Queens Park Rangers v Norwich City

THE OFFICIAL MATCHDAY PROGRAMME OF QUEENS PARK RANGERS FC 2022/23 SEASON 

ISSUE 22 £3.50 

vs NORWICH CITY 

19.04.23 | 7.45PM 

MATCH SPONSOR

#QPRNOR 

@QPR on Twitter 

Contents 

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CLUB DIRECTORY 

Queens Park Rangers FC 

QPR Holdings Ltd, Loftus Road, 

South Africa Road, London, W12 7PJ 

Main Switchboard: 020 8743 0262 

Commercial Sales: 020 8740 2560 

Superstore: 020 8749 6862 

Direct Mail Order Line: 0870 240 4547 

Community Trust: 020 8740 2509 

Official Website: www.qpr.co.uk 

STAFF 

QPR FC/QPR Holdings Ltd Chairman: 

Amit Bhatia 

QPR Holdings Ltd Vice-Chairmen: 

Tony Fernandes, Ruben Gnanalingam 

Board members: 

Tony Fernandes, Ruben Gnanalingam, 

Amit Bhatia, Richard Reilly 

CEO: Lee Hoos 

Financial Director: Ruban Ghandi 

Director of Football: Les Ferdinand 

Head Coach: Gareth Ainsworth 

Club Ambassador: Andy Sinton 

Club Historian: Chris Guy 

OFFICIAL TWITTER 

Queens Park Rangers @QPR 

QPR+ Pass @QPRPlusPass 

QPR in the Community Trust 

@QPRtrust 

QPR Women @QPRWFC 

PROGRAMME 

Editor: 

Ben Kosky 

Contributors: 

Tony Incenzo, Simon Cheshire, 

Lennie Harvey 

Designed by: 

Thomas Ridge 

This programme was produced on 

behalf of Queens Park Rangers by 

Ignition Sports Media. 

4 14 

25 

04 HEAD COACH 

Words from Gareth Ainsworth 

50 

34 MAGIC MOMENT 

Easter showdown at Carrow Road 

www.ignitionsportsmedia.com 

Printed by: Stephens & George Print Group 

The views of this publication are not necessarily the 

views of Queens Park Rangers Football Club. Material 

in this publication is copyrighted and may only be 

reproduced with written permission of Queens Park 

Rangers Football Club. All information correct at 

time of print. 

If you have any safeguarding concerns, 

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09 NEWS + MESSAGES 

All the latest from W12 

14 THE BIG READ 

Interview with Chris Martin 

22 ANDY SINTON 

Our ex-winger pens his column 

25 VISITING W12 

A look at our opposition 

36 THIRTY YEARS ON 

Les Ferdinand recalls 1992/93 

50 ONE OF ‘R’ OWN 

Focus on the stars of tomorrow 

52 JUNIOR HOOPS 

Test your knowledge 

62 FIXTURES & RESULTS 

Stay updated this season 

OFFICIALQPRFC // @OFFICIALQPR // @QPR // WWW.QPR.CO.UK 

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OUR HEAD COACH SETS THE 

SCENE FOR TONIGHT’S GAME... 

It goes without saying that tonight’s game 

at Loftus Road is huge. So are all four of the 

games we’ve got coming up and we need to dig 

deep and give absolutely everything we’ve got in 

each of those. 

I don’t believe the league table will lie after 46 

games have been played. There are reasons why 

we find ourselves in the situation we’re in at the 

moment – and yet it remains in our hands to do 

something about it and make sure that, when that 

46th game is over, we’ve secured our status as a 

Championship club. 

The boys out there on the pitch have the 

quality to achieve it, I have no doubt about that 

whatsoever. They work hard in training, they’re 

going to need to keep working hard – and they also 

need to believe. It’s in there and it’s up to me to 

do everything I can to bring it out of them tonight 

and in the next three games after that. I’ve been 

involved in relegation battles before, both as a 

player and as a manager and these are the times 

when you have to find that extra bit of strength 

and desire inside you. 

One thing I’ve made clear since I came back to the 

club is I expect everyone to give their best. If your 

best isn’t good enough, at least it was your best. 

But it’s also true to say we’ve got to put right some 

of the things we didn’t do well enough here against 

Coventry at the weekend. 

The goals Coventry scored were far too easy 

from our point of view. We’ve looked easy to score 

against all too often and we need to be stronger 

and tougher than that. At the same time, I didn’t 

feel the 3-0 scoreline reflected the game – there 

was one goal in it for the vast majority of the 90 

minutes and, in that situation, you only need a 

4 WWW.QPR.CO.UK // @QPR // @OFFICIALQPR // OFFICIALQPRFC

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5

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break, a set-piece or something else to get back 

on level terms. We had a go, especially in the 

second half, but again we’ve got to pose more 

of a threat more often when we get towards the 

opposition penalty area. There’s a tendency to 

pick the wrong pass or the wrong option – and 

then sometimes there are options we don’t make 

use of as well. We need to shake those habits 

quickly. What disappointed me most was the 

second goal, when we’re putting some pressure 

on the edge of their box, but then we failed to read 

the danger of a Coventry breakaway and we’re 

wide open. With Leon Balogun going off injured, 

we’re then down to 10 men and all over the place 

for the third goal a couple of minutes later. 

Tonight, though, is another opportunity to put 

things right and I want to welcome Norwich City, 

David Wagner and his players to Loftus Road this 

evening. They’re a side stacked with Premier 

League quality and they’re still in the hunt for a 

play-off place, so they’ll present a tough challenge 

and we’ll be needing not just hard work, but also 

togetherness. Both among the players on the 

pitch and you, our fans. 

I’m all too aware we haven’t given you a massive 

amount to cheer lately. But I also know just what 

an unbelievable atmosphere QPR supporters 

create at Loftus Road – especially under the 

lights – when you get right behind the boys, give 

it everything you’ve got and urge them on to do 

the same. 

Let’s get this place rocking! 


7

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01992703900 


CHARLIE 

Happy 12th birthday to 

Charlie Lane, for Sunday 

30th April, from all his 

family. Come on you 

Superhoops! 

REPORTING 

ANTI-SOCIAL 

BEHAVIOUR 

There is no place for 

anti-social behaviour 

at Loftus Road. If you see 

it, please report it. There 

are many ways you can 

get in touch. 

Tweet: You can reach our 

operations team on Twitter; 

you can follow and report 

incidents by tweeting @ 

QPROperations. 

Email: You can also report 

anything you see to the 

team via email 

at operations@qpr.co.uk. 

Call: You can call 07557 

435 421 to report anything 

you see or hear. Please 

note you can remain 

anonymous if you wish. 

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TONIGHT’S MASCOTS 

ANABELLE 

LENCHNER 

Age: 10 

Favourite player: 

Ilias Chair 

FREDDIE 

CHAPMAN 

Age: 7 


Chris Willock 

GEORGE 

CHAPMAN 

Age: 11 


Lyndon Dykes 

HARRY 

DUNN 

Age: 11 


Lyndon Dykes and 

Seny Dieng 

HARRISON 

DUNN 

Age: 12 


All of them 

AUSTIN 

DUNN 

Age: 8 


Chris Willock 

CHRISTIAN 

Lifelong QPR supporter 

Christian Nielsen turns 50 

today – and naturally he’s 

decided to travel over from 

Sweden to celebrate the 

occasion at Loftus Road! 

Christian, who grew up in 

Gothenburg, is also a fan of 

water skiing, vintage skittle 

bombs and cat videos on 

YouTube – but most of all a 

Rangers diehard. 

Hopefully the boys can 

make it an extra-special 

celebration for you, 

Christian! 

CHARLIE 

Happy 16th birthday to 

Charlie Guy. Love from 

Mum, Dad, Maisie and all 

your family. 

RIP 

RON PHILLIPS 

Everyone at QPR was 

saddened to learn of the 

passing of our popular 

former club secretary Ron 

Phillips at the age of 89. 

Ron, who joined Rangers in 

1966 and remained with 

the club for 23 years, was 

also editor of the match 

programme, developing it 

into an award-winning 

publication with a 

distinctive chequered 

cover design. 

A more detailed tribute to 

Ron will appear in our final 

programme of the season. 


9

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EVERY QPR SUPPORTER FONDLY REMEMBERS THEIR FIRST 

TRIP TO LOFTUS ROAD – AND HANNOVER-BASED TORSTEN 

KNOLKE IS NO DIFFERENT. 

Torsten has followed 

Rangers from afar since 

1980, first watching the 

team in person with a 

1-0 win over Chelsea at 

Stamford Bridge (the ideal 

start! – Ed) and making his 

W12 debut a year later. 

He has kept the ticket from 

that first home game – a 

1-0 win over Grimsby Town, 

courtesy of a Gerry Francis 

penalty – and last year 

decided to write a book 

about his experiences of 

following the R’s over four 

decades. 

Any Rangers fans fluent in 

German may be interested 

in reading Nachster Stop 

Shepherd’s Bush (Next Stop 

Shepherd’s Bush), which 

is available online at www. 

faltershop.at 

Torsten said: “I had a 

season ticket in the South 

Africa Road stand for some 

years about 10 years ago 

and always travelled from 

Germany to watch until I 

couldn’t afford it any longer. 

“I guess I spent a high 

five-figure amount on all my 

QPR travels!” 

Do you own a piece of interesting or unusual QPR 

memorabilia? If so, we’d love to see some photos and hear 

more about it – please email your contributions to us at 

programme@qpr.co.uk. 


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| SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP | SATURDAY 15 APRIL 2023 

QPR 

COVENTRY 

LOFTUS ROAD | ATT: 16,713 | HT SCORE: 0-1 | REFEREE: M SALISBURY 

0 

3 

TWO late Coventry goals 

extinguished Rangers’ hopes of 

salvaging a point against their 

play-off chasing visitors at 

Loftus Road. 

The R’s had fought to stay in the 

game despite falling behind in 

the 10th minute, when Viktor 

Gyokeres latched onto Gustavo 

Hamer’s pass and fired past 

Seny Dieng. 

Ilias Chair went close to levelling 

on the stroke of half-time with 

a well-struck free-kick that was 

clawed behind by Ben Wilson – 

and the Sky Blues goalkeeper 

was also alert after the break to 

deny Sam Field at close range. 

But Rangers were unable 

to fashion an equaliser and 

Coventry wrapped up the points 

with two counter-attacking 

goals in the last five minutes. 

Tyler Walker set up Hamer to 

score from close range after 

Dieng had parried his initial shot 

and the scorer then turned 

provider two minutes later, 

teeing up a second of the game 

for Gyokeres. 


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how we 

lined up 

1 Dieng 

3 Dunne 

Laird 73’ 

4 Dickie 

26 Balogun 

22 Paal 

37 Adomah 

Willock 72’ 

17 Dozzell 

Johansen 82’ 

15 Field 

10 Chair 

Richards 65’ 

9 Dykes 

14 Martin 

Lowe 72’ 

Unused Subs: 

11 Roberts 

13 Archer 

THE STATS 

Possession: 

QPR:47% 

COV: 53% 

Shots/Shots on target: 

QPR: 6/2 

COV: 14/5 

Corners: 

QPR: 5 

COV: 2 

Fouls: 

QPR: 9 

COV: 10 

Scan me to view the 

match highlights 


13

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Battling 

INTERVIEW: BEN KOSKY 

TO SURVIVE 

CHRIS MARTIN IS DETERMINED TO SPEARHEAD A 

CHARGE TO CHAMPIONSHIP SAFETY FOR QPR – 

AND THE EXPERIENCED CENTRE-FORWARD WILL 

HAVE NO QUALMS ABOUT UPSETTING FRIENDS IN 

THE CANARIES’ CAMP IN THE BATTLE FOR THREE 

PRICELESS POINTS THIS EVENING… 

> 


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Chris, what’s the mood been like in the camp 

following the Coventry game? 

Everyone was disappointed after the game and 

rightly so, having those tough conversations 

with ourselves about what more we can offer. 

With the manner of the defeat, it’s obviously a 

disappointing one, although I would say letting 

in a couple of goals late on probably clouds 

people’s judgement on the game overall a little 

bit. But football moves very quickly and we have 

to move on – there’s no time at all to have a 

hangover from that game. 

