QPR Report Five Year Flashback: Bizarre Alleged "Incident At Loftus Road" (as QPR Beat Sheffield United)...Sharif Joins QPR

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Next: Sheffield United

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Five Years ago today, QPR defeated Sheffield United. Off the field, assertions were made...Arrests were made...and ultimately: All Charged were found NOT Guilty.


QPR OFFICIAL STATEMENT - August 2005 - INCIDENT AT LOFTUS ROAD - Queens Park Rangers Football Club confirms that the Metropolitan Police are investigating an incident at Loftus Road.
- A number of arrests were made on Saturday afternoon and the police are now investigating the circumstances surrounding the allegations.
- QPR are co-operating fully with the police in the course of their enquiries but while the investigation is ongoing the Club is unable to comment further on the nature of the alleged incident.

- Various Newspaper Reports of that Day


And the Match Report Sunday Times - QPR 2 Sheffield United 1: Bircham passion revives Rangers - Barry Flatman at Loftus Road

POLICE were called after armed men threatened the life of Queens Park Rangers’ club director Gianni Paladin yesterday, but after arrests were made, and with the crowd, players and officials unaware of what had just occurred, we were treated to a lively encounter with a committed fan at its core.

Marc Bircham is one of those fortunate individuals who plays for the club he has supported with a lifelong passion. He wasn’t born when the likes of Rodney Marsh won QPR the League Cup as Third Division giantkillers almost 40 years ago and while the 1967 vintage were taking a bow at half-time, Bircham was locked in the dressing room being berated by manager Ian Holloway for being too anxious throughout a forgettable first half.

However, Bircham is well versed with the exploits of his elders and was clearly aware of their presence. Within 11 minutes of the restart the midfielder, who has been known to parade his devotion by dying his hair blue and white, was celebrating a goal that any QPR veterans would have been proud to score.

Then, with the match eventually won, Bircham went on to show the confrontational side to his character by reacting so angrily to a verbal barb from Sheffield United’s Chris Morgan that the visitors’ captain, seeking further retribution, had to be manhandled off the pitch by his manager, Neil Warnock.

The fact that QPR had not only taken the points but leapfrogged Sheffield United in the Championship table after the Yorkshire team started the day in top position, clearly fuelled Morgan’s temper.

Warnock maintained the entire contest was a disappointment, but his bitterness is understandable because his team did not possess the guile to exploit the opposition’s errors. QPR in contrast possess that quality as scorers Bircham and substitute Stefan Moore displayed.

Moore, a summer free transfer from Aston Villa, was introduced as a 36th minute replacement for fellow new arrival Tom Doherty who limped off with an injured knee. Moore’s pace and attack was a constant threat to United and he was integral to the opening goal. Initially Martin Rowlands raided down the left, Moore tried his luck in a more central position and when Phil Jagielka could only half clear the ball, Bircham steadied himself to drive a shot past goalkeeper Paddy Kenny from 20 yards.

Michael Tonge was badly missed in the Sheffield midfield and Frenchman Lilian Nalis had the sort of afternoon he could have categorised as tres terrible, but it was another summer signing, Paul Ifill, who suffered the brunt of Warnock’s displeasure. The former Millwall man appeared to lose his footing as he shaped to shoot early in the second half and sliced a goalscoring opportunity wide. But when he slipped and allowed Moore a free run at goal, Warnock decided an investigation was necessary.

“I was convinced he was wearing rubber studs, which is ridiculous given pitches in this day and age, but I was right,” revealed Warnock. “He won’t be wearing them again.”

Moore’s footwear was suitably stable for him to cross to Matthew Rose, who returned the ball for Moore to shoot home his first goal for his new club. Substitute Steve Kabba got one goal back for United from close range late in added time.

STAR MAN: Georges Santos (QPR)

Player ratings. QPR: Royce 6, Bignot 6, Shittu 8, Santos 9, Rose 7, Ainsworth 6 (Brown 69min 6), Bircham 7, Doherty 5 (Moore 86min, 5, Rowlands 7 (Bean 86min, 5), Gallen 7, Furlong 6

Sheffield United: Kenny 6, Bromby 5, Morgan 6, Jagielka 6, Kozluk 5, Ifill 6, Montgomery 5, Nalis 4 (Short 73min, 5), Harley 5 (Gillespie 73min, 5), Webber 7, Shipperley 5 (Kabba 77min, 7)
Scorers: QPR: Bircham 56, Moore 90
Sheffield United: Kabba 90
Referee: S Tanner
Attendance: 13,497 Times


Maidenhead Advertizer -Mo SHARIF JOINS QPR
= Slough Town starlet Mo Sharif has signed a one-year contract with Championship side Queens Park Rangers following a successful trial.

The youngster, who came through the youth ranks with the Rebels, was not on contract so the club will not receive a fee.

But boss Steve Bateman has revealed that Rangers have agreed to send a strong side to Holloways Park in the near future for a potentially money spinning friendly.

Bateman said: “I’m del-ighted for Mo, it’s really positive for him and it sends a message to the young players we have in our system that playing in our club can lead to bigger and better things.

“Mo is as good as any 16/17-year-old player I’ve had in my 10 years of management and it gives us a great feeling knowing that we’ve given him his development.

“I’ve been told that they’ve (QPR) agreed to send a strong side down to play us on a date to be agreed.”

The news of Sharif move comes as Slough prepare for the start of a season which they hope will end in promotion.

They begin their Division 1 Central campaign with a home game against Barton Rovers tomorrow (Saturday) before visiting Bedfont Town on Tuesday night.

Bateman, whose side missed out on promotion in the play-off final last season, is determined to go one better this time around.

He said: “Everyone is really positive, there’s a really good mood around the club.

“We’ve had a good year last year and we’re looking to improve on that.

“We talk quite openly about things and we’re looking to go one better than last year.

“We want to finish in an automatic spot or, if it’s the play-offs again, we want to win them this time.”

For the rest of this story see this week's Slough Express.
Maidenhead Advertiser

- See Earlier Sharif/QPR Stories

- A few Warm Memories from an Ex-QPR Staffer

- The World Blind Football Championships Begin on Saturday

- Varney for QPR?