QPR REPORT MESSAGEBOARD
_______________________________________________
Rather than try to recapsulate the past two weeks - or even today...just a couple of snippets
- Throw in Taarabt loan to Fulham....Park loan to PSV Einhoven....Derry Loan to Millwall....
Two opening wins....etc, etc, etc...
PHIL PARKES TURNS 63 TODAY
Flashback: April 2006 Interview with Phil Parkes
QPR's Phil Parkes on the Brilliant 1975-76 Team (also on West Ham and England)-
Parkes on the mark
By Tony Incenzo. Wednesday, 05 April 2006.
The FA.Com 28 March 2006
VIDEO: FA Cup 'Team of Heroes'
We bring you a compilation video of some of the magical moments from The FA Cup to help you choose your 'Team of Heroes'.
It's the 125th season of The FA Cup, the world's greatest domestic cup competition, and our search for the All-Time FA Cup Team of Heroes is gathering pace.We continue our detailed look into the contenders to help you decide just who you want in your team - remember the decision about who makes the team is down to you, the fans. You can choose your team by clicking here
Phil Parkes was nominated by Queens Park Rangers. Parkes was part of the QPR team that reached the last eight of the FA Cup in 1974 and were League runners-up to Liverpool two years later. He won an FA Cup winner’s medal with West Ham when they beat Arsenal 1-0 in the 1980 Final.
Phil, you have been nominated by QPR and your time there dates back to the mid-1970's. That was a real glory period for the R’s wasn't it?
It was yes. It was the best team that I ever played in and one of the best sides I have ever seen play as well. People go on about the Liverpool team of the 80's and Manchester United of the 90's. But for pure football, I have not seen a side that could come close to QPR in the 70's. Maybe the closest is Arsenal at the moment when they are at their best and free-flowing. They are exciting to watch and the QPR side was the same.
You just lost out on the championship by a point to Liverpool in 1975/6 didn't you?
That was an injustice. If you had spoken to any observer who didn't have a connection with QPR or Liverpool, they would have said straight away that we were by far the better side and we deserved to win the league. But it was just one of those things that wasn't to be. It was a huge disappointment but it is still a great comfort to know that you played in one of the greatest sides of all time.
On the subject of the FA Cup, you appeared in the 1980 Final for West Ham against Arsenal. What are your memories of that day?
It was a wonderful occasion. We were in the Second Division then and we were definitely the underdogs against First Division Arsenal. So we knew we were up against it and Arsenal were the biggest odds-on favourites for years. But we had a great team spirit and a belief in the side. Manager John Lyall set out a plan that really worked by playing David Cross up front on his own with Stuart Pearson behind him and four in midfield. Arsenal failed to work the system out and that led to us winning the Cup.
You were a goalkeeper at the same time as Peter Shilton and Ray Clemence. That restricted you international appearances to one cap didn’t it?
Well I might have had more opportunities but I fell out with England manager Don Revie big time. Even so, the one cap that I got is something that people can’t take away from me. There have been great players that I played with - such as Billy Bonds - who never got a cap, which is a big disappointment in their careers. But at least I managed to get that one.
What are you up to nowadays?
I have a building business and I am back at West Ham doing corporate hospitality. I host two of the big lounges at Upton Park on matchdays and it is fun.
How does it feel to be nominated for the FA Cup Team of Heroes?
Wonderful! It really is. And totally out of the blue. It was nice of QPR to nominate me as I had nine wonderful years at Loftus Road and the fans always give me a great reception when I go back there.
From Bushman's Archives
Read more: http://qprreport.proboards.com/thread/5775/birthdays-today-parkes-damion-stewart#ixzz2bP5XByCL
Rather than try to recapsulate the past two weeks - or even today...just a couple of snippets
- Throw in Taarabt loan to Fulham....Park loan to PSV Einhoven....Derry Loan to Millwall....
Two opening wins....etc, etc, etc...
PHIL PARKES TURNS 63 TODAY
Flashback: April 2006 Interview with Phil Parkes
QPR's Phil Parkes on the Brilliant 1975-76 Team (also on West Ham and England)-
Parkes on the mark
By Tony Incenzo. Wednesday, 05 April 2006.
The FA.Com 28 March 2006
VIDEO: FA Cup 'Team of Heroes'
We bring you a compilation video of some of the magical moments from The FA Cup to help you choose your 'Team of Heroes'.
It's the 125th season of The FA Cup, the world's greatest domestic cup competition, and our search for the All-Time FA Cup Team of Heroes is gathering pace.We continue our detailed look into the contenders to help you decide just who you want in your team - remember the decision about who makes the team is down to you, the fans. You can choose your team by clicking here
Phil Parkes was nominated by Queens Park Rangers. Parkes was part of the QPR team that reached the last eight of the FA Cup in 1974 and were League runners-up to Liverpool two years later. He won an FA Cup winner’s medal with West Ham when they beat Arsenal 1-0 in the 1980 Final.