You’ve scored three times since you joined 

QPR, but so far none of them have been in a 

winning cause. How would it feel to change 

that tonight? 

I’ve been fortunate throughout my career that 

a lot of my goals have counted for points and 

wins and obviously those have been few and far 

between during the time I’ve been at the club. 

As a striker, you’re always hungry for goals and 

always anticipating the opportunities and I’m 

hoping that in the next four games, a few of 

those come my way. 

People have speculated about whether your 

most recent goal, the equaliser at West Brom, 

was intentional or not… what do you say? 

Well, there was obviously a little bit of good 

fortune there but I had to put myself in that 

position! I think we worked the press quite well, 

Lyndon Dykes squeezed the centre-half and 

the keeper was a long way out of his goal. In all 

honesty, I didn’t think I was going to get a touch 

on the ball but as the keeper went to strike it, 

I thought I’d just lift my leg up in that area. Of 

course I was happy to see it ping in off my foot 

and nestle in the goal. 

You and Lyndon have been playing up front 

together quite a bit recently – do you prefer to 

operate in a partnership rather than as a lone 

striker? 

I think there are pluses and minuses to every 

single formation and I’ve had success in lots of 

different ones. But it’s nice to play alongside 

Lyndon, being able to feed off the work that he 

does and the quality and unselfishness he has – 

it’s a pleasure to play with him. 


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You’ve worn the captain’s armband several 

times since you’ve been at the club. How 

would you describe your style of captaincy? 

I think I should let others answer that 

question! I just try to lead by example if I can, 

with the work I put in and the kind of principles 

and character I have are hopefully things that 

people can follow. I’m totally committed to 

putting everything I’ve got into it, both on the 

training pitch with these lads and on every 

single matchday as well. 

Tonight’s opponents, Norwich City, were 

your first club. Although it’s been 10 years or 

so since you left, do you still have a soft spot 

for them? 

For sure. The town I grew up in is only about 

25 minutes away, so I’ve got plenty of friends 

who are Norwich City fans and season ticket 

holders. It’s the club where I came through as 

a kid and got my first opportunity, so I think 

any player would look at them fondly and feel 

some kind of affiliation. But that counts for 

absolutely nothing tonight, when hopefully we 

can go out and beat them. 

What was the highlight of your time at 

Carrow Road? 

Winning back-to-back promotions (in 2010 

and 2011), it has to be. The group of people 

we had together was special – I think you’re 

always connected by those times we had and 

the celebrations we shared, putting in a hell 

of a lot of work to achieve that. Those were 

special times in my career and probably also 

for most of the other guys who were involved. 


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Given the situation we find ourselves in, is it 

fair to say no professional footballer wants to 

end up with a relegation on his CV? 

I’ve been unfortunate enough to have one 

earlier in my career, at Luton, and it wasn’t nice. 

I can only talk about the situation from the 

time I’ve been at the club, but there’s been a 

decline over several months and we’ve spoken 

about it as a group – we need to have those 

conversations. We are right in amongst it, I don’t 

need to tell people that – it’s blatantly obvious. 

But the next game is always an opportunity, a 

chance for someone at this stage of the season 

to become a hero. We need everybody together 

as a team but at the same time, as an individual, 

you can probably elevate yourself above it with 

a couple of match-winning goals. I’m hoping 

somebody in the group has the chance to do 

that and be worshipped for a little while. 

As a striker, do you feel that responsibility sits 

on your shoulders more than on others? 

Don’t get me wrong, I would absolutely love it 

if I can be the one to get a couple of winning 

goals between now and the end of the season 

and secure our status in the Championship. 

But I don’t really care who it is and I don’t think 

we should care, as a team or as a club – we just 

need wins, that’s what it boils down to. 


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19

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Columnist 

ALEX BULLAMORE 

‘R’ GENERATION WRITER ALEX BULLAMORE 

DISCUSSES THE LATEST GOINGS-ON IN W12 

So here we are. Our final four games and 

on paper they give me a nauseating 

feeling. There’s that old cliché that 

there’s no easy game in the Championship 

– well, realistically there’s probably no easy 

game in any league. 

Because you know these are all professional 

players who are at the peak of footballing 

brilliance. As fans we can create an 

atmosphere in which positive results are 

much more likely. It’s always a Catch-22 

when it comes to atmosphere. Whose 

responsibility is it to ramp it up? Is it the 

attitude and application of the players on 

the pitch, giving hope to the fans? Or is it the 

fans’ responsibility to create an intimidating 

atmosphere for the opposition and a 

supportive one for our team? 

I feel like in this situation it’s the responsibility 

of the fans to get things going. The lads are 

clearly struggling for a number of reasons 

and in my opinion this is when we need to 

rally round them, despite what we see on 

the pitch. Returning to the four remaining 

fixtures, there is the unenviable task of 

trying to get something against Burnley, a 

task which seems unlikely even to the most 

optimistic of QPR fans. It’s perhaps more 

likely that we can get something against 

Stoke – if the lads could channel the same 

performance they showed up there in the 

lockdown season, when we won 2-0, that 

would be very pleasing indeed. Another Ossie 

Kakay goal would be received incredibly well. 

Make yourself the unlikely hero – go on, you 

know you want to. 

Coming back to tonight’s opponents 

Norwich, who in their most recent game were 

handed a very comprehensive thrashing. 

With that in mind, you might be tempted to 

ask – is there much to be scared of? Yes, 

of course there is. Teemu Pukki is still an 

effective operator at this level. However, 

and this is all very circumstantial, but the last 

time I wrote in the programme we faced a 

recently relegated team. A team we managed 

to beat with a performance which enraged 

the opposition, but gave QPR fans a warm 

fuzzy feeling. 

Here I am again with my name to a column 

in the programme, again for a game against 

a team who were in the Premier League 

last season. What gives me a little bit more 

confidence as well is that we seem to do OK 

against teams like Norwich. Not teams like 

Coventry, who have everything ahead of 

them and aren’t burdened by expectations. 

Norwich, West Brom, Watford… these are 

teams who have had similar seasons, which in 

their eyes are probably failures. 

Then there’s the final game of the season. 

If we leave it until then to secure our safety, 

it’ll certainly be interesting. Having something 

riding on the final game of the season isn’t 

something we’ve experienced since that 

famous day at the Etihad, and that ended 

up OK. 


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SINTON 

OUR CLUB AMBASSADOR’S 

VIEWS ON ALL THINGS QPR… 

G 

ood evening everyone and welcome back 

to Loftus Road for tonight’s Championship 

match, where Norwich City are our 

opponents. 

Having been relegated from the Premier League 

last season, many predicted Norwich would be 

there or thereabouts in the promotion shakeup. 

As expected, they are in with a good chance 

of making the play-offs along with a few other 

teams, so will come here tonight looking to win 

the game – especially after losing heavily up at 

Middlesbrough last Friday. They may well see 

tonight’s game as really crucial in terms of where 

they are hoping to finish and that certainly also 

applies to us, in the position we find ourselves in. 

As we will know what some of the teams around 

us have done the previous evening, it will give 

both teams added incentive to win for totally 

different reasons. 

We go into tonight’s game on the back of 

another poor result here on Saturday, when 

we were well beaten by Coventry City. Coming 

on the back of a tremendous comeback and 

much-improved performance at West Brom on 

Easter Monday, we were looking to back that up 

at Loftus Road with a good performance and a 

positive result. However, having conceded after 

only 10 minutes, we did not work the Coventry 

goalkeeper anywhere near enough throughout 

and two late breakaway goals emphatically killed 

the game and made it another uncomfortable 

afternoon for us all. That defeat leaves us 

fighting for our lives in terms of survival in the 

Championship. Quite simply, the run of only two 

wins from 26 league games has left us in a very 

precarious position. Such a poor run of results 

over such a long period of time is going to hurt 

you and put you in trouble. With the season 

drawing to an end, we know exactly where we 

are, what lies in front of us and exactly what we 

have to do. 

Results pretty much went our way on Saturday 

and while we will take any help we get in terms 

of results from other teams, we cannot afford 

to rely on them slipping up and losing games. 

We HAVE to do our job, we HAVE to make things 

happen, we HAVE to get results and points and 

we HAVE to do everything we can to stay up in 

this division. 

With the games running out and only four left, 

it goes without saying that the importance of 

every result becomes even more vital. I am sure 

there will be twists and turns in the remaining 

games but we have to control what we can 

control, focus on ourselves and achieve a level of 

performance individually and collectively to win 

games, starting tonight. We need to be up for 

the fight and importantly we have to find quality 

in all facets of the game all over the pitch to 

make the difference in the outcome. Cool heads 


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in the heat of the battle will also be crucial to how 

we do in the remaining games. The players that 

pull on the famous blue and white hoops have to 

step up, they have to perform and get results. 

All the teams involved will feel the pressure 

of what is at stake. Yes, of course there will be 

nerves and anxiety here and elsewhere, but we 

should have enough experience in our group to 

deal with this. 

On Saturday, around 70 people, including myself, 

took part in the Tiger Feet 13 sponsored walk, 

which this year featured a route that took us 

from Loftus Road to the many sites where our 

club has played home games over the years. 

It was great to hear the history behind all the 

sites that we took in and a big well done to club 

historian Chris Guy for the in-depth knowledge 

he provided and shared for all the participants, as 

well as doing the walk himself. 

Tonight we as a club welcome back to Loftus 

Road Ron Abbott, who will be inducted into 

our very popular Forever R’s. Ron spent eight 

years at the club, having signed initially as an 

apprentice. During his time at the club, Ron was 

a very important member of our best ever team 


that finished runners-up in Division One in the 

1975/76 season. Although not a regular starter, 

Ron certainly played his part in that brilliant team 

and that exciting season and indeed, in the 

games he did feature in that season, QPR were 

unbeaten. Every member of that squad played 

their part and Ron’s contribution should not be 

underestimated. We hope Ron enjoys his evening 

back here at Loftus Road and I am sure he will get 

a nice reception when he comes onto the pitch 

at half-time. Welcome back, Ron. 

Your support for the team has been outstanding 

all season, at both home and away games, and 

I thank you so much for that. You have been 

incredible. 

The team – OUR TEAM – needs you more than 

ever. Our fans can play a huge part and help to 

make the difference tonight – you really can. 

From the very first whistle, get behind the team, 

push them forward, drive them on and together 

we can do this. 

We are QPR... so COME ON YOU R’s 

Andy 

23

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Visiting W12: 

NORWICH CITY 

Stadium: Carrow Road - Current Capacity: 27,244 - Club Colours: Yellow & Green 

IN THE CABINET: 

FOOTBALL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP 

(LEVEL 2) 

Champions: 1971/72, 1985/86, 2003/04, 

2018/19, 2020/21 - Runners-up: 2010/11 - Playoff 

winners 2014/15 

FOOTBALL LEAGUE ONE (LEVEL 3) 

Champions: 1933/34, 2009/10 - Runners-up: 

1959/60 

FOOTBALL LEAGUE CUP 

Winners: 1961/62, 1984/85 - Runners-up: 

1972/73, 1974/75 

CLUB RECORDS: 

RECORD ATTENDANCE: 

43,984 (Norwich v Leicester, 1963) 

RECORD GOALSCORER: 

Johnny Gavin (122) 

MOST APPEARANCES: 

Ron Ashman (1947-64) 

BIGGEST WIN: 

10-2 v Coventry (1930) 

BIGGEST DEFEAT: 

10-2 v Swindon (1908) 

RECORD TRANSFER 

FEE PAID: 

£9.1m (Steven Naismith, Everton) 

RECORD TRANSFER 

FEE RECEIVED: 

£33m (Emiliano Buendia, Aston Villa) 

OFFICIALQPRFC // @OFFICIALQPR // @QPR // WWW.QPR.CO.UK 25

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Norwich City 

OPPOSITION 

OVERVIEW 

Reeling from their 

heaviest defeat 

at this level since 

2018, Norwich City 

nevertheless arrive in 

W12 this evening still 

very much in the mix to 

secure a play-off place. 

