Queens Park Rangers v Oxford United

THE OFFICIAL MATCHDAY PROGRAMME OF QUEENS PARK RANGERS 2025/26 | ISSUE #4

OXFORD UNITED

WEDS 1ST OCTOBER 2025 - K.O 8PM

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CLUB DIRECTORY

Queens Park Rangers FC

QPR Holdings Ltd, MATRADE

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

QPR Box Office: 020 8740 2613

Official Website: www.qpr.co.uk

STAFF

QPR FC/QPR Holdings Ltd

Chairman: Lee Hoos

QPR Holdings Ltd Vice-Chairman:

Ruben Gnanalingam

Board members:

Ruben Gnanalingam,

Amit Bhatia, Richard Reilly

CEO: Christian Nourry

Financial Director: Ruban Ghandi

Head Coach: Julien Stephan

Club Ambassador: Andy Sinton

Club Historian: Chris Guy

OFFICIAL X ACCOUNTS

(FORMERLY TWITTER)

Queens Park Rangers @QPR

QPR+ Pass @QPRPlusPass

QPR in the Community Trust

@QPRtrust

QPR Women @QPRWFC

PROGRAMME

Editor: Ben Kosky

Contributors: Tony Incenzo, Saif Atrakji

Designed by: Thomas Ridge

This programme was produced on

behalf of Queens Park Rangers by

Ignition Sports Media.

Contents

in your programme...

04 14

27 34

HOOPS | 3

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,

please contact us via our dedicated email

address: safeguard@qpr.co.uk

04 | Head coach

Words from Julien Stephan

09 | News & Messages

All the latest from W12

14 | The Big Read

Richard Kone interview

21 | Fanzone

If Koki's happy, so are we...

22 | Andy Sinton

Club ambassador has his say

27 | Welcome to W12

A look at Oxford United

34 | 50 Years Ago

Phil Parkes recalls 1975/76

41 | History Makers

Spotlight on Dave Clement

48 | Junior Hoops

Test your knowledge

54 | United Nations of QPR

Caribbean players in Hoops

59 | Community Matters

Latest from the QPR Trust

62 | Fixtures & Results

Stay updated this season

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

4 | HOOPS

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

HOOPS | 5

THE GAFFER

Julien

HEAD COACH JULIEN STEPHAN SHARES HIS THOUGHTS

AHEAD OF OUR MATCH AGAINST OXFORD UNITED...

T

here’s

always a question I

need to think about, whether it’s

after a win or a defeat – do I have

to change something in terms of

the starting line-up?

I had that question in mind after our

recent wins against Wrexham and Stoke

and decided to continue with the same

side. We are still near the beginning of

the season and there’s a need to create

stronger links between different players,

because some of them arrived at the end

of the transfer window. But this season is

a long journey and we know we will need

many players involved who are able to

compete, especially when we have three

games in a week – which is the case this

week. So we will probably have some fresh

players starting tonight against Oxford

United, they are players who have shown

what they can do on the pitch in training

sessions and deserve an opportunity to

show everybody how good they are.

I would like to welcome Oxford to

MATRADE Loftus Road this evening. They

won recently away to Bristol City and also

got two good 2-2 draws against Coventry

and Leicester, which shows they are

able to compete and earn good results

against strong teams. So it’ll be a big

challenge against Oxford and we need to

make sure we are 100 per cent ready for


6 | HOOPS

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HOOPS | 7

them– physically, technically, tactically

and mentally.

The last time we played at home, we had

a very good result against Stoke City.

You never know beforehand what kind of

game you’ll have, whether it will be open

or not, but when it’s a game between

two very close teams, the difference is in

details. One of those details is to protect

your box effectively and I thought we did

that very well against Stoke. We didn’t

concede a lot of chances – there was

only one big opportunity for them with

the header on 60 minutes and another in

the last minute. But I think we did a very

good job defensively, sometimes that

efficiency can make the difference and it

was good to finish with a clean sheet for

the first time this season. I think it was

important for the players especially, for

the defensive line and the goalkeeper.

Whether we win 1-0 or win 4-3, it’s a win

at the end of the game.

We would have liked to extend our

winning run at Sheffield Wednesday last

Saturday, but sometimes when you’re not

in top, top form it’s very important to take

a point and continue your momentum.