Phil, you have been nominated by QPR and your time there dates back to the mid-1970's. That was a real glory period for the R’s wasn't it?
It was yes. It was the best team that I ever played in and one of the best sides I have ever seen play as well. People go on about the Liverpool team of the 80's and Manchester United of the 90's. But for pure football, I have not seen a side that could come close to QPR in the 70's. Maybe the closest is Arsenal at the moment when they are at their best and free-flowing. They are exciting to watch and the QPR side was the same.
You just lost out on the championship by a point to Liverpool in 1975/6 didn't you?
That was an injustice. If you had spoken to any observer who didn't have a connection with QPR or Liverpool, they would have said straight away that we were by far the better side and we deserved to win the league. But it was just one of those things that wasn't to be. It was a huge disappointment but it is still a great comfort to know that you played in one of the greatest sides of all time.
On the subject of the FA Cup, you appeared in the 1980 Final for West Ham against Arsenal. What are your memories of that day?
It was a wonderful occasion. We were in the Second Division then and we were definitely the underdogs against First Division Arsenal. So we knew we were up against it and Arsenal were the biggest odds-on favourites for years. But we had a great team spirit and a belief in the side. Manager John Lyall set out a plan that really worked by playing David Cross up front on his own with Stuart Pearson behind him and four in midfield. Arsenal failed to work the system out and that led to us winning the Cup.
You were a goalkeeper at the same time as Peter Shilton and Ray Clemence. That restricted you international appearances to one cap didn’t it?
Well I might have had more opportunities but I fell out with England manager Don Revie big time. Even so, the one cap that I got is something that people can’t take away from me. There have been great players that I played with - such as Billy Bonds - who never got a cap, which is a big disappointment in their careers. But at least I managed to get that one.
What are you up to nowadays?
I have a building business and I am back at West Ham doing corporate hospitality. I host two of the big lounges at Upton Park on matchdays and it is fun.
How does it feel to be nominated for the FA Cup Team of Heroes?
Wonderful! It really is. And totally out of the blue. It was nice of QPR to nominate me as I had nine wonderful years at Loftus Road and the fans always give me a great reception when I go back there.
From Bushman's Archives
Read more: http://qprreport.proboards.com/thread/5775/birthdays-today-parkes-damion-stewart#ixzz2bP5XByCL
Edit/Bump
August 8, 2005
QPR Official Site - MILANESE SIGNS
Mon 08 Aug 2005
Rangers have completed the signing of Italian left back Mauro Milanese.
The hugely experienced 33-year-old put pen to paper on a one-year deal at the Harlington training ground and will be available for selection ahead of this weekend's Championship opener at Hull.
Milanese, who passed a medical this morning, has previously starred for Inter Milan, Parma, Napoli and Torino in his native country .
He helped his last club Perugia to promotion to Serie A in 2004-05 before making the switch to England and will provide competition for the left back berth following the departure of Gino Padula at the end of last season.
He becomes Ian Holloway's seventh signing of the summer, following the arrival of Simon Royce, Tommy Doherty, Ian Evatt, Stefan Moore, Marc Nygaard and Ugo Ukah and, having been keen on a move to England, Milanese is delighted to be here.
"I've always watched English football and enjoyed it and I wanted to come here for a different experience," he admitted.
"I asked Fabrizio Ravanelli about playing in England and he put me in touch with Gianni Paladini who offered me the opportunity to come to QPR.
"This is something I've been hoping to do for the last three or four years. I'm really looking forward to the new season and I hope to play well."
November/ 2005 QPR Board Q&A with Paladini
Q: What is the truth behind the stories that you signed players over the head of Holloway?
A:My background is an agent and I know many players. We couldn't afford many players in England so we looked abroad. I brought over Milanese, Nygaard and Ukah. Ian Holloway was able to look at them before they were signed. Q&A
Clive Whittingham/LFW (Rivals) Q&A With Paladini
"....Paladini Interview Tue 04th Apr 2006
LFW interview with QPR Chairman Gianni Paladini from April 2006 inbetween defeats against Watford and Reading.
"...
Mauro Milanese is out of contract, but not on your list. Does this mean we'll be seeing him again next season?
Yes I hope so, we're hoping to try and agree a deal to keep him here.
Who brought him to the club in the first place? How much did Ian Holloway actually see of him?
I brought him here, him and Nygaard. Last summer we were looking for a left back because Gino Padula had left and we were looking for a striker. We tried for Tore Andre Flo but he had a bad back so Roberto Baggio, a friend of mine, he told me he knew this player Nygaard who would do well in England but wasn't getting much a chance in Italy.