The Canaries – having 

led something of a yo-yo 

existence between the 

top two divisions in recent 

years – looked a solid bet 

for a top-six finish going 

into March, but have won 

just one of their last seven 

games. 

Hit by defensive injuries 

and a general dearth of 

goals, David Wagner’s 

side crashed to a 5-1 

humbling at the hands 

of Middlesbrough on 

Friday and will need a swift 

reaction to retain hopes of 

a Premier League return 

this season. 

The Norfolk side began 

the campaign slowly, 

gleaning just a single point 

from their opening three 

fixtures, but hit their stride 

with six straight victories 

and goals aplenty from 

frontline duo Josh Sargent 

and Teemu Pukki. 

However, a downturn 

developed during October, 

with a six-match winless 

sequence leaving the 

Canaries flapping adrift 

of Burnley and Sheffield 

United as they went into 

the World Cup break. 

A 1-0 victory at Swansea 

after the resumption 

proved to be Norwich’s 

only success in the next 

five, prompting Dean 

Smith’s departure from 

Carrow Road at the turn of 

the year. 

They appeared to be back 

on track after successive 

wins at Coventry and 

Preston – scoring four 

goals on each occasion – 

and also ended Millwall’s 

long unbeaten home run 

with a 3-2 triumph at the 

Den before hitting their 

current slump. 


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The Gaffer 

Following spells in 

Germany and Switzerland, 

former Huddersfield boss 

David Wagner returned to 

the Championship in January 

when he replaced Dean 

Smith in the hot-seat at 

Carrow Road. 

Wagner spent a 16-year playing 

career in his native Germany, 

notably with Mainz, Schalke 

and Darmstadt, and also won 

eight international caps for the 

United States before moving 

into coaching. 

He initially worked under Jurgen 

Klopp at Borussia Dortmund, 

taking charge of their reserve 

team in 2011 and remaining 

in the role for the next four 

years until Huddersfield 

appointed him as Chris Powell’s 

replacement. 

Wagner transformed the 

struggling Terriers into 

promotion candidates, guiding 

them to Championship play-off 

success against Reading in 

2017 and keeping them in the 

Premier League the following 

season. 

However, he departed 

Huddersfield in January 2019 

and took over as Schalke boss 

in the summer, but their poor 

run of results led to his dismissal 

after a year and he then spent 

nine months in charge of Swiss 

club Young Boys during the 

2021/22 campaign. 


The Squad 

hoops 

Angus 

GUNN 

GOALKEEPER 

Age: 27 

Signed from: 

Southampton 

Tim 

KRUL 

GOALKEEPER 

Age: 35 

Signed from: 

Brighton 

Andrew 

OMOBAMIDELE 

DEFENDER 

Age: 20 

Signed from: 

Academy 

Jacob 

SØRENSEN 

DEFENDER 

Age: 25 

Signed from: 

Esbjerg 

Gabriel 

SARA 

MIDFIELDER 

Age: 23 

Signed from: Sao 

Paulo 

Onel 

HERNANDEZ 

MIDFIELDER 

Age: 30 

Signed from: 

Eintracht 

Braunschweig 

Liam 

GIBBS 

MIDFIELDER 

Age: 20 

Signed from: 

Ipswich 

Isaac 

HAYDEN 

MIDFIELDER 

Age: 28 

Signed from: 

Newcastle (Loan) 


The Squad 

hoops 

Sam 

MCCALLUM 

DEFENDER 

Age: 22 

Signed from: 

Coventry 

Max 

AARONS 

DEFENDER 

Age: 23 

Signed from: 

Academy 

Sam 

BYRAM 

DEFENDER 

Age: 29 

Signed from: 

West Ham 

Dimitris 

GIANNOULIS 

DEFENDER 

Age: 27 

Signed from: 

PAOK 

Josh 

SARGENT 

FORWARD 

Age: 23 

Signed from: 

Werder Bremen 

Adam 

IDAH 

FORWARD 

Age: 22 

Signed from: 

Academy 

Marquinhos 

FORWARD 

Age: 20 

Signed from: 

Arsenal (Loan) 

Abu 

KAMARA 

FORWARD 

Age: 19 

Signed from: 

Academy 


hoops 

Danger Man 

Norwich’s top scorer 

in each of the last 

four seasons, Finland 

international striker Teemu 

Pukki recently confirmed that 

the current campaign will be 

his final one in a Canaries shirt. 

The 33-year-old, who started 

out with hometown club KTP, 

briefly featured at Sevilla 

before returning to Finland 

and winning successive league 

titles with HJK Helsinki, moving 

on to Schalke in 2011. 

After two years in Germany, he 

signed for Celtic and helped 

them to secure another league 

crown in 2013/14 before 

signing for Brondby, where he 

scored 72 goals over the next 

three seasons. 

Released by the Danish club 

in the summer of 2018, Pukki 

moved to Carrow Road and 

made an instant impact with 

30 goals in his first season, 

finishing as the Championship’s 

leading marksman to steer the 

Canaries to promotion. 

The striker – who is his 

country’s top scorer with 37 

international goals – has netted 

88 in all for Norwich and is 

fourth on their all-time list, 

behind Johnny Gavin, Terry 

Allcock and Iwan Roberts. 

FORWARD 

Age: 33 

Nationality: Finnish 

Signed from: Brondby 


hoops 

Year on Year 

1919: 

Having gone into 

liquidation two years 

earlier, Norwich City were 

reformed and joined the 

Football League’s newlycreated 

Division Three for 

the 1920/21 campaign. 

1959: 

The Canaries, under the 

guidance of manager 

Archie Macaulay, became 

the first Division Three 

side to reach an FA Cup 

semi-final, knocking out 

Manchester United along 

the way. 

1985: 

Gordon Chisholm’s 

own goal was enough 

to give Norwich their 

first Wembley victory, 

overcoming Sunderland 

1-0 to win the League Cup 

following two defeats in 

the final during the 1970s. 

1993: 

Jeremy Goss netted 

a sizzling volley as the 

Canaries triumphed 2-1 

away to Bayern Munich in 

their maiden UEFA Cup 

campaign, eventually 

winning the tie 3-2 on 

aggregate. 

2009: 

Paul Lambert – who had 

just led Colchester to 

a 7-1 victory at Carrow 

Road – joined the 

Canaries as manager 

and immediately oversaw 

back-to-back promotions. 

2015: 

Goals by Cameron Jerome 

and Nathan Redmond 

earn Alex Neil’s side a 2-0 

win over Middlesbrough in 

the Championship playoff 

final at Wembley. 

COMINGS 

AND GOINGS 

COMING IN 

Isaac Hayden 

(M) – Newcastle (Loan) 

Marcelino Nunez (M) – 

CD Universidad Catolica 

Gabriel Sara 

(M) – Sao Paulo 

Aaron Ramsey 

(M) – Aston Villa (Loan) 

Marquinhos 

(F) – Arsenal (Loan) 

Sean Maguire 

(F) – Preston 

GOING OUT 

Aston Oxborough 

(GK) – Motherwell 

Christoph 

Zimmermann 

(D) – Darmstadt 98 

Akin Famewo 

(D) – Sheff Wednesday 

Rocky Bushiri 

(D) – Hibernian 

Pierre Lees-Melou 

(M) – Stade Brestois 

Todd Cantwell 

(M) – Glasgow Rangers 

Josip Drmic 

(F) – Dinamo Zagreb 

Jordan Hugill 

(F) – Rotherham 

DID YOU 

KNOW? 

Norwich hold the 

record for the most 

separate spells in 

the Premier League 

with six to date 

– one more than 

Crystal Palace. 


HERE’S 

A ST AT 

I BET 

YOU 

DIDN’T 

KN 

W

OVER HALF A MILLION 

SKY BET CUSTOMERS USE DEPOSIT LIMITS 

TO MANAGE THEIR BETTING BUDGET. 

THAT’S ENOUGH TO FILL: 

6 WEMBLEYS. 

201 ALLY PALLYS. 

OR 8 CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP DAYS. 

(THAT’S A LOT OF TWEED) 

ALL GOOD BOOKMAKERS 

HAVE DEPOSIT LIMITS. 

SO WHOEVER YOU BET WITH, 

SET AN APPROPRIATE ONE FOR YOU 

AND THEN ENJOY THE SPORT. 

DEPOSIT LIMITS 

THAT’S BETTING BETTER.

hoops 

NORWICH CITY 3 

QUEENS PARK RANGERS 2 

SATURDAY 17TH APRIL 1976 

FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION ONE 

IT was a result that ultimately cost Queens Park 

Rangers dearly in their quest for the 1975/76 

Football League title. 

The R’s went into the fixture on a fabulous run of 

11 wins and a draw from 12 unbeaten games and 

proudly led the table… 

Played 

Points 

1. QPR 39 55 

2. Liverpool 39 54 

3. Manchester United 37 50 

In those days of two points for a win, it meant that 

the Superhoops would be champions if they could 

secure victories in their final three games of the 

campaign. 

With interest reaching fever pitch, an estimated 

15,000 Rangers fans travelled to Carrow Road for 

the Easter Saturday clash with mid-table Norwich 

City. 

An afternoon of high drama unfolded in front of 

the BBC1 Match of the Day cameras as follows… 

26 minutes: Following intuitive forward play by 

Mick McGuire and Colin Suggett for the Canaries, 

Ted MacDougall nipped in to convert his 27th goal 

of the season. 1-0. 

44 minutes: Flying winger Dave Thomas rounded 

off a series of infuriating QPR misses by finding 

the target in emphatic fashion. 1-1. 

67 minutes: A Norwich corner by Suggett was 

powerfully punched away by R’s goalkeeper 

Phil Parkes, but Peter Morris returned it with 

unstoppable power from 20 yards. 2-1. 

76 minutes: Phil Boyer was clearly offside when he 

headed Norwich’s third after a Morris centre was 

nodded back across goal by David Jones. 3-1. 

87 minutes: Home defender Tony Powell was 

pressurised into lobbing a spectacular own goal to 

give Rangers late hope. 3-2. 

This result was to have devastating consequences 

as Liverpool eventually pipped QPR to the title by 

a point. 

RANGERS: Parkes, Clement, Gillard, Hollins, 

McLintock, Webb, Thomas, Francis, Masson, 

Bowles, Givens. Sub not used: Leach. 

Attendance: 31,231 


hoops 


35

hoops 


hoops 

INTERVIEW: TONY INCENZO 

IT’S NOW 30 YEARS SINCE ONE OF 

THE BIGGEST SHAKE-UPS IN ENGLISH 

FOOTBALL – THE LAUNCH OF THE 

PREMIER LEAGUE. 

As founder members of the new breakaway division, 

Queens Park Rangers made their mark on that inaugural 

1992/93 campaign, finishing in fifth place as London’s 

highest-ranked team. 

We take a wander through memories of that season with 

the players and staff who made it happen… next it’s 

part two with powerful centre-forward LES FERDINAND. 


37

hoops 

Remarkably, 

Les Ferdinand 

registered two 

hat-tricks over 

the Easter 

weekend in 

1992/93, 

following his 

treble against 

Nottingham 

Forest with 

another at 

Goodison Park 

two days later 

LES, how big a help was it for you 

to have Ray Wilkins pulling all the 

strings in midfield? 

I always say to people that maybe once 

in your career you have a telepathic 

understanding with someone on the 

pitch. I felt like I had that with the late, 

great Ray Wilkins. As much as our 

wingers created crosses for me, Ray 

made as many goals by sending me 

through the middle. I just had a really 

good understanding with him and he 

was pivotal for me in my career after he 

joined QPR. I am sure every single player 

you have spoken to has mentioned 

Ray in terms of the influence he had 

on our squad at Rangers. He showed 

great professionalism in the way he 

approached football in his mid-30s. 

Ray’s commitment to training and 

everything to do with Queens Park 

Rangers was exemplary – it just rubbed 

off on all the other players. He gave 

us a different understanding of what 

training levels were supposed to be like 

and what professionalism was. We all 

looked at Ray and thought: “Wow, he’s 

still playing really well at his age.” He was 

one of the first names on the manager’s 

teamsheet week in, week out. 

Was Ray Wilkins given a more advanced 

role in midfield by QPR manager Gerry 

Francis? 