We’ve taken 10 points from the last 12, so

that’s very, very good in terms of points

average and I hope we will be able to

continue in this way. We were 1-0 behind

at half-time and we had to fix some

problems, but there was a good collective

reaction – not only from the players who

came off the bench for the start of the

second half, but also from some who

hadn’t started that well and were able to

change it completely. So I was pleased

by the collective reaction, the only

disappointment for me was that we didn’t

succeed in scoring a second or third goal

because we had further opportunities to

do that.

Of course we need to continue performing

collectively in the coming games, not only

for 20 or 25 minutes but much more. As

long as we do that, I’m convinced we have

the quality to get another good result

tonight against Oxford.

There is only one promise I can make – we

Julien Stephan

will all give 100 per cent each day.

Julien Stephan


8 | HOOPS


HOOPS | 9

STEPHEN & PATRICK

Happy 24th birthday to Stephen

Rabey and happy 20th birthday to

Patrick Rabey from Mum, Dad and

James xxxx

JAMES

Happy birthday

James Grant, from

Tracy, Charlie &

Alfie, plus all at

Loft Flags.

DALIA

Wishing Dalia Baker

from Essex a very

happy 21st birthday

in the coming days.

Hope you have an

amazing time

celebrating in Dubai.

Twenty-one years of

following the R’s,

what more could you

ask for? Lots of love

from Mum, Dad,

Shannon, Mike and

Alfie xx

DUNCAN

Welcome to baby

Duncan Oliver

Richardson Lake,

born on Wednesday

27th August. He is a

sixth-generation R’s

fan, and we can’t

wait to bring him to

his first game!

Love from all the

family xxx

TERRY

Happy birthday

Terry Millichope from

all at Loft Flags,

Daisy and George.

RUSSELL &

CHARLOTTE

Congratulations to lifelong R’s fan

Russell Charman and his fiancée

Charlotte Henderson, who will tie the

knot on Saturday.

Russell, who has proudly held a

season ticket for 20 years, cheering

along with his dad Mick, lists Jamie

Mackie’s unforgettable goal and, of

course, Bobby Zamora’s iconic strike

at Wembley among his favourite QPR

memories. Charlotte has now joined

the R’s family, touring MATRADE

Loftus Road and travelling to away

games.

Their big day will be decorated in

blue and white, with the classic

anthem ‘Hi Ho Silver Lining’ ringing

out. Everyone at QPR congratulates

them both!


10 | HOOPS

THE TICKET IS THE FAN’S KEY.

THE STADIUM IS THE FAN’S HOME.

WE CONNECT THE TWO.


HOOPS | 11

DON’S CHARITY

RUN IN STAN’S

MEMORY

Former QPR defender Don Shanks will be

running the New York marathon next month in memory

of his former team-mate, the late Stan Bowles.

Shanks, who played with Bowles in the celebrated

Rangers side of 1975/76, is honouring his lifelong friend

– who passed away in February 2024, having lived with

Alzheimer’s for nine years – by running to raise funds

for Alzheimer’s Society.

“Stan has gone, but Alzheimer’s has not,” said Shanks.

“Running the marathon will be tough but it’s nothing

compared to the daily battles faced by the families of

those living with this dreadful disease.”

You can support Don’s fund-raising efforts at www.

justgiving.com/page/don-shanks-nym or scan the

QR code.

U R SAFE

Play Safe weekend 2025 took place

on 27th/28th September, when

English football at all levels united

again to focus attention on the vital

importance of safeguarding. The

Play Safe Campaign is endorsed by

the NSPCC.

Although QPR were playing away

from home that weekend, we want to

show the club’s support for the

campaign. Anyone’s love of football

can be taken away by negative

behaviour and abuse.

The theme this year is “Small Talk is

bigger than you think“. We want to

encourage open conversations, and

ensure that children and young

people have a voice.

We use Speak Out Safe as a

reporting tool. If you have any

concerns, please go to

https://portal.speakoutsafe.uk/i/

match-day-concerns and a member

of the safeguarding team will get

back to you.

You will also see posters and QR codes

around the stadium with the U R Safe

banner, please feel free to report any

concerns you may have about a child,

young person or adult at risk.

IAN, MIKE

& CALLE

QPR fan Ian Cox

recently visited the

island of Crete,

along with his

nephew Gary, to do

a Memory Walk for

the Alzheimer’s

Society – exceeding

their target and

finishing with a total

of 207 miles.

As well as raising

almost £3,000 for an

extremely worthy

cause, Ian’s also been

doing his bit to spread

the QPR word. A year

earlier on holiday, he

met Swedish fan Calle

Stjernlöf who was

keen to get his hands

on a Rangers shirt.