Milanese is a good player. You only have to look at how he played for Parma and for Inter, how they played the game with him in the team. Ron Atkinson tried to buy him twice when he was at Villa and then Coventry.
He helps to keep people cool on the pitch, he stays behind with Danny shitetu after training helping him with his game, Lee Cook has been a different player when he's played with him. We definitely want him to stay.
We arranged a game against Tottenham last summer for both of them to play in and Ian liked what he saw. Nygaard has been criticised but you know nine goals in twenty starts isn't bad and Mauro has been one of our best players recently. If Marc gets a good pre-season under his belt he could be a very good player for us next season.
Ian Holloway seemed reluctant to pick Milanese though, why was that?
I don't know, I never asked him. The manager is the manager, I never told Ian he had to pick him or anybody else. I felt embarrassed because he [Milanese] could have stayed in Italy, he had another offer and I'd persuaded him to come here and he wasn't playing.
He wanted to know why he had two young kids ahead of him in the team (Lloyd Dyer and Andy Taylor) and it did look like he was going to leave in January but I don't interfere with the picking of the team.
The only time I interfered with any part of Ian Holloway's job was in January when he wanted to let Gareth Ainsworth go to Millwall. I interfered with that, I said "you must be joking, he has been one of our best players, he's scored more goals than anybody else and you want him to go to Millwall?"
I said he couldn't go. But that's the only time.
webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:SSksfKpqSGoJ:www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/fb_news.php%3Fstoryid%3D3363+paladini+milanese+embar assed&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us
August 8, 2006 - QPR Official Site - REH OF LIGHT
QPR have completed the signing of Fulham defender Zesh Rehman for an undisclosed fee.
The 22 year-old centre-half has today (Tuesday) put pen to paper on a three year deal 'll be at Loftus Road tonight for the Leeds game and I'm looking forward to seeing my new team-mates in action."
A gifted central defender with bags of potential, Zesh played five times for Fulham in the 2005/06 campaign, before being farmed out on loan to Norwich City.
Quiet, but self-assured, Zesh made his Fulham debut as a substitute in the 1-0 League Cup defeat to Wigan in September 2003.
A product of the Fulham academy system, Rehman made 26 appearances for the Cottagers, scoring once, against Lincoln City in a nine goal thriller in October.
R's boss Gary Waddock is delighted with the capture of the former Fulham defender, commenting: "It's a superb signing for the Club.
"We've got a player with Premiership experience and who is undoubtedly Prermiership class.
"He's an out-and-out defender but also has the unique ability of being able to bring the ball out of defence. There aren't many central defenders who can do that in the present day, so I'm delighted he's signed for us.
"He's very ambitious - like we all are at this Club - and hopefully he can achieve great things with us.''
Rehman will wear the number five shirt vacated by Danny shitetu. QPR
FULHAM OFFICIAL SITE -Zesh Moves On
Tue 8th Aug 2006
Central defender Zesh Rehman makes the move to QPR
Fulham Football Club can confirm that Zesh Rehman has joined Queens Park Rangers on a permanent basis. The defender signed a three-year deal with Rangers on Tuesday morning.
Rehman, a Fulham Academy graduate, played five times for the Whites in the 05/06 season and scored his first senior goal against Lincoln City in the League Cup before spending four months on loan at Norwich City.
All at Fulham Football Club would like to thank him for his services to the Club and wish him and his family the very best for the future Fulham
Read more: http://qprreport.proboards.com/thread/5776/onthisday-openers-milanese-rehman-join#ixzz2bP5kghlU
August 8, 2005
QPR Official Site - MILANESE SIGNS
Mon 08 Aug 2005
Rangers have completed the signing of Italian left back Mauro Milanese.
The hugely experienced 33-year-old put pen to paper on a one-year deal at the Harlington training ground and will be available for selection ahead of this weekend's Championship opener at Hull.
Milanese, who passed a medical this morning, has previously starred for Inter Milan, Parma, Napoli and Torino in his native country .
He helped his last club Perugia to promotion to Serie A in 2004-05 before making the switch to England and will provide competition for the left back berth following the departure of Gino Padula at the end of last season.
He becomes Ian Holloway's seventh signing of the summer, following the arrival of Simon Royce, Tommy Doherty, Ian Evatt, Stefan Moore, Marc Nygaard and Ugo Ukah and, having been keen on a move to England, Milanese is delighted to be here.
"I've always watched English football and enjoyed it and I wanted to come here for a different experience," he admitted.
"I asked Fabrizio Ravanelli about playing in England and he put me in touch with Gianni Paladini who offered me the opportunity to come to QPR.
"This is something I've been hoping to do for the last three or four years. I'm really looking forward to the new season and I hope to play well."
November/ 2005 QPR Board Q&A with Paladini
Q: What is the truth behind the stories that you signed players over the head of Holloway?
