygaard 76). Subs: Cole, Balanta.
And then on the Ides of March, 2008, QPR won 3-1 at Loftus Road (Rowland Agyemang and Vine) - QPR: Camp, Delaney, Mancienne, Blackstock, Buzsaky (Mahon 81), Rowlands (Stewart 92), Connolly, Agyemang (Lee 93), Vine, Hall, Leigertwood. Subs: Pickens, Balanta.
Prior to these games, the clubs had last met in the old Third Division in the 1966/1967 Season.
- Further QPR vs Scunthorpe Details


QPR OFFICIAL SITE THE FRIDAY PREVIEW: THE IRON
Rangers will go gunning for their first victory of the Coca Cola Championship campaign at Glanford Park tomorrow (Saturday).

After three draws and a defeat from their opening four fixtures of the season, Jim Magilton's men - buoyed by progressing into the third round of the Carling Cup with victory over Accrington Stanley on Tuesday - will be keen to add another win to their tally, against a Scunny side who have found life difficult on their return to the second tier.

Indeed, despite booking their place in the next round of the Carling Cup at the expense of Paulo Sousa's Swansea City in midweek, the Iron have taken just three points from a possible 12 so far.

Team News
Martin Rowlands (ankle) is a doubt for Jim Magilton's men, but Angelo Balanta could be in contention for a recall, after coming through a QPR XI fixture on Wednesday morning unscathed.

Fitz Hall is expected to return from a rib injury, whilst Jay Simpson is likely to make his full QPR debut following the completion of his season long loan move from Arsenal on Thursday.

Defender Rob Jones is unavailable for the Iron after suffering concussion at Sheffield Wednesday last week.

Meanwhile, Niall Canavan - who stood in for Jones against Swansea City in mid-week - is also a doubt after suffering an ankle injury in training yesterday (Thursday).

Andrew Wright (metatarsal) and Kenny Milne (knee) are also unavailable for the match.

Star Man Gary HOOPER - Striker

Iron completed the signing of Gary Hooper in July 2008 and the 21 year-old striker has gone from strength to strength since then.

Thirty goals in all competitions last season saw Scunny return to the Championship and the former Hereford hit-man looks set to continue his fine form this season.

Indeed, Hooper already has two goals to his name in his four Championship appearances to date, and is a proven matchwinner on his day.

Previous encounter

QPR 3, Scunthorpe United 1 - Saturday 15th March 2009 - Coca Cola Championship

Martin Rowlands, Patrick Agyemang and Rowan Vine were all on target, as the R's came from behind to send Scunthorpe United spiralling towards League One.

Rangers trailed to Grant McCann's fine free-kick, only for the hosts to respond courtesy of a debatable Rowlands spot-kick.

Agyemang put the R's in front when he smashed home Akos Buzsaky's classy 79th minute through ball, before Vine put the icing on the cake with a well-taken third goal in stoppage time.

Match odds with Bet365
Scunthorpe win - 7/4
Draw - 11/5
QPR win - 8/5
Click here to back the R's!

Match Coverage
QPR Player will be providing live commentary of this fixture, as well as offering extended highlights next week.
Click here to join QPR Player. QPR


SCUNTHORPE OFFICIAL - PREVIEW: QUEENS PARK RANGERS
-Saturday's home game with Queens Park Rangers is United's final one before a two-week international break, and the Iron will be seeking to finish the first three weeks of the season in style against Jim Magilton's side.

The big-spending Hoops are yet to win in the league this season, and come up against a Scunthorpe team seeking to bulld on their one league victory so far.

They head into the game buoyed by their 2-1 midweek Carling Cup win at Championship rivals Swansea City.

Central defender Rob Jones won't play on Saturday, as he continues his recovery from the concussion he suffered at Sheffield Wednesday last week.

"He was on the training ground with us on Thursday morning, but still needs more time to recover," said manager Nigel Adkins, speaking on The Iron Player.

"He should be fine for our next league game against Crystal Palace."

Niall Canavan, who stepped in for him at Swansea, could sit out due to an ankle problem which forced him out of training on Thursday.

"All being well he'll train on Friday," added Adkins.

Fellow defender David Mirfin, who had missed most of pre-season and sat out three games with an ankle injury, played all 120 minutes of the Swansea game and he came through training fine on Thursday.

Andrew Wright misses out with a broken metatarsal, while Kenny Milne is training well after missing the last year with a knee problem.

Elsewhere, there are no fresh injury worries, with the likes of Cliff Byrne, Grant McCann, Michael O'Connor and Gary Hooper pushing for a recall.

QPR could hand a debut to new loan signing Jay Simpson, the highly-rated young Arsenal striker.

The Hoops beat off interest from three Premier League sides to snap up the frontman on a season-long deal.

They will also be hoping that centre-back Fitz Hall will return after missing the midweek Carling Cup win over Accrington Stanley with a rib injury. Kaspars Gorkss will continue to stand in should he miss out.

Winger Lee Cook is still missing as he recovers from summer knee surgery.

The referee for the game is Graham Salisbury.

Scunthorpe


Scunthorpe Official Site - ADKINS CALLS FOR AN ATMOSPHERE

Iron manager Nigel Adkins has called for his side's fans to get behind the club as passionately as they did for the first two home league games when cash-rich Queens Park Rangers come to Glanford Park on Saturday.

United head into the game on the back of a confidence-boosting 2-1 Carling Cup win over Swansea and will be seeking to gain their second league win of the season in their final match before a two-week international break,

"Queens Park Rangers have had massive investment," said Adkins, speaking on The Iron Player.

"They want to win promotion to the Premier League but it hasn't worked out for them at the moment.

"They've been through a couple of managers and Jim Magilton is there now.

"They've got a very large squad of players to select from, so we'll have to see what team they put out.

"They changed a few things in the midweek when they played Accrington Stanley in the Carling Cup, so they've had the opportunity to rest several of their players.

"They may not have had the start they were looking for, so they'll come here looking for an away victory.

"But if we can get the atmosphere right, and have one like we had when we played Derby County and Middlesbrough here, and if we can also put in the energy levels shown against those two teams, then that will give us an opportunity." Scunthorpe


POSTED PREVIOUSLY

- Watford's Tommy Smith Move finalized (to Portsmouth, not Reading)

- Father and Son Change their Name to Queens Park Rangers

- Video Snippet: QPR vs Accrington Stanley

- Ex-QPR Chris Arthur Trialing With Grimsby

- Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) Action Week (October 15-27)

- Fans Asked to Vote on Favourite League Cup Memories

- Interesting Ranking of Premiership Clubs for "Fan Stewardship" - How well owners are building for their club's future. Five categories: - putting the club first, 'long-termism', clarity of role and purpose, engagement of fans and passion"


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