Ian duly obliged this

summer, presenting a

shirt to Calle and

posing for a

photograph – which

was then gatecrashed

by another passing

R’s fan Mike Bale!

BLAKE

Congratulations to Jack and Cally on

the arrival of baby Blake. A

gorgeous little boy, who will be

joining his daddy and big cousin

Edward at the Loft in the future.

Welcome to the world little man

ELIJAH &

HANNAH

Happy first birthday

to my beautiful

grandson Elijah and

happy birthday to my

lovely Hannah. Love

from Grandad/Dad xx

TODAY'S HOME

MASCOTS

Tilly Clark

Age: 12

Favourite

player:

Jonathan

Varane

Jude

Sharman

Age: 11

Favourite

player:

Richard Kone

TODAY'S AWAY

MASCOT

Oliver

Edmonds

Age: 12

Favourite

player:

Cameron

Brannagan


12 | HOOPS

Saturday 27th September 2025 | KO: 3pm

Sheffield Wednesday 1

Queens Park Rangers 1

Nicolas Madsen fired home

from the penalty spot as

Rangers made it four games

unbeaten with a strong

second-half display at

Hillsborough.

The R’s fell behind after half

an hour when Barry Bannan’s

curling free-kick was met

by the head of Wednesday

defender Dominic Iorfa to

open the scoring.

Paul Nardi prevented Harry

Amass and Liam Palmer

from extending the Owls’

advantage before half-time,

but QPR struck back just

three minutes into the second

period.

Richard Kone’s header

from a corner was handled

by Wednesday’s Bailey

Cadamarteri and Madsen

stepped up to thump the

spot-kick beyond Ethan

Horvath.

Substitute Kader Dembele

almost put Rangers in front

soon afterwards, cutting

in from the right and firing

narrowly wide of the far post,

while Kone and Koki Saito

also went close in the closing

stages.


HOOPS | 13


14 | HOOPS

INTERVIEW: BEN KOSKY

Richard Kone

FEED THE

RICH, HE

WILL SCORE

SIGNED IN AUGUST AFTER

A PROLIFIC 18 MONTHS AT

WYCOMBE WANDERERS,

RICHARD KONE IS ALREADY

DISPLAYING HIS QUALITIES IN

A QPR SHIRT AS WELL.

As well as Rangers’ start to the season,

the 22-year-old Ivorian discusses

motivation, tactics and his ambitions at

both club and international level…


HOOPS | 15


16 | HOOPS

F

irst

thing, Richard –

how are you enjoying

life at QPR so far?

It’s been really amazing,

the boys and the staff and

everyone at the club has

made me really welcome. It

pays off on the pitch because

I’ve settled very well.

Every striker wants to score

his first goal for a new

club… is it fair to say the

circumstances of yours were

less than ideal?!

Yes, it was a tough day (at

Coventry). Of course you

want a result as a team but at

the same time, getting a goal

can boost the confidence for

any striker. I think having that

goal come at that moment

showed me I could help the

team – and having had that

setback at Coventry, it was

really good to bounce back

the way we did at home to

Charlton.

Yes, your injury-time goal

in that Charlton game

must have felt a lot more

enjoyable…

I did enjoy it! Coming into that

game we prepared very well,

we knew we had the quality

to beat them and it was really

good. We stuck to the plan the

coach set up for us and that

goal at the end of the game

was the cherry on top of the

cake. For me – even if you


HOOPS | 17

YOU’VE GOT TO

KEEP THAT HUNGER

TO IMPROVE,

TO LEARN AND

POLISH YOUR

SKILLS AND BE

THE BEST VERSION

OF YOURSELF

AND TAKE THAT TO

THE NEXT LEVEL.

don’t score – you’ve got to

be able to impact the game,

whether that’s by creating or

getting an assist and helping

the team. Football is not only

about one person, so if the

team wins but I don’t score,

I’m still happy. I know I’m

judged on goals but if

I put a shift in and we

keep our shape and stay

compact and the teams

wins, then we’re all

winners.

You’ve started

the last

three games

alongside

another

striker in

Rumarn

Burrell,

what’s the

chemistry like between you on

the pitch?

It’s good to have someone

with a different profile to

me – he’s more of a runner,

I’m more of a target man. It’s

ideal to have that balance

and we really enjoy every

game. He’s an amazing

player, you can see that

on the pitch, the way

he runs his socks off,

getting in behind or

coming deep. It’s

fabulous to play

alongside him

and in training

it’s the same,

his work-rate

is unreal.