A:My background is an agent and I know many players. We couldn't afford many players in England so we looked abroad. I brought over Milanese, Nygaard and Ukah. Ian Holloway was able to look at them before they were signed. Q&A
Clive Whittingham/LFW (Rivals) Q&A With Paladini
"....Paladini Interview Tue 04th Apr 2006
LFW interview with QPR Chairman Gianni Paladini from April 2006 inbetween defeats against Watford and Reading.
"...
Mauro Milanese is out of contract, but not on your list. Does this mean we'll be seeing him again next season?
Yes I hope so, we're hoping to try and agree a deal to keep him here.
Who brought him to the club in the first place? How much did Ian Holloway actually see of him?
I brought him here, him and Nygaard. Last summer we were looking for a left back because Gino Padula had left and we were looking for a striker. We tried for Tore Andre Flo but he had a bad back so Roberto Baggio, a friend of mine, he told me he knew this player Nygaard who would do well in England but wasn't getting much a chance in Italy.
Milanese is a good player. You only have to look at how he played for Parma and for Inter, how they played the game with him in the team. Ron Atkinson tried to buy him twice when he was at Villa and then Coventry.
He helps to keep people cool on the pitch, he stays behind with Danny shitetu after training helping him with his game, Lee Cook has been a different player when he's played with him. We definitely want him to stay.
We arranged a game against Tottenham last summer for both of them to play in and Ian liked what he saw. Nygaard has been criticised but you know nine goals in twenty starts isn't bad and Mauro has been one of our best players recently. If Marc gets a good pre-season under his belt he could be a very good player for us next season.
Ian Holloway seemed reluctant to pick Milanese though, why was that?
I don't know, I never asked him. The manager is the manager, I never told Ian he had to pick him or anybody else. I felt embarrassed because he [Milanese] could have stayed in Italy, he had another offer and I'd persuaded him to come here and he wasn't playing.
He wanted to know why he had two young kids ahead of him in the team (Lloyd Dyer and Andy Taylor) and it did look like he was going to leave in January but I don't interfere with the picking of the team.
The only time I interfered with any part of Ian Holloway's job was in January when he wanted to let Gareth Ainsworth go to Millwall. I interfered with that, I said "you must be joking, he has been one of our best players, he's scored more goals than anybody else and you want him to go to Millwall?"
I said he couldn't go. But that's the only time.
webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:SSksfKpqSGoJ:www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/fb_news.php%3Fstoryid%3D3363+paladini+milanese+embar assed&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us
August 8, 2006 - QPR Official Site - REH OF LIGHT
QPR have completed the signing of Fulham defender Zesh Rehman for an undisclosed fee.
The 22 year-old centre-half has today (Tuesday) put pen to paper on a three year deal 'll be at Loftus Road tonight for the Leeds game and I'm looking forward to seeing my new team-mates in action."
A gifted central defender with bags of potential, Zesh played five times for Fulham in the 2005/06 campaign, before being farmed out on loan to Norwich City.
Quiet, but self-assured, Zesh made his Fulham debut as a substitute in the 1-0 League Cup defeat to Wigan in September 2003.
A product of the Fulham academy system, Rehman made 26 appearances for the Cottagers, scoring once, against Lincoln City in a nine goal thriller in October.
R's boss Gary Waddock is delighted with the capture of the former Fulham defender, commenting: "It's a superb signing for the Club.
"We've got a player with Premiership experience and who is undoubtedly Prermiership class.
"He's an out-and-out defender but also has the unique ability of being able to bring the ball out of defence. There aren't many central defenders who can do that in the present day, so I'm delighted he's signed for us.
"He's very ambitious - like we all are at this Club - and hopefully he can achieve great things with us.''
Rehman will wear the number five shirt vacated by Danny shitetu. QPR
FULHAM OFFICIAL SITE -Zesh Moves On
Tue 8th Aug 2006
Central defender Zesh Rehman makes the move to QPR
Fulham Football Club can confirm that Zesh Rehman has joined Queens Park Rangers on a permanent basis. The defender signed a three-year deal with Rangers on Tuesday morning.
Rehman, a Fulham Academy graduate, played five times for the Whites in the 05/06 season and scored his first senior goal against Lincoln City in the League Cup before spending four months on loan at Norwich City.
All at Fulham Football Club would like to thank him for his services to the Club and wish him and his family the very best for the future Fulham
Read more: http://qprreport.proboards.com/thread/5776/onthisday-openers-milanese-rehman-join#ixzz2bP5kghlU
And on the field on that same day three years ago, Waddock's QPR come from behind to draw against Blackwell's Leeds at Loftus Road. (No one would have dreamed Leeds would be going down! 
)
August 8, 2006 - QPR 2 Leeds 2 -
QPR: P Jones, Bignot (Baidoo 76), Rose, Stewart, Milanese, Ainsworth, Lomas, Rowlands (Bircham 89), Cook, Ward, Czerkas (Jones 54). Subs: Cole, Kanyuka.