Yes, for sure. Ray was pushed a little 

bit further forward and even chipped in 

with a couple of goals himself. Before 

Gerry came in, Ray wouldn’t have got 

that close to goal. Gerry was brilliant 


hoops 

Ferdinand 

shields the 

ball from 

Manchester 

United’s Denis 

Irwin during 

the inaugural 

season of 

the Premier 

League 

for me and he is right up there as the 

best manager I worked with. That was 

because – to a man – we all knew our 

roles when we went out on the pitch, 

there was no confusion. No-one said: “I 

think I should be here. I think I should be 

there.” You knew where you needed to 

be. Tactically, Gerry got it right with the 

squad of players he had at QPR. 

What was in-game management like 

under Gerry? 

Gerry was one of the best I worked 

with in terms of being able to see a 

problem and then rectify it. We had 

some good characters in our team 

back then, so a lot of the time we were 

able to solve problems out on the pitch 

ourselves. But Gerry would say: “Look, 

just treat this a little bit differently. You 

go here, you run there, that will make a 

difference in the second half.” And nine 

times out of 10 it did. 

You were our first choice centreforward 

but there were plenty of 

striking options alongside you. People 

like Bradley Allen, Dennis Bailey, Gary 

Penrice, Garry Thompson and Devon 

White all featured that season… 

Yes, I appeared with a host of different 

strike partners. We always played with 


39

hoops 

Ferdinand’s 

form for QPR 

during the early 

years of the 

Premier League 

propelled him 

into the England 

squad 

two up front – I was the main centreforward 

and the others played off me. 

I’d like to think I had a good relationship 

with all of them, which meant we could 

win games. In fact, big Devon gave me 

the opportunity to run in behind a little 

bit more as he would jump and win 

those flick-ons. With the other lads, I 

probably was the player who was going 

to flick it on for them to run on to, or try 

to hold the ball up. 

In modern day football, you would 

probably be a lone striker. Was it better 

back in the 1990s with two up top? 

It was interesting. Certainly from a 

centre-forward’s point of view, if there is 

one up front then you probably do less 

running. When there are two strikers, at 

times you are exploring the wing aspect 

of the pitch rather than playing straight 

through the centre. It wasn’t until I 

moved on to Newcastle United that I 

appeared pretty much as a lone striker 

playing the width of the penalty box. But 

while I was at QPR in a two-man attack, I 

would pick the ball up on the halfway line 

and run with it, or end up in possession 

out wide looking to put a cross over. 

There was no squad rotation in 

1992/93. Do you recall being injured 

one time and being so keen to play that 

you sat in a tiny oxygen tank trying to 

get fit? 

Yes I do and, to be fair, it worked for me! 

I’d had a bleed in my leg after pulling my 

hamstring and, apparently, when you 


hoops 

Ferdinand felt 

he enjoyed a 

‘telepathic’ 

understanding 

on the pitch at 

QPR with Ray 

Wilkins 

go in an oxygen chamber it helps the 

healing process. I think it was London 

Irish Rugby Club who had the oxygen 

tank, so I went to try it and I had to go 

there every day for a few days. The 

results were absolutely fantastic. The 

R’s coaching staff originally thought I 

was going to be out of action for a much 

longer period than I was so, in the end, 

QPR invested in one of those oxygen 

tanks themselves. I just wanted to play 

all the time. When you are scoring goals, 

you don’t want to be left out of the team 

– you want to play your part. 

Also in 1992/93, you broke into the 

England set-up and scored on your 

international debut at Wembley 

against San Marino… 

That period of time was successful 

for me. I was having a good season for 

Rangers so I was called into the England 

squad and given an opportunity to play. I 

always remember sitting in the changing 

room at Wembley Stadium before that 

San Marino game and thinking: “Gerry 

Francis said this was where I was going 

to end up.” But I didn’t expect to end up 

there so soon. 


41

hoops 

HALF A CENTURY HAS PASSED SINCE QPR WON PROMOTION 

TO THE TOP FLIGHT FOR ONLY THE SECOND TIME IN THE CLUB’S 

HISTORY. IN EACH EDITION, WE SHOWCASE SOME OF THE MATCH 

PROGRAMMES FROM THAT CLASSIC 1972/73 CAMPAIGN: 

DATE: Tuesday 24th April 1973 

RESULT: QPR 2 Brighton & Hove Albion 0 

COMPETITION: 

Football League Division Two 

QPR SCORERS: Francis, Bowles 

ATTENDANCE: 16,625. 

THE PROGRAMME: 16 pages, price 7p 

EDITORIAL SNIPPET: In his ‘BUSH 

TELEGRAPH’ editorial notes, QPR club 

secretary Ron Phillips wrote: ‘This editorial 

had to be written well before the Easter 

holiday at a time when our promotion 

prospects looked excellent but were still 

unconfirmed. Lacking a time machine, 

therefore, it is impossible for us to do 

justice to the promotion situation in this 

editorial. If we made it over Easter, well, 

have a good time this evening. If promotion 

is still in the balance (which seems 

incredible from where we are sitting!) never 

will so many bitten fingernails and crossed 

fingers be assembled in one stadium as 

they will tonight. (In this connection the 

presents you receive from the team before 

the match may either be construed as 

promotion souvenirs or Easter Holiday 

mementoes!) 

“…Nothing aggravates us more than to 

visit another league club, open their 

programme and find them rubbing in the 

details of how they defeated Rangers 5-0 

or 7-2 at the beginning of the century. 

This evening, however, finds us playing the 

same trick, but our reasons for doing so 

are fairly justified. Queens Park Rangers 

played their first professional game against 

Brighton at Kensal Rise on 2nd September, 

1899…Rangers won the match 6-1…” 


hoops 

DATE: Saturday 21st April 1973 

RESULT: Millwall 0 QPR 1 

COMPETITION: Football 

League Division Two 

QPR SCORER: Givens 

ATTENDANCE: 16,212 

THE PROGRAMME: Sixteen 

pages, price 7p 

EDITORIAL SNIPPETS: Millwall 

manager Benny Fenton wrote: 

‘Today’s game versus Queens 

Park Rangers should be quite 

a game, especially if they 

still need the points to be 

absolutely sure of promotion. 

However, apart from the result 

of today’s game we offer them 

our congratulations on their 

achievements this season, and 

if as looks certain they do attain 

First Division status, we hope 

their stay this time round will be 

a long and happy one.’ 

Elsewhere in the programme, 

an awkwardly written article 

entitled ‘TALK ON TWO 

Division News and Views’ set 

the scene: ‘Its (sic) “Go Go” 

now from now until the end of 

the season. Go go for instance 

for our top two clubs, Burnley 

and Queens Park Rangers 

with only one club able to 

catch them, Sunderland, this 

season’s FA Cup finalists…it 

looks like Burnley and Queens 

Park Rangers will be saying 

goodbye to “Talk on Two” this 

season and congratulations to 

them both…’ 


43

hoops 

EMMANUEL LEDESMA 

VS CARLISLE UNITED 

TUESDAY 26TH AUGUST 2008 

CARLING CUP SECOND ROUND 

HEROES 

ARGENTINIAN youngster Emmanuel 

Ledesma scored a glorious hat-trick of 

sizzling left- footed shots in this Loftus 

Road cup tie. 

After a scoreless first half, Damion Stewart 

headed the Hoops in front from a Ledesma 

corner on 47 minutes. 

Ledesma – a highly-rated 20-year-old on loan 

from Italian side Genoa – took centre stage 


hoops 

thereafter. In the 55th minute, he turned and shot 

in off the post from just outside the box. 

Seven minutes later, Ledesma hammered home 

after playing an expert wall pass with fellow R’s 

loanee Daniel Parejo. 

Then on 83 minutes, Lee Cook and Angelo 

Balanta combined to set up Ledesma for another 

emphatic finish. 

R’s assistant manager Tim Flowers said 

afterwards: “Ledesma is a very gifted kid. He pops 

up in areas where he can hurt other teams. 

“He is still learning and my only concern is that it 

might turn out to be a long, arduous season for 

him in the Championship.” 

A report by Ben Pearce in the Brent & Kilburn 

Times newspaper described Ledesma’s 

wonderful trio against Carlisle United: “QPR 

surged into the third round of the League Cup for 

only the second time in 13 years. The Argentine 

prodigy tore through the visitors’ defence and 

found the net on three occasions in a sumptuous, 

match-winning second half display, each goal 

better than the last.” 

In total, the midfielder made 15 starts for QPR 

and eight substitute appearances, scoring four 

goals during that year-long loan. Apart from the 

picturesque hat-trick, his only other strike came in 

our 2-0 home win against Doncaster Rovers. 

Now aged 34, Ledesma has been a football 

journeyman in recent years. Most recently in 

July 2022, he moved from USL Championship 

club Indy Eleven in the United States to join AC 

Barnechea of the Chile League Primera B. 


45

hoops 

Memory Lane 

AS THE EALING GAZETTE SPORTS EDITOR, MIKE DONOVAN WAS A 

MAINSTAY OF THE LOFTUS ROAD PRESS BOX IN THE 1970S AND 1980S AND 

WROTE ‘QPR’S GREATEST GAMES’. IN A REGULAR SERIES, HE LOOKS BACK 

ON UNFORGETTABLE TIMES FOR RANGERS. 

“Hello, Mike. Would you like a 

cup of tea?” 

“Yes, please.” 

“Can you get us a couple of 

cups of tea please, Budgie?” 

It is a couple of days before 

QPR took on Norwich City at 

Loftus Road in October 1981. 

Allan Harris, then assistant 

manager to Terry Venables, 

is asking the questions as he 

welcomes me into the club 

offices, while Budgie – the firstteam 

goalkeeper John Burridge 

– was happy to prioritise finding 

a couple of cups, tea bags and 

a kettle over preparations for 

the upcoming fixture against 

the Canaries, which ended in a 

2-0 Rangers victory. 

Perhaps they were trying to 

keep the sports editor of the 

Ealing Gazette happy. But almost 

certainly, it was just a reflection 

of the friendly atmosphere 

running through the club. 

Harris, who sadly passed in 

November 2017 and was 

the elder brother of Chelsea 

legend Ron, and the custodian 

clearly shared a generous 

nature rather than the need to 

garner positive press. 

The jovial Burridge returned 

all smiles with the steaming 

beverages and, in between sips, 

insights and opinions poured 

out from Harris’ tongue. 

And what became increasingly 

clear was the amiable righthand 

man to Venables, a 

genuine Mr Nice Guy, was no 

yes man. 

Of course, he had developed 

a friendship with Venables 

when they were team-mates 

at Chelsea. 

But his mate’s decision to bring 

Harris with him from Crystal 

Palace, where they had been 

the management team, to 

Loftus Road the previous year, 

had nothing to do with the Old 

Pals’ Act. 

Harris said to me that day: “If 

I wasn’t good at my job as a 

coach or an assistant manager, 

there is no way he (Venables) 

would have me at the club 


hoops 

because he is very businesslike 

and thorough and quite hard 

on certain points. I like working 

with him but if I wasn’t good 

at my job, friendship wouldn’t 

come into it. 

“He lets me give my opinion 

and he gives his – he always 

listens to what I have to say. We 

get on very well professionally. 

“Even when we were youngsters 

we had the same ideas about 

the game, but that’s not to say 

I would say ‘yes’ if I thought he 

was wrong. If I disagreed with 

him, I’d tell him so.” 

Harris believed it essential for a 

manager to appoint someone 

he knew, mirroring Gareth 

Ainsworth’s decision to bring 

Richard Dobson with him from 

Wycombe as his assistant 

when the former Rangers 

winger returned to boss his 

former club in February. 

Harris said: “The biggest 

stupidity in the game is 

managers appointing a 

number two they don’t know. A 

lot of clubs don’t get into their 

characters, they have seen 

them on a coaching course and 

think the person looks good, 

but you’ve got to have good 

staff as well as players. 

“The biggest sickener for me 

as a player was to see assistant 

managers ‘knifing’ managers in 

the back verbally. I won’t name 

names, but there are certain 

clubs where that has happened. 