Playing

alongside

someone like

that makes me improve and

the two of us know what each

other’s going to do, which

helps us to link up more on the

pitch and create.

Teams nowadays don’t often

include two strikers, is it a

system you played previously

at Wycombe?

It depended on the game, we

used to sometimes play two

up top with me and Daniel

Udoh, who’s now with Salford

City, or sometimes 4-2-3-1. So

I’m used to this system, it’s not

something new and it’s always

good to have someone else up

top to share the work with.

Which striker was your

role model when you were

growing up?

It’s got to be Didier Drogba,

I used to watch a lot of him –

he’s from my country and he’s

such a legend. As a little boy

in my country, if you wanted

to be a striker, you’d always

go for Drogba because of

what he did both for his club

and the national team.

You began your career at the

10th level of English football

with Athletic Newham – does


18 | HOOPS


HOOPS | 19

it increase your desire to

succeed when you have to

work your way up?

I think no matter the level

where you start, you should

always be hungry. People at

the top are still hungry, so

why should you not feel the

same in the lower leagues?

You’ve got to keep that

hunger to improve, to learn

and polish your skills and be

the best version of yourself

and take that to the next level

and eventually the top level.

I’m always hungry for more,

I want to help my team and

meet my targets and achieve

stuff. Everyone’s on the same

page at QPR, we’re all hungry

and wanting to progress.

How would you assess

Rangers’ chances of

challenging at the top end of

the table?

It’s going to be tough, the

Championship is a hard

league. No matter how we’ve

started the season, it doesn’t

mean anything yet – we’re

only seven games in, so that’s

still 39 left. But as long as we

believe in our team and our

management we’ll always

be confident we can take

points game by game and

keep improving. The type

of player we’ve got in our

changing-room is unreal,

there’s a good mix with older

boys and younger boys – we

need experience and we have

people like Steve Cook and

Sam Field to bring that. Also,

the players who have been

injured are going to come

back very soon and they’ll be

really good additions to the

team, so we’ve got to keep

our belief and keep going.

You represented Ivory Coast

at the Homeless World Cup

some years ago, can playing

in the Championship regularly

get you into the full national

team?

Every game I play for QPR, I

aim to show my qualities and

by helping the team I show I

can play at this level or even

international level. Hopefully

they’ll be keeping tabs on me,

so I’ve got to keep improving

my skills and scoring goals

and who knows, in the future I

might get called up.


20 | HOOPS


HOOPS | 21

FANZONE

Sam Tayloe

QPR FAN SAM TAYLOR SHARES HIS THOUGHTS AHEAD OF OUR

MATCH AGAINST STOKE CITY IN THE SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP...

I

’ve been eagerly

awaiting my turn

for the programme

column to come back around.

This is because I haven’t yet

had the airtime to talk about

Koki Saito.

Rarely does an entire

club rally around a single

player, but there is something

about this gem from Japan

that seems to have earned

him a permanent space in

the hearts of the R’s faithful.

I think it’s a combination

of things.

Most notably of course,

he gave the most earnest,

honest post-match interview

of all time with his famous

‘I’m so happy! Are you happy?

Finished?’ sequence. In this

age of media training, to

get as truthful a glimpse

into the personality of a

professional footballer is

unheard of and so the plain

authenticity of those few

seconds is just beautiful. I’ve

watched that clip more times

than I can count. After each

game, I now sit eagerly by the

QPR homepage waiting for

the latest edition of ‘Smyth

and Saito’ to light up my day.

I no longer need coffee in

the morning. I just need

‘I’m so happy, are you

happy? Finished?’

On the pitch as well, he has

been such a breath of fresh

air. Sometimes you watch

players who just seem to

get it right. I watched Eze

in his Arsenal debut a few

weeks ago and just sat there

swooning at everything he

did. Every time the ball came

to him, it was a flick here or a

turn there. It’s a pleasure to

watch and I feel a similar way

when Koki’s on the ball. He

controls it brilliantly, always

has his eye on the goal and

brings such pure, targeted

energy to the game that

you can almost feel the

ground light up whenever

he’s on the ball.

I’m known among my friends

and family for what, in their

eyes, they see as ‘getting

over-excited’. If you’ve read

any of my columns in the past,

you might have sensed this

too. After all, I am the proud

owner of a Conor Washington

home shirt and a signed

Jordan Hugill boot. I fall for

players quickly and I fall for

them hard. But this is a rare

case where I don’t seem to

be alone. He’s brought such

positivity to this team and I

can imagine he’s a joy to

work with.