Goals: Rowlands 80 (pen), Baidoo 90
Leeds United: Warner, Kelly, Crainey, Butler, Healy (Carole 76), Horsfield (Moore 84), Lewis, Stone, Bakke (Westlake 50), Derry, Kilgallon. Subs: Gregan, Blake.
Goals: Lewis 65, Horsfield 82
Match Reports
qprreport.blogspot.com/2006/08/qpr-2-leeds-2-reports-comments.html
Read more: http://qprreport.proboards.com/thread/5776/onthisday-openers-milanese-rehman-join#ixzz2bP5pTLFr
)August 8, 2006 - QPR 2 Leeds 2 -
QPR: P Jones, Bignot (Baidoo 76), Rose, Stewart, Milanese, Ainsworth, Lomas, Rowlands (Bircham 89), Cook, Ward, Czerkas (Jones 54). Subs: Cole, Kanyuka.
Goals: Rowlands 80 (pen), Baidoo 90
Leeds United: Warner, Kelly, Crainey, Butler, Healy (Carole 76), Horsfield (Moore 84), Lewis, Stone, Bakke (Westlake 50), Derry, Kilgallon. Subs: Gregan, Blake.
Goals: Lewis 65, Horsfield 82
Match Reports
qprreport.blogspot.com/2006/08/qpr-2-leeds-2-reports-comments.html
Read more: http://qprreport.proboards.com/thread/5776/onthisday-openers-milanese-rehman-join#ixzz2bP5pTLFr
And on the field on that same day three years ago, Waddock's QPR come from behind to draw against Blackwell's Leeds at Loftus Road. (No one would have dreamed Leeds would be going down! )
August 8, 2006 - QPR 2 Leeds 2 -
QPR: P Jones, Bignot (Baidoo 76), Rose, Stewart, Milanese, Ainsworth, Lomas, Rowlands (Bircham 89), Cook, Ward, Czerkas (Jones 54). Subs: Cole, Kanyuka.
Goals: Rowlands 80 (pen), Baidoo 90
Leeds United: Warner, Kelly, Crainey, Butler, Healy (Carole 76), Horsfield (Moore 84), Lewis, Stone, Bakke (Westlake 50), Derry, Kilgallon. Subs: Gregan, Blake.
Goals: Lewis 65, Horsfield 82
Match Reports
qprreport.blogspot.com/2006/08/qpr-2-leeds-2-reports-comments.html
Read more: http://qprreport.proboards.com/thread/5776/onthisday-openers-milanese-rehman-join#ixzz2bP5pTLFr
)August 8, 2006 - QPR 2 Leeds 2 -
QPR: P Jones, Bignot (Baidoo 76), Rose, Stewart, Milanese, Ainsworth, Lomas, Rowlands (Bircham 89), Cook, Ward, Czerkas (Jones 54). Subs: Cole, Kanyuka.
Goals: Rowlands 80 (pen), Baidoo 90
Leeds United: Warner, Kelly, Crainey, Butler, Healy (Carole 76), Horsfield (Moore 84), Lewis, Stone, Bakke (Westlake 50), Derry, Kilgallon. Subs: Gregan, Blake.
Goals: Lewis 65, Horsfield 82
Match Reports
qprreport.blogspot.com/2006/08/qpr-2-leeds-2-reports-comments.html
Read more: http://qprreport.proboards.com/thread/5776/onthisday-openers-milanese-rehman-join#ixzz2bP5pTLFr
And 14 years ago
August 8, 1998
Season opener (under ray Harford) Sunderland 1 QPR 0
Harper, Heinola, Barrowclough, Yates (Slade 80), Ready, Maddix, Murray, Peacock, Rowland, Gallen, Scully SUBS (not used): Kulcsar, Rose.
SPORTING LIFE
Sunderland 1 QPR 0
By Carl Liddle, PA Sport
Nationwide League Player of the Year Kevin Phillips began where he left off last season by giving Sunderland a winning start to the First Division campaign.
The diminutive striker, who broke the club's post-War scoring record last term with 35 goals, coolly fired home a 75th minute penalty after Ian Baraclough had been sent off for hand-ball.
However, Sunderland's victory was marred by a serious injury to Lee Clark, their �6million-rated midfielder, who has only just recovered from a hernia operation.
He was caught by a bad challenge from Keith Rowland and was stretchered off towards the end of the first half with a suspected broken ankle.
Sunderland boss Peter Reid gave two summer signings their League debuts - keeper Thomas Sorensen and former Bury central defender Paul Butler.
But the match must also have seemed like a debut to left-back Martin Scott, since he missed the vast majority of last season with a serious groin injury.
