Eight QPR players were booked, the most for them in 2007 and Sampsa Timoska was sent off. QPR finished 18th, a marginal improvement on the previous season and did their traditional end of season lap of honour. On 7 February 2007, a friendly 'goodwill' match against China's youth side was curtailed after it descended into a "kung-fu" brawl, in which one Chinese player suffered a broken jaw and was knocked out. [14] Causing a diplomatic incident, QPR's assistant manager Richard Hill was suspended by the club, [15] and later replaced by Warren Neill.
There was disappointment in the league as they finished fifth in the Second Division after spending virtually all of the season in the top three until the final stages. The following season however, 1982–83 QPR went on to win the Second Division championship quite comfortably thus returning to English football's top division. The side included accomplished players such as Steve Wicks, Terry Fenwick, Simon Stainrod, Clive Allen and future manager John Gregory. After a respectable fifth-place finish, and UEFA Cup qualification, the following year, Venables departed to become manager of Spanish club Barcelona. Mixed fortunes[edit] Venables was replaced by Alan Mullery, who early in his brief reign presided over one of the worst defeats in QPR's history, a 0–4 loss against Partizan and elimination from the UEFA Cup despite a 6–2 1st leg advantage.
[12] Despite initial results the club later reverted to previous form and dropped once again to the relegation zone. In an exciting end to the season however, QPR secured safety after a run of wins, including beating Cardiff City again, this time by a solitary goal from Dexter Blackstock. [13] The last game of the season was a 1–1 draw at home to promotion contenders Stoke City. Martin Rowlands scored Rangers' last goal of the season.
2007–08 season[edit] 2007–08 started on a tragic note for QPR with the death of player Ray Jones in a car crash at the age of 19. [16] Following this low point in the club's history, Rangers also faced mounting financial pressure, and in the same month it was announced that the club had been bought by wealthy Formula One businessmen Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone. During the 2007–08 season, Rangers competed in the EFL Championship. John Gregory's reign as manager came to an end in November 2007 after a string of poor results left QPR at the bottom of the Championship, [17] and he was replaced by Luigi De Canio. [18] QPR's form improved as De Canio guided them to a secure 14th place in the final table, [19] and a narrow defeat at the hands of their Premier League neighbours Chelsea in the FA Cup third round.
[8] He was later reported to have received threats and was, for a time, wearing a bullet-proof vest. [9] The Chairman also launched a strong attack against some critics who he claimed were seeking to destroy the club. [10] In an unrelated incident youth team footballer Kiyan Prince was murdered on 18 May 2006. [11] QPR avoid relegation[edit] Gary Waddock brought in several new players in preparation for the 2006–07 season, including Jamaican international centre-back Damion Stewart from Bradford City and Cameroon midfielder Armel Tchakounte from Carshalton Athletic, Zesh Rehman from Fulham, Nick Ward from A-League team Perth Glory and latterly the team's top goalscorer for the season, Dexter Blackstock from Southampton for £500, 000.
The first was the Horse Ring, the site of the now-demolished Guinness Brewery, on the Royal Agricultural Society's show grounds from 1904 to 1907 which had a capacity of 40, 000. When the Society sold the grounds in 1907, the club moved to the Park Royal Ground, 400 yards south, an almost exact replica of Ayresome Park, with a capacity of 60, 000. They were forced to move out in February 1915 as the ground was taken over by the Army. [3] Cup glory and promotion to the top flight[edit] The club were promoted as champions of Division 3 South in the 1947–48 season.
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Dave Mangnall was the manager as Rangers enjoyed four seasons in the Second division, being relegated in 1951–52. Tony Ingham was signed from Leeds United and went on to make most ever league appearances for QPR (519). Prior to the start of the 1959–60 season saw the arrival of arguably the club's greatest ever manager, [4] Alec Stock.
History of Queens Park Rangers F. C. - WikipediaThe history of Queens Park Rangers Football Club (often abbreviated to QPR), a professional association football club based in White City, London, dates back to 1882, when Christchurch Rangers were formed. Formation and early history[edit] Queens Park Rangers F. were formed in 1886, [1] when a team known as St Jude's Institute (formed 1884) merged with Christchurch Rangers (formed 1882), although their official founding date is 1882 the same as when Christchurch were first formed. They were called Queens Park Rangers, because most of the players came from the Queens Park area of North-West London.