“There’s no way Terry feels 

I’m after his position – there’s 

complete trust. There are 

also managers who just want 

yes men because they are 

frightened of their own jobs. 

Terry knows he’s got my trust 

and loyalty.” 

Harris proved successful 

at Loftus Road. He helped 

Venables guide Rangers to 

their first and so far only FA 

Cup final – in which they were 

pipped 1-0 by Tottenham in 

a replay – at the end of the 

1981/82 season. 

In my interview with him, Harris 

said: “We’ve reshaped the side. 

We believe that players like 

Clive Allen and John Gregory 

are quality. There’s also Simon 

Stainrod, who has done 

exceptionally well and we’ve 

got versatility like Gregory 

and Glenn Roeder. There’s 

youngsters pushing the seniors 

and everything is geared to 

getting into the First Division.” 


47

hoops 

ANYONE WHO ENTERS THE PITCH WITHOUT 

PERMISSION AND THOSE CARRYING OR USING 

SMOKE BOMBS OR PYROS WILL NOW RECEIVE 

AN AUTOMATIC CLUB BAN. 

‘LOVE FOOTBALL. PROTECT THE GAME’ 

A message about anti-social and criminal behaviour 

To mark the new season, we want to 

make you aware of new measures 

being taken across all of football 

to ensure everyone can have a safe 

and enjoyable experience. We are 

supporting strong action from the 

FA, Premier League and EFL to tackle 

anti-social and criminal behaviours 

that put all of us at risk. 

This reflects the seriousness of 

the risks to fans and staff – pyros 

can burn at 2000 degrees Celsius 

and cause lifechanging injuries, 

while entering the pitch endangers 

players, managers and match 

officials. 

We know those who commit these 

illegal acts do not represent the 

majority of supporters. 

#LoveFootball #ProtectTheGame 


hoops 

The following season, the 

Harris-Venables link-up helped 

QPR ensure promotion to 

the top flight, to repeat what 

Harris had achieved as an R’s 

player in 1967/68. 

And together the pair secured 

La Liga for Barcelona in 1985 

and a place in the European 

Cup final the following year 

after being lured from west 

London to the south of Spain. 

But Harris made it clear he 

was ambitious, saying: “Terry’s 

well known and always in the 

limelight, that’s no problem 

for me. But that’s not to say 

that one day I don’t want to be 

number one.” 

Harris went on to manage in 

his own right with Espanyol in 

Spain, Al Ahly in Egypt and, for 

four years in the Noughties, 

the Malaysian national team. 

Our meeting will always remain 

with me as a warm memory. 

And Budgie made a fine cuppa. 

Mike Donovan is an author 

and award-winning journalist. 

He produced Queens Park 

Rangers Greatest Games 

in 2013, with Stan Bowles 

helping to promote it and Les 

Ferdinand writing the foreword. 

He has a feel for the Bush and 

was taken to Cooke’s Pie and 

Mash shop in the area’s market 

by his mum (who worked in 

the area) and dad, attended 

concerts at the fabulous 

Empire and hung out socially in 

W12 growing up. 

Mike has written a series of 

football books – most recently 

the Jimmy Greaves We Knew 

which is currently available in 

bookstores. 

A MESSAGE 

FROM THE EFL 

• As we approach the season 

finale, people must respect 

that the pitch is for players 

and stands for spectators 

• It is against the law to enter 

the pitch at any time and 

anyone who does so will face 

a ban and police action 

• Recent pitch invasions have 

brought football bans, police 

prosecution and criminal 

records - this can impact 

employment, education and 

international travel 

• Everybody should feel safe at 

football but pitch invasions 

endanger everyone because 

it’s impossible to tell the 

difference between 

celebration and an attack 

• Entering the pitch could 

also result in penalties for 

the club, so do not spoil it 

for the team or other fans 

• From fans, to stewards to 

players, we all have a role to 

play in keeping each other 

safe on matchdays 

• We need to protect 

each other, the club and 

the game 


49

hoops 

IMAGES COURTESY OF: IAN RANDALL 

INTERVIEW: LENNIE HARVEY 

CONTINUING OUR SERIES ON THE 

POTENTIAL STARS OF TOMORROW, 

WE FEATURE QPR B TEAM PLAYER 

ALEX AORAHA. 

Name: Alexander Aoraha 

Position: Centre midfield 

From: Barnet 

Joined QPR: Age 10 

Pre-Match Meal: Pasta and Chicken 

Nickname: Al 

Instagram: Alexander_aoraha 

Pre-Match Song: Respect the game – Meek Mill 

How did you get scouted? 

Through my district team as my coach 

was a QPR scout. From there I had a trial and 

was signed. 

What are your strengths as a player and what 

do you need to work on? 

My strength is my passing ability and I would say 

I need to work on my physicality. 

What’s it been like to be around the first team 

and even being named on the bench? 

It’s been a great experience. Learning from the 

players and to be named as a substitute on a 

couple of occasions has felt great! 

How did you find out you had been awarded a 

call-up to the Iraq national team? 

It was a great honour when I received my first 

call-up to the senior team (against Mexico and 

Ecuador in November). I found out through 

(Academy director) Alex Carroll and it was an 

extremely proud moment for me and my family. 

Which stadium in the world would you most like 

to play in and why? 

If there was any stadium I would want to play in, 

it would be Anfield because Liverpool were my 

childhood team. 

Who’s your favourite player or inspiration? 

My favourite player would be Steven Gerrard. 

The way he used to carry his team and do both 

sides of the game was what I loved about him. 

Who’s had the greatest influence on your 

career so far and why? 

My parents, as they have always pushed 

and supported me within everything I have 

wanted to do. 


hoops 


51

hoops 

JUNIOR 

HOOPS 

FUN, GAMES, TRIVIA & MORE! 

Hello everyone! 

Hey guys, it’s your 

favourite feline friend 

here! Over the next 

couple of pages you’ll 

get the chance to 

test your footballing 

knowledge! Challenge 

your family and friends 

to see who comes out 

on top! 

Jude 

Follow me on Twitter 

@QPRJudeTheCat 

SPOT THE BALL 

Can you spot the real ball location below? 


BIRTHDAYS! 

Big birthday wishes to all 

Junior Hoops celebrating 

in April… 

Kaitlyn Curtis – 1st 

Jude James Perry – 1st 

Skye Taylor – 1st 

Dean Atkinson – 2nd 

Violet Barbour – 2nd 

Reanna Davidson – 2nd 

Dean Hodgson – 2nd 

Mehdi Laouira – 2nd 

Noah Maggs – 2nd 

Robert Mayhew – 2nd 

Thomas McGuire – 2nd 

Charlie Rouse – 2nd 

Finley Dawes – 3rd 

Myrna Goodger – 3rd 

Alfie Brodrick – 4th 

Nathan Fraser – 4th 

Tyler Hedges – 4th 

Isaac Hopkins – 4th 

Taraa Malick – 4th 

Nikhil Shah – 4th 

Jack Church – 5th 

Madeleine Humphreys – 5th 

Noah Lines – 5th 

Harry Madden – 5th 

Finton McLaughlin – 5th 

Stefan Passera – 5th 

Thomas Rule – 5th 

Ruby Simmonds – 5th 

Rebecca Cox – 6th 

Charlie Green – 6th 

Albie Hubbard – 6th 

Lainey Lowton– 6th 

Charlie Puddifoot – 6th 

Evan Strong-Anderson – 6th 

Joshua Whitley – 6th 

Mitchell Cook – 7th 

Lily Deaki – 7th 

Billy Green – 7th 

Charlie King – 7th 

Robin Murray – 7th 

Jake O’Connor – 7th 

Thomas Rank – 7th 

Daisy Reader – 7th 

Jack Rowland – 7th 

Edward Saunders – 7th 

Louise Targett – 7th 

Freddie Winter – 7th 

Buddy Baverstock – 8th 

Dominic Daly – 8th 

Dolly Disson – 8th 

Harrison Lovelock – 8th 

Annie O’Connell – 8th 

Payton Ryan – 8th 

Taiya White – 8th 

Billy Yeoman – 8th 

Amy Batt – 9th 

Isaac Davis – 9th 

Reece Hearn – 9th 

Louis Leonard – 9th 

Felix Notman – 9th 

James Damasik-Dixon – 10th 

Lily Hawkes – 10th 

Niall Lydon – 10th 

Max Newman – 10th 

Leo Palmer – 10th 

Thomas Bailey – 11th 

Pearse Cole – 11th 

Jack Healy – 11th 

Ben Jacobs – 11th 

Beatrix Kosanovic – 11th 

Harry Lovell – 11th 

Frankie Moule – 11th 

Gustav Peterson – 11th 

Abbie Taylor – 11th 

Riley Mayger – 12th 

Zachary Rank – 12th 

Ella Shepherd – 12th 

Max Chambers – 13th 

Zane McLeod – 13th 

Grace-Marie Oliver – 13th 

Jamie Perotti – 13th 

Jack Stone – 13th 

Laike McCarthy – 14th 

Jake McGinley – 14th 

Finn Miller – 14th 

Luke O’Loughlin – 14th 

Johnny Taggert – 14th 

Dominic Wall – 14th 

Louie Kelly-Smith – 15th 

Aava-Grace Langham – 15th 

Maddalyn Diggons – 16th 

Joshua Hepner – 16th 

Mats Klaver – 16th 

Jasper Lee – 16th 

Oliver Sadgrove – 16th 

Federico Tovazzi – 16th 

William Woolacott – 16th 

Samuel Bernardout – 17th 

Benjamin Esfandi – 17th 

Matthew Knight – 17th 

Avraj Rai – 17th 

Samuel Smith – 17th 

Stanley Sullivan – 17th 

Alfie Bird – 18th 

Charlotte Groocock – 18th 

Tom Kennedy – 18th 

Sophie Kirk – 18th 

Oliver Maycock – 18th 

Luca Bouge – 19th 

Freddie Howe – 19th 

Toby Jackson – 19th 

Giorgio McNaughton – 19th 

Ethan Walsh – 19th 

Luca Whibley – 19th 

Daniel Andrews – 20th 

Joshua Death – 20th 

Jack Devaney – 20th 

Jack Elliott – 20th 

Dixie Finch – 20th 

Zach Harper – 20th 

Isobel Kelly – 20th 

Sean O’Brien – 20th 

Joshua Stacey – 20th 

Christian Clark – 21st 

James Kempster – 21st 

Danny Lovell-Shanahan – 21st 

Nat Stephens – 21st 

Ben Challis – 22nd 

Archie Flaum – 22nd 

Paige Hopkins – 22nd 

Reece Rahman – 22nd 

Reagan Shepherd – 22nd 

Emily Skinner – 22nd 

Natasha Cox – 23rd 

Ewan Davies – 23rd 

Frankie Flaum – 23rd 

Albert Longlade – 23rd 

Harry Peck – 23rd 

Olivia Allen – 24th 

Freddie Barton – 24th 

Josh Hills – 24th 

Charlie Crossman – 25th 

James Fraser – 25th 

Charlie George – 25th 

Theo Higgins – 25th 

Emily Jelley – 25th 

Molly McEvoy – 25th 

Eloise Roohan – 25th 

Joshua Weller – 25th 

Maisie Asbridge – 26th 

Alexander Carroll – 26th 

Jack Clarke – 26th 

Amy Darling – 26th 

Charlie Guy – 26th 

Zach Hebditch – 26th 

Imogen Kinnell – 26th 

Jonas Sarian – 26th 

Callum Silvester – 26th 

James Todd – 26th 

Teddy Billing – 28th 

Logan Emsoll – 28th 

Lennie Kent – 28th 

Lucas Munford – 28th 

Joshua Phillips – 28th 

Cooper Thomas – 28th 

Adam Trussell – 28th 

Callum Barnes – 29th 

Harry Edmondson – 29th 

George Finch – 29th 

Keith Godfrey – 29th 

Theo Louvieris – 29th 

Stanley Shanahan – 29th 

Oscar Shenton – 29th 

Daniel Stoddart – 29th 

Maxi Tipper – 29th 

Sonny Winham – 29th 

Nabil Chowdhury – 30th 

Olivia Kelly – 30th 

Charlie Lane – 30th 

Harry Notton-Brown – 30th 

Oliver Notton-Brown – 30th 

Theo Peroulis – 30th 


BACK IN 

THE DAY 

hoops 

Which current Championship manager is 

pictured during his playing days? 