Michael Gray, whose play-off final penalty failure condemned the Wearsiders to another season in the First Division, reverted to right-back because of injuries to both Darren Holloway and Chris Makin.
QPR boss Ray Harford was forced to do without the injured Iain Dowie and Mike Sheron, who hit two late goals in last season's 2-2 draw.
Sunderland concentrated most of their early attacks down the right, but their first chance of note fell to Republic of Ireland striker Niall Quinn, whose left-foot drive was brilliantly palmed away by Lee Harper for a corner.
The confident visitors then hit back with a right-wing break which ended with Tony Scully's pacy cross just evading the menacing figure of former England Under-21 star Kevin Gallen.
From the resulting corner, taken by Rowland, Steve Yates smashed a low drive goalwards, only for Sorensen to plunge to his left to keep it out.
Sunderland struck back with a high ball into the Rangers box which had the fans screaming for a foul on Quinn.
But they were soon cheering as Allan Johnston struck a brilliant 20-yard drive which scraped the near post after 15 minutes.
Gallen was heavily involved and he should have done better in the 20th minute, when he drove a 10-yard effort straight at the Sunderland keeper after a superb, sweeping attack down the right.
Clark's quick freekick to the right did not look dangerous until Gray struck a 27-yard piledriver which flew inches wide.
Scott was booked for a bad challenge on Scully in the 29th minute, before Rangers midfielder Peacock was himself booked for a late challenge on Butler as the home side pushed forward.
Ten minutes before the break Quinn flung himself forward to head a Phillips cross goalwards, only for it to be deflected for a corner.
QPR were challenging for everything and in the 36th minute a late Rowland tackle saw Clark carried off and the Rangers striker booked.
Reid's concern was clear as Clark was carried down the tunnel with both hands covering his face.
The incident spurred Sunderland to begin the half in determined fashion - but not for the first time they found Harper in commanding form.
However, only a last-ditch challenge by Butler in the 64th minute stopped Rowland opening the scoring.
Sunderland then lost their creativity until moment of madness by Baraclough gifted the home side their penalty. Before Phillips could smash home his season's opener, the Rangers defender was sent off.
Rangers hit back bravely, but when Gallen's low effort struck Sorensen, their last hopes of salvaging a point disappeared.
Teams
Sunderland: Soresen, Gray, Scott, Ball, Craddock, Butler, Summerbee (Bridges 88), Clark (Williams 38), Quinn, Phillips, Johnston.
Subs Not Used: Dichio.
Booked: Scott.
Goals: Phillips 75 pen.
QPR: Harper, Heinola, Baraclough, Yates (Slade 80), Ready, Maddix, Murray, Peacock, Rowland, Gallen, Scully. Subs Not Used: Kulcsar, Rose.
Sent Off: Baraclough (74).
Booked: Peacock, Rowland.
Att: 41,008
Ref: C Foy (St Helens).
www.sportinglife.com/football/premiership/qpr/reports/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/98/08/08/SOCCER_Sunderland_Nightlead.html&TEAMHD=qpr&DIV=prem&TEAM=QPR&RH=QPR&PREV_SEASON=1997&BID=
Read more: http://qprreport.proboards.com/thread/5776/onthisday-openers-milanese-rehman-join#ixzz2bP5voFjU
Read more: http://qprreport.proboards.com/thread/24996/year-flashback-giannis-claims-enemy#ixzz2bP6IEz6g
August 8, 1998
Season opener (under ray Harford) Sunderland 1 QPR 0
Harper, Heinola, Barrowclough, Yates (Slade 80), Ready, Maddix, Murray, Peacock, Rowland, Gallen, Scully SUBS (not used): Kulcsar, Rose.
SPORTING LIFE
Sunderland 1 QPR 0
By Carl Liddle, PA Sport
Nationwide League Player of the Year Kevin Phillips began where he left off last season by giving Sunderland a winning start to the First Division campaign.
The diminutive striker, who broke the club's post-War scoring record last term with 35 goals, coolly fired home a 75th minute penalty after Ian Baraclough had been sent off for hand-ball.
However, Sunderland's victory was marred by a serious injury to Lee Clark, their �6million-rated midfielder, who has only just recovered from a hernia operation.
He was caught by a bad challenge from Keith Rowland and was stretchered off towards the end of the first half with a suspected broken ankle.
Sunderland boss Peter Reid gave two summer signings their League debuts - keeper Thomas Sorensen and former Bury central defender Paul Butler.
But the match must also have seemed like a debut to left-back Martin Scott, since he missed the vast majority of last season with a serious groin injury.
Michael Gray, whose play-off final penalty failure condemned the Wearsiders to another season in the First Division, reverted to right-back because of injuries to both Darren Holloway and Chris Makin.
QPR boss Ray Harford was forced to do without the injured Iain Dowie and Mike Sheron, who hit two late goals in last season's 2-2 draw.