QPR became a professional team in 1889. The club were elected into the Southern Football League in 1899. They first won the Southern Football League in 1907–08. As Southern League champions that year, the club played in the first ever Charity Shield match, against the Football League champions, Manchester United. They lost 0–4 in a replay after the first game had finished 1-1. Both games were played at Stamford Bridge. QPR were Southern League champions for a second time in 1911–12.
He was replaced by Don Howe, and the club recovered well under the new manager, finishing in eleventh place, with only a poor end to the season preventing them from doing even better. However, they failed to improve significantly the following season, dropping one place to twelfth, which resulted in Howe's contract not being renewed at the end of the season. The return of Gerry Francis[edit] Gerry Francis, a key player in the 1970s QPR side who had proved himself as a successful manager with Bristol Rovers, was appointed manager in the summer of 1991. In the 1991–92 First Division campaign, they finished mid-table in the league and were founder members of the new Premier League which began in 1992. Francis oversaw one of QPR's most famous victories, the 4–1 win over leaders Manchester United at Old Trafford broadcast live on terrestrial television on New Year's Day 1992.
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However QPR struggled to build on the previous years' successes and on 6 February 2006 Holloway was suspended amidst rumours of his departure for Leicester City. He was replaced by a former player; the popular Gary Waddock. The 2005–06 season overall was difficult for Rangers both on and off the pitch as financial troubles and boardroom issues combined with a series of poor performances and defeats. However, until the sacking of Ian Holloway, they had been secure in mid-table, it was only a winless run from the end of February to the end of the season, saw Rangers drop to 21st position. Financial troubles and problems off the pitch[edit] For some 10 years from the mid-1990s until late 2007, QPR were embroiled in financial and boardroom controversy.
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The club floated on the Alternative Investments Market in 1996 at the instigation of Chris Wright, but in 2001 following the relegation from the Premiership and a number of seasons in the second tier, the club was obliged to enter administration. A proposal to merge with Wimbledon was raised, but proved controversial and was dropped. [6] The club left administration burdened with a £10m loan from a Panamanian-registered financier at heavy interest, and secured by a mortgage upon the club's stadium. [7] The club's debts were rumoured to be close to £20 million. Scandal involving the directors, shareholders and other interested parties emerged during the 2005–06 season, following allegations of blackmail and threats of violence against the club's then chairman Gianni Paladini, who was allegedly held at gunpoint during a match at Loftus Road by hired thugs at the instigation of rival directors.
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The team was knocked out of the League Cup by Port Vale of League One and from the FA Cup by Luton Town, and struggled in the League. As a result, in September 2006, Waddock was demoted to first-team coach, and later left the club. Another former QPR player, John Gregory, replaced him as manager. He reduced the playing staff with Ian Evatt, Scott Donnelly, Ugo Ukah, Matthew Rose, Matthew Hislop, Jonathan Munday and Egutu Oliseh all agreeing mutual termination of their contracts, while Kevin Gallen and Sean Thomas were loaned to other clubs, and he signed Finnish defender Sampsa Timoska and Adam Bolder of Derby County, and introduced the impressive Lee Camp also of Derby on loan. The team climbed to mid-table including a 1–0 defeat of the then league leaders, Cardiff City, at Ninian Park with promising young striker Ray Jones scoring in the 88th minute.
Francis resigned in early 2001 to be replaced by former player Ian Holloway but it was too late as the club was relegated to England's third tier for the first time for more than thirty years. Holloway consolidated the team and revived its fortunes finishing eighth in 2001–02, fourth in the following season (losing in the play-off final to Cardiff City) and finally second in 2003–04 which resulted in the club's promotion back to Division 1. The positive signs initially carried through into the following season as Rangers achieved a mid-table finish (11th) in the 2004–05 campaign.
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In 1981, the club installed a 'plastic pitch'. The technology was premature and this unpopular measure was reversed in April 1988. The first game on plastic was against Luton Town who won the game 2–1 and later became the second side to install an artificial pitch. That same season QPR reached the FA Cup Final for the only time in the club's history, facing holders and London rivals Tottenham Hotspur. The first game ended 1–1 after extra time and so for the second year running the Final was to be decided by a replay. Tottenham won the replay 1–0 with the only goal coming from a Glenn Hoddle penalty in the 6th minute.
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