As I write, we’re on a bit

of a roll after a number of

professional, structured team

performances. Charlton,

Wrexham and Stoke were

really exciting results. We’ve

scored seven goals since we

shipped seven at Coventry.

The players seemed to have

really responded well and

unlike some managers, cough,

Amorim, cough, our manager

is highly adaptable and his

response to what was a truly

unacceptable performance

has been swift and effective.

Now it’s all about continuing

this run of form and I hope,

for Koki’s sake, we can do

those interviews justice and

maybe, just maybe, we will all

continue to be ‘so, so happy.’

Finished?


22 | HOOPS

CLUB AMBASSADOR

Andy

OUR CLUB AMBASSADOR’S VIEWS ON ALL THINGS QPR

G

ood evening everyone

and welcome

back to MATRADE

Loftus Road for tonight’s

Championship game against

Oxford United.

Our visitors, under Gary

Rowett, find themselves in the

bottom three in the league

table as I write these notes

but won on their travels at

Bristol City and picked up very

good points in their recent

games against Coventry and

Leicester who have all started

the season well. So we know

that tonight’s game will, as

always, be a difficult test for

us and we will have to earn

everything we get.

We go into the game after

taking a point at the weekend

up at Sheffield Wednesday,

which followed an excellent

win the last time we were

at home against Stoke City.

Having gone behind in the

first half at Hillsborough,

we got ourselves back into

the game not long after the

interval with a Nico Madsen

penalty, but were unable

to force a winner and had

to settle for a point which

extended our unbeaten

run to four games. I am

a great believer that any

point away from home in

the Championship is one you

take and that draw makes it

10 points from our last four

games, which is an excellent

return for any team.

The Stoke City game a week

earlier was a tight one,

decided by a moment of

quality from Harvey Vale to

score his first goal for the

club. Everyone was delighted

for Harvey and it was fitting

reward for his hard work

and patience, certainly in

the first few months after he

signed for the club with the

unfortunate injury he had –

which is never easy for any

player. Harvey worked hard

with his rehab programme

at the time, had a good preseason

and forced his way

into the team recently and is

now showing everyone what a

good player he is – and a vital

part of our squad as we move

forward together.

On a personal level, I was

absolutely thrilled to be able

to attend our last home game

after my recent health scare

and I have to say it was really

emotional to be back, seeing

friends and colleagues on the

day and to see all our fans

again. To walk out before

kick-off, to get the reception

I received and get the chance

to say a public thank you to all

the QPR fans for all the love

and support you have shown

me in recent weeks was truly

special. Thank you so much

once again – you have been

amazing and it’s something I

will never forget.

That Stoke game was a

very proud day for QPR

as we welcomed back to

the club former players

and their families, as well

as the family members of

players who are sadly no

longer with us from the

1975/76 season to celebrate


HOOPS | 23

the 50th anniversary and

our greatest ever team

that just missed out on

winning the Football League

championship to Liverpool.

To have so many of that

great team represented

here on the day was really

special for us as a club. I know

everyone in attendance really

enjoyed the day and being

back at the club they loved

to represent. To spend time

with them all on the day was

so good as they shared their

memories of that special time

they were part of the club.

The reception they were all

given at half-time out on the

pitch was wonderful and fully

deserved. That team they

were all proud to be part of

played such an important part

in our history and will always

be remembered here at QPR.

After tonight’s game we

head down to Bristol City

for our last fixture before

the next international break

and I am sure we will travel

in our numbers to give the

team tremendous support

once again. That support

you continue to show week

in, week out at both home

and away games is really

appreciated by everyone at

the club and should not ever

be taken for granted. Once

again, I urge you to really

get behind Julien, all his

staff and all the players

involved tonight and push

them on from the first whistle

to the last.

Hopefully we can celebrate

together at the end of

the game with another

three points. It will not be

easy as no game in the

Championship ever is, but

everyone is determined and

working extremely hard to

keep building every day and

in every game so we can

continue to improve and

progress.

As always – Enjoy the game

and COME ON YOU R’s

Andy


24 | HOOPS


Seems Like

HOOPS | 25

Kader Dembele

advances past his

brother Siriki to set up

QPR’s decisive third

goal in a 3-1 win over

Oxford at the Kassam

Stadium in April.