TEST YOUR 

KNOWLEDGE 

Q: In which year were QPR and Norwich 

promoted together to the Premier League? 

NAME THE 

PLAYER 

• I was born in Dublin in 

2003 

• My first senior start 

– and goal – came in 

October 2021 on loan to 

Torquay 

• I made my QPR firstteam 

debut at Blackburn 

on the opening day of the 

season 

• Last month I won my first 

Under-21 international 

cap for my country 

53 

Answers: Spot the Ball: A, Back in the day: Russell Martin (Swansea City), 

Test your Knowledge: 2011, Name the Player: Sinclair Armstrong

5 

Jake 

CLARKE-SALTER

hoops 

QPR FC 

QPR FC WOMEN 6 

CHESHAM UTD WOMEN 1 

GRACE Stanley grabbed a hat-trick as Rangers 

routed their visitors with a display of clinical 

finishing at the Powerday Stadium. 

The R’s had to come from behind after Doriane 

Senmani Sani fired Chesham into an early lead, 

with Kasha Petit netting the equaliser from the 

penalty spot. 

Soon afterwards, Petit forced a save from 

Chesham goalkeeper Lucia Delves, but Stanley 

then took centre stage with two goals in six 

minutes. 

Her long-range strike put QPR in front and Petit 

then supplied the assist for Stanley to score 

her second before Ellen Wardlaw beat Delves to 

make it 4-1 at half-time. 

Stanley completed her treble after the break with 

a shot on the turn and Ellie Searle lobbed the 

keeper to wrap up the scoring with Rangers’ sixth 

of the afternoon. 

The R’s are at home again on Sunday when they 

take on Hashtag United FC at the Powerday 

Stadium, kick-off 2pm. 

QPR: Francis-Pownall, Wardlaw, Searle, Johnson 

(Carolan 79), Gunn (Moore 66), Lewin, Blodgett, 

Hennessy, Stanley (Parsons 69), Akerman, Petit 

(Webster 66). 


hoops 

ALICE CURR 

ELLIE SEARLE 

MILLIE CUTLER 

ELLEN WARDLAW 

CHLOE GUNN 

LAUREN JORDINSON 

SUE KUMANING 

GEORGIE LEWIN 

KATIE MCLEAN 

KATIE AKERMAN 

GABBY BISHOP 

JO BLODGETT 

AILISH CAROLAN 

TENI CHARLES 

SPONSORED BY: 

AVAILABLE 

MYA FRANCIS-POWNALL 

MELANIE HALL 

LAURA HENNESSEY 

BROGAN MOORE 

SPONSORED BY: 

MICK MCCARTHY 

SPONSORED BY: 

CHRIS HEWITT 

SPONSORED BY: 

AVAILABLE 

SPONSORED BY: 

MELTWATER NEWS 

SPONSORED BY: 

ST ANDREW’S, WOKING 

SPONSORED BY: 

KARL SIGNER 

SPONSORED BY: 

PETER PAIGE 

SPONSORED BY: 

LISA & MICHAEL BAGENAL 

SPONSORED BY: 

LONDON FITNESS 

MAMAS 

NICOLE LEYS 

SPONSORED BY: 

PETER PAIGE 

SPONSORED BY: 

SHARON DYER 

SPONSORED BY: 

AVAILABLE 

SPONSORED BY: 

AVAILABLE 

SPONSORED BY: 

LILY GOODMAN 

SPONSORED BY: 

LISA & MICHAEL BAGENAL 

EMILIA NYGAARD-PARSONS 

SPONSORED BY: 

CL SOLUTIONS CONTROL 

& AUTOMATION 

SPECIALISTS 

HAYLEY PEACOCK 

SPONSORED BY: 

EVIE & ELOISE 

KASHA PETIT 

SPONSORED BY: 

STEVE RUSSELL 

ERIN POPE 

SPONSORED BY: 

THE JUDY FAMILY 

GRACE STANLEY 

FRANKIE WEBSTER 

SPONSORED BY: 

LORD & LADY DERBY 

SPONSORED BY: 

NNR GLOBAL LOGISTICS 

SPONSORED BY: 

RON HILL 

SPONSORED BY: 

AVAILABLE 

SPONSORED BY: 

AVAILABLE 

Please email Sarah Holt at SarahH@qpr.co.uk for more information on how to get involved 


57

hoops 


hoops 

Tel: 020 8740 2560 | E-mail: corporate@qpr.co.uk | @QPR_Corporate | www.qprcorporate.co.uk 

M Gareth AINSWORTH 

SPONSORED BY: 

Phyl & Tina 

# 1 Seny DIENG 

SPONSORED BY: 

Sindy Grewall 

Apps: 44 Gls: 1 

YC: 2 RC: 0 

# 2 Osman KAKAY 

SPONSORED BY: 

Vivienne 

Maclennan 

Apps: 12+12 Gls: 0 

YC: 3 RC: 0 

# 3 Jimmy DUNNE 

SPONSORED BY: 

Trent Buhaj 

Apps: 36+1 Gls: 2 

YC: 7 RC: 0 

# 4 Rob DICKIE 

SPONSORED BY: 

Jakson Buhaj 

Apps: 31+5 Gls: 0 

YC: 7 RC: 0 

# 5 Jake CLARKE-SALTER 

SPONSORED BY: 

Deb & Marc 

Buhaj 

Apps: 12+2 Gls: 0 

YC: 1 RC: 0 

# 6 Stefan JOHANSEN 

SPONSORED BY: 

Nathan Hayes 

Apps: 21+8 Gls: 2 

YC: 6 RC: 0 

# 7 Chris WILLOCK 

SPONSORED BY: 

Richie Dixon 

Apps: 21+6 Gls: 6 

YC: 0 RC: 0 

# 8 Luke AMOS 

SPONSORED BY: 

Tyler Buhaj 

Apps: 6+10 Gls: 0 

YC: 4 RC: 0 

# 9 Lyndon DYKES 

SPONSORED BY: 

Ron Hill 

Apps: 32+4 Gls: 7 

YC: 3 RC: 0 

# 10 Ilias CHAIR 

SPONSORED BY: 

Riley Hayes 

Apps: 36+2 Gls: 5 

YC: 1 RC: 0 

# 11 Tyler ROBERTS 

SPONSORED BY: 

David Hayes 

Apps: 14+5 Gls: 4 

YC: 2 RC: 0 

# 13 Jordan ARCHER 

SPONSORED BY: 

Available 


YC: 0 RC: 0 

# 14 Chris MARTIN 

SPONSORED BY: 

Mosselson 

Family 

Apps: 10+2 Gls: 3 

YC: 0 RC: 0 

# 15 Sam FIELD 

SPONSORED BY: 

Amanda Dixon 


YC: 11 RC: 0 

# 17 Andre DOZZELL 

SPONSORED BY: 

KS Roofing and 

building Ltd 

Apps: 20+14 Gls: 0 

YC: 4 RC: 0 

# 18 Jamal LOWE 

SPONSORED BY: 

David 

Loveland & 

Kyle Weatherley 

Apps: 12+3 Gls: 3 

YC: 5 RC: 0 

# 20 Taylor RICHARDS 

SPONSORED BY: 

Trish Phillips 

Apps: 1+13 Gls: 0 

YC: 2 RC: 0 

# 22 Kenneth PAAL 

SPONSORED BY: 

Apps: 36+1 Gls: 1 

YC: 2 RC: 0 

# 23 Conor MASTERSON 

SPONSORED BY: 

Available 

Apps: 0+1 Gls: 0 

YC: 0 RC: 0 

# 24 Charlie OWENS 

SPONSORED BY: 

Available 


YC: 0 RC: 0 

# 25 Olamide SHODIPO 

SPONSORED BY: 

www.llarn.com 


YC: 0 RC: 0 

# 26 Leon BALOGUN 

SPONSORED BY: 

Jo Byron-Thomas 

Maxine Leeper 

Denis Smith 

Apps: 14+1 Gls: 1 

YC: 4 RC: 0 

# 27 Ethan LAIRD 

SPONSORED BY: 

David, 

Charlie and Alfie 

Loveland 

Apps: 28+2 Gls: 1 

YC: 3 RC: 0 

# 29 Aaron DREWE 

SPONSORED BY: 

Available 


YC: 0 RC: 0 

# 30 Sinclair ARMSTRONG 

SPONSORED BY: 

David, Diane and 

Nathan Smith 

Apps: 3+18 Gls: 0 

YC: 3 RC: 0 

# 32 Joe WALSH 

SPONSORED BY: 

Phil & Harry 

Newman 


YC: 0 RC: 0 

# 37 Albert ADOMAH 

SPONSORED BY: 

Martin & Keiran 

O’Brien - True 

Potential Wealth 

Management 

Apps: 11+25 Gls: 1 

YC: 2 RC: 0 

# 38 Murphy MAHONEY 

SPONSORED BY: 

Phil & Harry 

Newman 


YC: 0 RC: 0 

# 47 Tim IROEGBUNAM 

SPONSORED BY: 

www.spanish 

practiceclub. 

com 

Apps: 25+4 Gls: 1 

YC: 7 RC: 0 


59

hoops 

PUTTING THE SPARK 

INTO MATCHDAY 

PROGRAMMES... 

PROUD PROGRAMME 

PARTNERS OF 

QUEENS PARK 

RANGERS 

www.ignitionsportsmedia.com 


hoops 

2019-22 

qprcommunitytrust.co.uk e: community@qpr.co.uk t: 020 8740 2509 

@QPRtrust 

TIGER FEET ANNUAL FUNDRAISING WALK 

PLAYERS from QPR’s B team 

and women’s squad were 

among those who pulled on 

their walking boots to raise 

funds for the Tiger Cubs last 

Saturday. 

Around 70 people in all, also 

including staff from the club 

and QPR in the Community 

Trust, joined in Tiger Feet 13 – 

the annual fundraising walk to 

help support our football team 

for youngsters with Down’s 

syndrome. 

This year the route took in 

locations of QPR’s previous 

home grounds, with club 

historian Chris Guy on hand 

to enlighten his fellow walkers 

with plenty of facts and 

figures relating to the sites 

where Rangers once played. 

Club ambassador Andy 

Sinton, who also took part, 

said: “Hopefully we will have 

raised a lot of money for such 

a great cause. 

“Thank you to everyone who 

did the walk and to everyone 

for their generosity in 

supporting the event.” 