Sunderland concentrated most of their early attacks down the right, but their first chance of note fell to Republic of Ireland striker Niall Quinn, whose left-foot drive was brilliantly palmed away by Lee Harper for a corner.
The confident visitors then hit back with a right-wing break which ended with Tony Scully's pacy cross just evading the menacing figure of former England Under-21 star Kevin Gallen.
From the resulting corner, taken by Rowland, Steve Yates smashed a low drive goalwards, only for Sorensen to plunge to his left to keep it out.
Sunderland struck back with a high ball into the Rangers box which had the fans screaming for a foul on Quinn.
But they were soon cheering as Allan Johnston struck a brilliant 20-yard drive which scraped the near post after 15 minutes.
Gallen was heavily involved and he should have done better in the 20th minute, when he drove a 10-yard effort straight at the Sunderland keeper after a superb, sweeping attack down the right.
Clark's quick freekick to the right did not look dangerous until Gray struck a 27-yard piledriver which flew inches wide.
Scott was booked for a bad challenge on Scully in the 29th minute, before Rangers midfielder Peacock was himself booked for a late challenge on Butler as the home side pushed forward.
Ten minutes before the break Quinn flung himself forward to head a Phillips cross goalwards, only for it to be deflected for a corner.
QPR were challenging for everything and in the 36th minute a late Rowland tackle saw Clark carried off and the Rangers striker booked.
Reid's concern was clear as Clark was carried down the tunnel with both hands covering his face.
The incident spurred Sunderland to begin the half in determined fashion - but not for the first time they found Harper in commanding form.
However, only a last-ditch challenge by Butler in the 64th minute stopped Rowland opening the scoring.
Sunderland then lost their creativity until moment of madness by Baraclough gifted the home side their penalty. Before Phillips could smash home his season's opener, the Rangers defender was sent off.
Rangers hit back bravely, but when Gallen's low effort struck Sorensen, their last hopes of salvaging a point disappeared.
Teams
Sunderland: Soresen, Gray, Scott, Ball, Craddock, Butler, Summerbee (Bridges 88), Clark (Williams 38), Quinn, Phillips, Johnston.
Subs Not Used: Dichio.
Booked: Scott.
Goals: Phillips 75 pen.
QPR: Harper, Heinola, Baraclough, Yates (Slade 80), Ready, Maddix, Murray, Peacock, Rowland, Gallen, Scully. Subs Not Used: Kulcsar, Rose.
Sent Off: Baraclough (74).
Booked: Peacock, Rowland.
Att: 41,008
Ref: C Foy (St Helens).
www.sportinglife.com/football/premiership/qpr/reports/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/98/08/08/SOCCER_Sunderland_Nightlead.html&TEAMHD=qpr&DIV=prem&TEAM=QPR&RH=QPR&PREV_SEASON=1997&BID=
Read more: http://qprreport.proboards.com/thread/5776/onthisday-openers-milanese-rehman-join#ixzz2bP5voFjU
Seven Years ago...
"We Have an Enemy Within"
Sunday Mirror 6 August 2006
LIVING IN FEAR -Contract killer threat forces QPR chairman to wear a bullet-proof vest
GIANNI PALADINI EXCLUSIVE Anthony Clavane
QPR chairman Gianni Paladini is living in fear after a contract was legedly put out on his life. Following advice by the police, the controversial Rangers chief now has to wear a bullet-proof vest.
In an exclusive interview with Sunday Mirror Sport, Paladini hit out at fans opposed to his regime at Loftus Road, calling them the "enemy within".
Paladini said: "I find it incredible what's going on here. You have to fight against so many things. This must be the only club where the fans love to put s**t on their own club on the website."
Two weeks ago, a group of men were cleared of forcing Paladini to resign at gunpoint during a match against Sheffield United. The Italian tycoon claimed he was surrounded by hired thugs, punched and slapped, and then warned he'd be killed if he refused to sign a letter of resignation.
But a judge threw out the case against the men. There is no suggestion that any of those men are involved in the alleged contract on Paladini....
Ever since Paladini became a director of the debt-ridden Championship club he has faced hostile criticism from a section of supporters.
The Italian tycoon was furious to discover an attempt to sabotage an interview with him on the QPR website after he returned from the R's pre-season tour of his home country. He said: "I went mad. It's been cancelled now. They're trying to wind me up. I give up, I really do. I nearly got a heart attack when I saw it. "They put the face of a fan up there, somebody is stirring things up.
"Sometimes I wonder why I got myself involved in this situation. Whatever you do, you can't win. Even if you win the league and get promoted, you'll still have people who criticise.
"I feel like a dartboard. People are always throwing darts at me.
"We have an enemy within. What kind of people do these things? How can you be a QPR fan when you put this s**t in?"