61

hoops 

2022/23 

FIXTURES & RESULTS 

DATE KO OPPOSITION RES. ATT POS. STARTING XI 

JULY 

Sat 30 15:00 Blackburn Rovers L 0-1 14,315 22 DIENG KAKAY DICKIE CLARKE-SALTER DOZZELL JOHANSEN 

AUGUST 

Sat 6 15:00 Middlesbrough W 3-2 15,796 8 DIENG KAKAY DICKIE DUNNE 1 PAAL FIELD 

Tue 9 19:45 Charlton Athletic CC L 1-1* 5,629 n/a DIENG KAKAY DICKIE DUNNE HAMALAINEN THOMAS 

Sat 13 15:00 Sunderland D 2-2 37,884 10 DIENG 1 KAKAY DICKIE DUNNE HAMALAINEN JOHANSEN 

Tue 16 20:00 Blackpool L 0-1 12,575 15 DIENG LAIRD DICKIE DUNNE PAAL DOZZELL 

Sat 20 15:00 Rotherham United D 1-1 12,230 17 DIENG LAIRD DICKIE DUNNE PAAL FIELD 

Sat 27 15:00 Watford W 3-2 19,977 11 DIENG LAIRD DICKIE DUNNE PAAL FIELD 

Tue 30 19:45 Hull City W 3-1 12,716 6 DIENG LAIRD 1 DICKIE DUNNE PAAL DOZZELL 

SEPTEMBER 

Sat 3 15:00 Swansea City L 0-1 15,935 9 DIENG LAIRD DICKIE DUNNE PAAL JOHANSEN 

Wed 14 19:45 Millwall W 2-0 13,384 8 DIENG LAIRD BALOGUN DUNNE PAAL JOHANSEN 1 

Sat 17 15:00 Stoke City D 0-0 14,174 6 DIENG LAIRD BALOGUN DUNNE PAAL DOZZELL 

OCTOBER 

Sat 1 15:00 Bristol City W 2-1 21,665 5 DIENG LAIRD BALOGUN CLARKE-SALTER PAAL IROEGBUNAM 

Tue 4 19:45 Sheffield United W 1-0 26,636 4 DIENG LAIRD BALOGUN DUNNE PAAL AMOS 

Fri 7 20:00 Reading W 2-1 16,656 3 DIENG LAIRD DUNNE CLARKE-SALTER PAAL IROEGBUNAM 

Sat 15 12:30 Luton Town L 1-3 10,011 4 DIENG BALOGUN DUNNE CLARKE-SALTER PAAL AMOS 

Wed 19 19:45 Cardiff City W 3-0 12,805 1 DIENG LAIRD BALOGUN CLARKE-SALTER PAAL 1 JOHANSEN 

Sat 22 15:00 Wigan Athletic W 2-1 16,353 1 DIENG LAIRD BALOGUN 1 CLARKE-SALTER PAAL JOHANSEN 

Fri 28 20:00 Birmingham City L 0-2 19,007 2 DIENG LAIRD BALOGUN CLARKE-SALTER PAAL JOHANSEN 

NOVEMBER 

Wed 2 19:45 Norwich City D 0-0 25,458 4 DIENG LAIRD DICKIE BALOGUN PAAL DOZZELL 

Sat 5 15:00 West Bromwich Albion L 0-1 17,139 5 DIENG LAIRD DICKIE BALOGUN PAAL AMOS 

Tue 8 19:45 Huddersfield Town L 1-2 12,769 6 DIENG LAIRD BALOGUN CLARKE-SALTER PAAL IROEGBUNAM 

Sat 12 15:00 Coventry City L 0-2 23,201 7 DIENG LAIRD DICKIE DUNNE CLARKE-SALTER RICHARDS 

DECEMBER 

Sun 11 13:00 Burnley L 0-3 14,299 9 DIENG LAIRD DUNNE CLARKE-SALTER PAAL DOZZELL 

Sat 17 15:00 Preston North End W 1-0 14,534 6 DIENG LAIRD DUNNE 1 CLARKE-SALTER PAAL DOZZELL 

Mon 26 17:15 Cardiff City D 0-0 18,549 7 DIENG LAIRD DICKIE DUNNE PAAL DOZZELL 

Thurs 29 18:00 Luton Town L 0-3 16,030 11 DIENG LAIRD DICKIE DUNNE PAAL IROEGBUNAM 

JANUARY 

Mon 2 20:00 Sheffield United D 1-1 14,151 12 DIENG KAKAY DICKIE DUNNE PAAL IROEGBUNAM 

Sat 7 15:00 Fleetwood Town FAC L 1-2 3,151 n/a DIENG KAKAY DICKIE DUNNE HAMALAINEN DOZZELL 

Sat 14 15:00 Reading D 2-2 14,186 12 DIENG LAIRD DICKIE DUNNE PAAL IROEGBUNAM 

Sat 21 15:00 Swansea City D 1-1 16,110 13 DIENG LAIRD DICKIE DUNNE PAAL IROEGBUNAM 

Sat 28 15:00 Hull City L 0-3 16,418 14 DIENG KAKAY DICKIE DUNNE PAAL IROEGBUNAM 

FEBRUARY 

Sat 4 15:00 Huddersfield Town D 1-1 17,954 14 DIENG LAIRD DUNNE CLARKE-SALTER PAAL FIELD 

Sat 11 15:00 Millwall L 1-2 15,335 16 DIENG LAIRD DICKIE DUNNE PAAL DOZZELL 

Tue 14 19:45 Sunderland L 0-3 14,471 17 DIENG LAIRD DICKIE DUNNE PAAL FIELD 

Sat 18 15:00 Middlesbrough L 1-3 27,456 17 DIENG KAKAY DUNNE DICKIE PAAL FIELD 

Sat 25 15:00 Blackburn Rovers L 1-3 15,715 18 DIENG KAKAY DICKIE DUNNE PAAL IROEGBUNAM 1 

MARCH 

Sat 4 15:00 Rotherham United L 1-3 10,563 20 DIENG DREWE DICKIE DUNNE KAKAY IROEGBUNAM 

Sat 11 15:00 Watford W 1-0 17,247 19 DIENG DICKIE DUNNE FIELD DOZZELL DREWE 

Tue 14 19:45 Blackpool L 1-6 10,051 19 DIENG DICKIE DUNNE FIELD DOZZELL DREWE 

Sat 18 15:00 Birmingham City L 0-1 15,097 19 DIENG DICKIE DUNNE FIELD IROEGBUNAM ADOMAH 

APRIL 

Sat 1 15:00 Wigan Athletic L 0-1 12,608 19 DIENG DICKIE BALOGUN DUNNE JOHANSEN LAIRD 

Fri 7 15:00 Preston North End L 0-2 14,620 21 DIENG DICKIE BALOGUN DUNNE LAIRD FIELD 

Mon 10 15:00 West Bromwich Albion D 2-2 23,969 20 DIENG DUNNE DICKIE BALOGUN FIELD ADOMAH 

Sat 15 15:00 Coventry City L 0-3 16,713 20 DIENG DUNNE DICKIE BALOGUN PAAL ADOMAH 

Wed 19 19:45 Norwich City 

Sat 22 15:00 Burnley 

Sat 29 15:00 Stoke City 

MAY 

Mon 8 15:00 Bristol City 

All fixtures subject to change. * Lost 3-5 on penalties 


hoops 

KEY: GOALSCORER 1 - FIRST SUB - SECOND SUB - THIRD SUB - FOURTH SUB - FIFTH SUB - † OWN GOAL - YELLOW CARD - RED CARD 

SUBSTITUTES 

REFEREEE 

FIELD PAAL SHODIPO CHAIR DYKES 

| 

THOMAS, ADOMAH, ARMSTRONG, RICHARDS, BONNE, DUNNE, WALSH BRAMALL 

JOHANSEN | WILLOCK 1 AMOS CHAIR DYKES 1 ADOMAH, DOZZELL, BONNE, HAMALAINEN, MASTERSON, SHODIPO, WALSH SMITH 

FIELD 

| 

CHAIR DOZZELL BONNE ADOMAH SHODIPO, ROBERTS 1, ARMSTRONG, JOHANSEN, DREWE, DYKES, MASTERSON, WALSH ATTWELL 

ADOMAH CHAIR 1 FIELD 

| 

SHODIPO DYKES ROBERTS, DOZZELL, ARMSTRONG, BONNE, MASTERSON, GUBBINS, WALSH SIMPSON 

JOHANSEN FIELD ROBERTS DYKES CHAIR ARMSTRONG, SHODIPO, ADOMAH, KAKAY, HAMALAINEN, MASTERSON, WALSH DAVIES 

JOHANSEN ROBERTS CHAIR WILLOCK 1 DYKES DOZZELL |, ADOMAH, ARMSTRONG, SHODIPO, KAKAY, ARCHER, HAMAHLAINEN WOOLMER 

| | JOHANSEN DOZZELL CHAIR 1 WILLOCK 1 DYKES ADOMAH 1, ARMSTRONG, MASTERSON, KAKAY, ARCHER, BONNE, SHODIPO STROUD 

FIELD JOHANSEN CHAIR 1 DYKES WILLOCK 1 ROBERTS |, KAKAY, ADOMAH, ARMSTRONG, ARCHER, MASTERSON, BALOGUN MARTIN 

FIELD DOZZELL WILLOCK DYKES CHAIR ROBERTS, IROEGBUNAM, ADOMAH, ARMSTRONG, BALOGUN, ARCHER, KAKAY LANGFORD 

FIELD IROEGBUNAM CHAIR ROBERTS WILLOCK 1 DYKES, DOZZELL, BONNE, ADOMAH, KAKAY, ARCHER, MASTERSON ROBINSON 

FIELD JOHANSEN WILLOCK ROBERTS CHAIR DYKES, IROEGBUNAM, ADOMAH, ARCHER, KAKAY, BONNE, MASTERSON DONOHUE 

FIELD JOHANSEN 1 ROBERTS 1 CHAIR WILLOCK DUNNE, AMOS |, DOZZELL, KAKAY, DYKES, ARCHER, ADOMAH SIMPSON 

FIELD DOZZELL ROBERTS CHAIR WILLOCK 1 DYKES, CLARKE-SALTER, IROEGBUNAM, ADOMAH, DICKIE, JOHANSEN, ARCHER LININGTON 

FIELD JOHANSEN ROBERTS DYKES 2 CHAIR KAKAY, DICKIE, DOZZELL, AMOS |, ARCHER, SHODIPO, ADOMAH BRAMALL 

IROEGBUNAM FIELD ROBERTS DYKES CHAIR KAKAY, JOHANSEN, DICKIE, DOZZELL, RICHARDS, ARCHER, RICHARDS, ADOMAH HARRINGTON 

FIELD IROEGBUNAM CHAIR ARMSTRONG DYKES 2 DOZZELL, AMOS, KAKAY, RICHARDS, BONNE, ARCHER, DICKIE J LININGTON 

FIELD 1 ARMSTRONG IROEGBUNAM CHAIR DYKES AMOS, DOZZELL, DICKIE, RICHARDS |, BONNE, ARCHER, KAKAY, D WHITESTONE 

FIELD ROBERTS CHAIR IROEGBUNAM 

| 

DYKES DICKIE |, ARMSTRONG, AMOS, RICHARDS, KAKAY, ARCHER, DOZZELL T ROBINSON 

| | 

| 

| 

| | 

FIELD AMOS CHAIR IROEGBUNAM DYKES WILLOCK, SHODIPO, ADOMAH, BONNE, KAKAY, ARCHER, HAMALAINEN A DAVIES 

FIELD IROEGBUNAM WILLOCK DYKES CHAIR DOZZELL, ADOMAH, ARMSTRONG, DUNNE, ARCHER, THOMAS, SHODIPO T BRAMALL 

FIELD ADOMAH CHAIR WILLOCK DYKES 1 DUNNE, BONNE, RICHARDS, SHODIPO, DICKIE, ARCHER, DOZZELL G WARD 

FIELD DOZZELL CHAIR DYKES WILLOCK KAKAY, ARMSTRONG, SHODIPO, ADOMAH, THOMAS, ARCHER, HAMALAINEN K STROUD 

| 

| 

| 

FIELD IROEGBUNAM THOMAS DYKES WILLOCK SHODIPO, ADOMAH, ARMSTRONG, KAKAY, DICKIE, ARCHER, RICHARDS P BANKES 

FIELD IROEGBUNAM ADOMAH DYKES WILLOCK SHODIPO, DICKIE, KAKAY, ARCHER, THOMAS, RICHARDS, ARMSTRONG O LANGFORD 

FIELD IROEGBUNAM ADOMAH DYKES WILLOCK CHAIR, ROBERTS |, SHODIPO, AMOS, KAKAY, ARCHER, MASTERSON K STROUD 

FIELD SHODIPO ROBERTS CHAIR DYKES WILLOCK, ADOMAH, RICHARDS, KAKAY, AMOS, ARCHER, MASTERSON G WARD 

FIELD 

| 

ROBERTS CHAIR 1 WILLOCK DYKES AMOS, ADOMAH, RICHARDS, MASTERSON, SHODIPO, ARMSTRONG, MAHONEY J SMITH 

FIELD 1 ADOMAH CHAIR WILLOCK DYKES RICHARDS, ROBERTS, LAIRD, PAAL, ARMSTRONG, ARCHER, MASTERSON S MARTIN 

FIELD ROBERTS 2 CHAIR WILLOCK DYKES LOWE, RICHARDS |, DOZZELL, KAKAY, CLARKE-SALTER, ARCHER, ADOMAH D BOND 

FIELD ROBERTS LOWE 1 CHAIR DYKES KAKAY, WILLOCK, DOZZELL, ADOMAH, CLARKE-SALTER, JOHANSEN, ARCHER J BUSBY 

FIELD ADOMAH ROBERTS CHAIR LOWE 

| 

DOZZELL,ARMSTRONG |, CLARKE-SALTER, JOHANSEN, WILLOCK, ARCHER J LININGTON 

JOHANSEN DOZZELL CHAIR LOWE 1 WILLOCK ARMSTRONG, ADOMAH |, IROEGBUNAM, KAKAY, DICKIE, AMOS, ARCHER G ELTRINGHAM 

FIELD JOHANSEN CHAIR ARMSTRONG 

| 

LOWE MARTIN 1, WILLOCK >, ADOMAH, KAKAY, ARCHER, GUBBINS, IROEGBUNAM D WHITESTONE 

DOZZELL 

| 

IROEGBUNAM CHAIR LOWE 

| 

MARTIN KAKAY, ARMSTRONG, JOHANSEN |, ARCHER, DIXON-BONNER, GUBBINS, ADOMAH P BANKES 

DOZZELL IROEGBUNAM CHAIR 1 LOWE MARTIN ADOMAH, JOHANSEN, ARCHER, DIXON-BONNER, GUBBINS, DREWE, AORAHA D WEBB 

JOHANSEN 

| 

FIELD 

| 

LOWE 

| 

MARTIN CHAIR DOZZELL, ADOMAH, RICHARDS, AMOS, DIXON-BONNER, GUBBINS L DOUGHTY 

JOHANSEN FIELD 

| 

ADOMAH 

| 

MARTIN LOWE 1 RICHARDS, ARMSTRONG, ARCHER, DOZZELL, DIXON-BONNER, GUBBINS, AORAHA D BOND 

| | 

IROEGBUNAM 1 LOWE KAKAY DYKES MARTIN ADOMAH, JOHANSEN, ARMSTRONG, AMOS, ARCHER, RICHARDS, GUBBINS J LININGTON 

IROEGBUNAM LOWE KAKAY DYKES MARTIN 1 JOHANSEN, AMOS |, ADOMAH, ARMSTRONG, RICHARDS, ARCHER, GUBBINS J SIMPSON 

AMOS 

| 

LOWE KAKAY DYKES MARTIN DREWE, JOHANSEN |, ARMSTRONG |, DIXON-BONNER, ARCHER, DOZZELL K STROUD 

FIELD WILLOCK PAAL MARTIN DYKES CHAIR, LOWE, DOZZELL, ADOMAH, DREWE, ARCHER, AMOS G WARD 

JOHANSEN PAAL CHAIR WILLOCK DYKES ADOMAH, LOWE, AMOS, MARTIN, ARCHER, DOZZELL, RICHARDS G ELTRINGHAM 

AMOS CHAIR PAAL DYKES 1 MARTIN 1 LOWE |, DOZZELL, RICHARDS, JOHANSEN, WILLOCK, ARCHER, LAIRD M DONOHUE 

DOZZELL FIELD CHAIR DYKES MARTIN RICHARDS, WILLOCK, LOWE, LAIRD, JOHANSEN, ROBERTS, ARCHER 


63

*Effective against enveloped viruses **vs representative Gram-negative bacterium. Always practise good hand hygiene. 

Use biocides safely. Always read the label and product information before use. 99.9% OF BACTERIA

hoops 

CHAMP 

LEAGUE TABLE 

PACK 

TODAY'S 

# CLUB P W D L F A +/- PTS 

1 BURNLEY 41 26 13 2 78 30 48 91 

2 SHEFFIELD UNITED 41 24 7 10 64 36 28 79 

3 LUTON TOWN 42 20 14 8 53 36 17 74 

4 MIDDLESBROUGH 42 21 8 13 79 51 28 71 

5 MILLWALL 42 18 11 13 50 41 9 65 

6 BLACKBURN ROVERS 41 19 6 16 45 47 -2 63 

7 COVENTRY CITY 42 16 14 12 52 43 9 62 

8 PRESTON NORTH END 42 17 11 14 41 47 -6 62 

9 SUNDERLAND 42 16 13 13 60 51 9 61 

10 NORWICH CITY 42 17 10 15 55 47 8 61 

11 WEST BROMWICH ALION 41 16 12 13 52 45 7 60 

12 WATFORD 42 15 14 13 51 47 4 59 

13 SWANSEA CITY 42 15 11 16 57 59 -2 56 

14 BRISTOL CITY 42 13 14 15 50 52 -2 53 

15 HULL CITY 42 13 14 15 48 57 -9 53 

16 STOKE CITY 42 14 10 18 54 49 5 52 

17 BIRMINGHAM CITY 42 13 11 18 45 53 -8 50 

18 ROTHERHAM UNITED 41 10 15 16 44 54 -10 45 

19 HUDDERSFIELD TOWN 42 11 10 21 41 60 -19 43 

20 QUEENS PARK RANGERS 42 11 10 21 40 67 -27 43 

21 CARDIFF CITY 41 11 9 21 34 50 -16 42 

22 READING 42 13 9 20 43 62 -19 42 

23 BLACKPOOL 42 9 11 22 44 67 -23 38 

24 WIGAN ATHLETIC 42 8 13 21 34 63 -29 34 

LAST UPDATED: 17.04.2023 

GOALSCORERS 

CHUBA AKPOM 

MIDDLESBROUGH 

VIKTOR GYOKERES 

COVENTRY CITY 

CARLTON MORRIS 

LUTON TOWN 

NATHAN TELLA 

BURNLEY 

JOEL PIROE 

SWANSEA CITY 

KICK-OFF 3PM UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE 

VS 

VS 

VS 

VS 

8PM 

VS 

8PM 

ASSISTS 

RYAN GILES 

BEN WILSON 

MIDDLESBROUGH 11 

COVENTRY CITY 

VIKTOR GYOKERES 

ETHAN HORVATH 

COVENTRY CITY 9 

LUTON TOWN 

JACK CLARKE 

WES FODERINGHAM 

SUNDERLAND 9 

SHEFFIELD UNITED 

GUSTAVO HAMER 

ARIJANET MURIC 

SWANSEA CITY 8 

BURNLEY 

16 

JOSH BROWNHILL 

FREDDIE WOODMAN 

BURNLEY 

8 

PRESTON NORTH END 

27 

20 

18 

17 

CLEAN SHEETS 

19 

19 

17 

17 

17 


65

hoops 

Media Voice 

IAN MCCULLOUGH, SENIOR WRITER AT WEST LONDON 

SPORT, SHARES HIS THOUGHTS… 

Times of great need can 

often be the moments when 

unlikely heroes make their 

mark. 

It’s certainly never dull 

covering or supporting 

QPR, with much of the last 

25 years involving the team 

either trying to go up from 

whichever division they are 

residing in or stay in it. 

Tonight, a Norwich team 

boasting one of the biggest 

budgets and best squads in 

the Championship descend 

on Loftus Road with the playoff 

places still firmly in their 

sights. 

It will without doubt be a 

hugely difficult game for a 

QPR side bereft of confidence 

and victories and looking 

over their shoulder at the 

unthinkable prospect of 

dropping into League One. 

But for much of the fanbase, 

this is not their first rodeo of 

flirting with the dreaded drop. 

While the drama of the 

Sergio Aguero game at the 

Etihad Stadium in 2011 will 

be remembered for decades 

to come, there was another 

seismic clash between 

Manchester City and QPR on 

the penultimate game of the 

1997/98 campaign that will 

never be forgotten. 

It seems ridiculous now, 

given they are one of the 

heavyweights of European 

football, but 25 years ago next 

week, City found themselves 

languishing in the relegation 

zone and needing a win over 

QPR at Maine Road to prevent 

a first ever slide into the third 

tier of English football. 

Rangers, sitting just outside 

the drop zone, needed not 

to lose to stay safe going 

into the final match of the 

campaign and much like this 

current team, boasted a 

talented but under-achieving 

side containing the likes of 

Kevin Gallen, Nigel Quashie, 

David Bardsley, Mike Sheron 

and Danny Maddix. 

The hosts got off to the 

perfect start, with Georgi 

Kinkladze putting them ahead 

in the opening minute before 

Sheron fired Rangers level 

shortly after. 

But then came the moment 

that no-one of a QPR or 

City persuasion will ever 

forget when Jamie Pollock, 

a steady if unremarkable 

central midfielder, scored the 

greatest own goal ever seen. 

Bardsley sent a ball forward 

towards Sheron, which 

Pollock nipped in to cut out by 

scooping the ball into the air 

and into his own penalty area. 

But instead of allowing 

goalkeeper Martyn Margetson 

to come and claim it, Pollock 

instead produced a perfect 

cushioned header over his 

helpless keeper and into the 

net to give Rangers a priceless 

second goal midway through 

the opening period. 

Joe Royle’s side equalised just 

after half-time through Lee 

Bradbury but could not find a 

winner as Rangers held on for 

the draw to keep them up and 

send City down. 

Later that year an internet 

poll searching for the most 

influential man of the last 

2,000 years was hijacked 

by QPR fans, with Pollock 

topping charts just ahead of 

Jesus Christ. 

So, in the words of Chuck 

Berry: “it goes to show you 

never can tell.” 


Ashville is rooted in construction and our history has morphed 

from boots on the ground to in house development and government 

infrastructure projects. Ashville encompasses every element in 

construction and is a fundamental part of all supply chains. 

We're proud to have over 15 years' experience within the industry, which in 

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ashvilleaggregates.com

THE SQUADS 

QUEENS PARK 

RANGERS 

HEAD COACH: GARETH AINSWORTH 

SENY DIENG GK ● 1 

OSMAN KAKAY ● 2 

JIMMY DUNNE ● 3 

ROB DICKIE ● 4 

JAKE CLARKE-SALTER ● 5 

STEFAN JOHANSEN ● 6 

CHRIS WILLOCK ● 7 

LUKE AMOS ● 8 

LYNDON DYKES ● 9 

ILIAS CHAIR ● 10 

TYLER ROBERTS ● 11 

JORDAN ARCHER GK ● 13 

CHRIS MARTIN ● 14 

SAM FIELD ● 15 

ANDRE DOZZELL ● 17 

JAMAL LOWE ● 18 

ELIJAH DIXON-BONNER ● 19 

TAYLOR RICHARDS ● 20 

KENNETH PAAL ● 22 

CHARLIE OWENS ● 24 

LEON BALOGUN ● 26 

ETHAN LAIRD ● 27 

JOE GUBBINS ● 28 

AARON DREWE ● 29 

SINCLAIR ARMSTRONG ● 30 

RAY JONES ● 31 

JOE WALSH GK ● 32 

ALBERT ADOMAH ● 37 

MURPHY MAHONEY GK ● 38 

TIM IROEGBUNAM ● 47 

ALEX AORAHA ● 48 

HAMZAD KARGBO ● 49 

NORWICH 

CITY 

HEAD COACH: DAVID WAGNER 

1 ● TIM KRUL GK 

2 ● MAX AARONS 

3 ● SAM BYRAM 

4 ● ANDREW OMOBAMIDELE 

5 ● GRANT HANLEY 

6 ● BEN GIBSON 

8 ● ISAAC HAYDEN 

10 ● KIERAN DOWELL 

11 ● ADAM IDAH 

12 ● GABRIEL SARA 

13 ● MARQUINHOS 

15 ● SAM MCCALLUM 

18 ● CHRISTOS TZOLIS 

19 ● JACOB SORENSEN 

20 ● PRZEMYSLAW PLACHETA 

22 ● TEEMU PUKKI 

23 ● KENNY MCLEAN 

24 ● JOSH SARGENT 

25 ● ONEL HERNANDEZ 

26 ● MARCELINO NUNEZ 

27 ● JONATHAN ROWE 

28 ● ANGUS GUNN GK 

30 ● DIMITRIS GIANNOULIS 

33 ● MICHAEL MCGOVERN GK 

46 ● LIAM GIBBS 

Referee: 

Keith Stroud 

Assistant Referee: 

Nigel Lugg 

Assistant Referee: 

Lee Venamore 

Fourth official: 

Sam Barrott

Queens Park Rangers v Norwich City

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