Paladini also suspected foul play when one newspaper reported last week that Rangers players were turned away from their training ground because the rent had not been paid.
He blasted: "This did not happen. I have a statement showing we paid Imperial College, who we rent the ground from, £32,250 on 18 July. How can they shut it for non-payment two weeks after paying the rent? It's insane.
"There were people from a QPR fan group outside the training ground at 7.20am, putting it out that the players had been locked out. "But people were asleep at that time. The players didn't go in until 10am.
"They put out so much s**t, so much rubbish, that I just give up.
"Since I've come here there's been problem after problem after problem but now, thank God, it's all left behind. Now we will only concentrate on the football and take this club forward.
"With the players we've brought in and the new manager, Gary Waddock, we're looking forward to an exciting season.
"We've reduced the average age of the team and we've brought in players to give us stability for the next two or three years.
"It's been a very difficult time. But it's business as usual. I just carry on doing my job.
"In this game you need a lot of money. When I came here we were losing more than £500,000 a year but, by the end of next season, we should be out of debt.
"I'm lucky that the people with me they are prepared to put in money. This month, to pay the wages, they had to put in more money."
When I came here we got promoted and we've been two years in the Championship. Look at clubs like Birmingham, who spend eight or nine million, or Wolves, Coventry, Leeds. "They spend a fortune every year. They are on a very different level to us.
"Fortunately I've been involved in foot ball for the last 30 years and it's helped me a lot, because I1 can get certain players in."
"We Have an Enemy Within"
Sunday Mirror 6 August 2006
LIVING IN FEAR -Contract killer threat forces QPR chairman to wear a bullet-proof vest
GIANNI PALADINI EXCLUSIVE Anthony Clavane
QPR chairman Gianni Paladini is living in fear after a contract was legedly put out on his life. Following advice by the police, the controversial Rangers chief now has to wear a bullet-proof vest.
In an exclusive interview with Sunday Mirror Sport, Paladini hit out at fans opposed to his regime at Loftus Road, calling them the "enemy within".
Paladini said: "I find it incredible what's going on here. You have to fight against so many things. This must be the only club where the fans love to put s**t on their own club on the website."
Two weeks ago, a group of men were cleared of forcing Paladini to resign at gunpoint during a match against Sheffield United. The Italian tycoon claimed he was surrounded by hired thugs, punched and slapped, and then warned he'd be killed if he refused to sign a letter of resignation.
But a judge threw out the case against the men. There is no suggestion that any of those men are involved in the alleged contract on Paladini....
Ever since Paladini became a director of the debt-ridden Championship club he has faced hostile criticism from a section of supporters.
The Italian tycoon was furious to discover an attempt to sabotage an interview with him on the QPR website after he returned from the R's pre-season tour of his home country. He said: "I went mad. It's been cancelled now. They're trying to wind me up. I give up, I really do. I nearly got a heart attack when I saw it. "They put the face of a fan up there, somebody is stirring things up.
"Sometimes I wonder why I got myself involved in this situation. Whatever you do, you can't win. Even if you win the league and get promoted, you'll still have people who criticise.
"I feel like a dartboard. People are always throwing darts at me.
"We have an enemy within. What kind of people do these things? How can you be a QPR fan when you put this s**t in?"
Paladini also suspected foul play when one newspaper reported last week that Rangers players were turned away from their training ground because the rent had not been paid.
He blasted: "This did not happen. I have a statement showing we paid Imperial College, who we rent the ground from, £32,250 on 18 July. How can they shut it for non-payment two weeks after paying the rent? It's insane.
"There were people from a QPR fan group outside the training ground at 7.20am, putting it out that the players had been locked out. "But people were asleep at that time. The players didn't go in until 10am.
"They put out so much s**t, so much rubbish, that I just give up.
"Since I've come here there's been problem after problem after problem but now, thank God, it's all left behind. Now we will only concentrate on the football and take this club forward.
"With the players we've brought in and the new manager, Gary Waddock, we're looking forward to an exciting season.
"We've reduced the average age of the team and we've brought in players to give us stability for the next two or three years.
"It's been a very difficult time. But it's business as usual. I just carry on doing my job.
"In this game you need a lot of money. When I came here we were losing more than £500,000 a year but, by the end of next season, we should be out of debt.
"I'm lucky that the people with me they are prepared to put in money. This month, to pay the wages, they had to put in more money."
When I came here we got promoted and we've been two years in the Championship. Look at clubs like Birmingham, who spend eight or nine million, or Wolves, Coventry, Leeds. "They spend a fortune every year. They are on a very different level to us.
"Fortunately I've been involved in foot ball for the last 30 years and it's helped me a lot, because I1 can get certain players in."
Read more: http://qprreport.proboards.com/thread/24996/year-flashback-giannis-claims-enemy#ixzz2bP6IEz6g