The younger Dembele’s

assist for fellow

substitute Yang Minhyeok

to score in the

90th minute secured

a vital success for

Rangers, their first in

eight games.


26 | HOOPS

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Kicks off

April 2026

Available

nationwide

OFFICIAL PARTNER


© 2025 Kellanova.

WELCOME TO W12:

Oxford United

LAST SEASON LEAGUE FINISH: 17TH - POINTS WON: 53 - TOP SCORER: MARK HARRIS 6

D

espite a run of

eight defeats in 10

games leading up to

Christmas 2024 – resulting in

Des Buckingham’s dismissal

and replacement by former

Birmingham and Millwall

manager Gary Rowett –

the U’s held their own and

finished 17th in the final

standings.

However, their start to

the current campaign has

been patchy, opening with

three straight defeats

to Portsmouth, Hull and

Birmingham before coming

from behind twice to rescue a

creditable 2-2 draw at home

to Coventry.

An identical scoreline against

Leicester on the other side

of the last international

break gave Oxford cause

for increased optimism – as

did their first victory of the

season, an unexpected 3-1

success away to Bristol City.

But the boot was on the other

foot for Rowett’s side last

weekend as they became

the first team this season to

concede any points at all to

Sheffield United, 1-0 winners

at the Kassam Stadium.

It could be argued, though,

that Oxford are still at the

HOOPS | 27

OXFORD UNITED DEFIED EXPECTATIONS BY STAYING

OUT OF THE BOTTOM THREE THROUGHOUT THEIR FIRST

YEAR AT THIS LEVEL FOR A QUARTER OF A CENTURY LAST

SEASON, BUT THEY OCCUPY A RELEGATION PLACE AS THEY

ARRIVE IN W12 TONIGHT.

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stage of integrating recent

arrivals including Belgian

midfielder Brian

De Keersmaecker,

Bulgaria international

Filip Krastev and

forward duo Will

Lankshear and Nik

Prelec.

On-loan

Tottenham striker

Lankshear has

found the net

three times so far

this season while

Prelec, another

temporary arrival from

Cagliari, scored his first

U’s goal in their Ashton

Gate triumph.


28 | HOOPS

Jamie

Cumming

GOALKEEPER

AGE: 26

Will

Vaulks

MIDFIELDER

AGE: 32


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Matt Sam Michal

Ingram

GOALKEEPER

AGE: 31

Stanley

Mills

MIDFIELDER

AGE: 21

Long

DEFENDER

AGE: 30

Przemyslaw

Placheta

MIDFIELDER

AGE: 27

Helik

DEFENDER

AGE: 30

Brian

De

Keersmaecker

MIDFIELDER

AGE: 25

Spencer

DEFENDER

AGE: 21

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Brodie Jack Greg Cameron

Krastev

MIDFIELDER

AGE: 23

Currie

DEFENDER

AGE: 22

Prelec

FORWARD

AGE: 24

Leigh

DEFENDER

AGE: 31

Lankshear

FORWARD

AGE: 20

Brannagan

MIDFIELDER

AGE: 29

Filip Nik Will Mark

Harris

FORWARD

AGE: 26


30 | HOOPS

View

THE LOWDOWN ON TODAY’S VISITORS FROM HOWARD B

OF THE OXFORD UNITED SUPPORTERS’ PANEL…

H

ow long have you

been following Oxford

United?

I started watching Oxford

United in 1983 when my

girlfriend (now wife) took me

to my first game. We are now

season ticket holders and

have brought our kids up to be

staunch Yellows supporters.

Looking at Oxford’s early

season results, is it fair

to say the team perform

better against higher quality

opposition?

I think there is always a

potential for football games

to be brought down to a

level by your opposition and


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certainly this does happen

when Oxford look to play

attacking football against a

team which is set up to negate

that style of play. Oxford

have had a tough start to the

season, but taking points from

our last three games against

‘top six’ teams shows we can

perform against the better

sides and will hopefully give

us confidence not to fear

any team.

What did you make of the

club’s transfer activity this

summer?

Now that players are match

fit, we are starting to see

some really good signs

that we have brought in

some talented players; Will

Lankshear has scored goals

and looks the type of player

who instinctively gets into

goalscoring positions, Brian

De Keersmaecker looks a

complete midfielder and

Brodie Spencer a strong

defender.

In your view, where does

Gary Rowett rank alongside

previous Oxford managers?

Tough to assess; from my

experience no-one has

yet challenged Jim Smith

in terms of achievements

over a sustained period. So

saying, football has changed

a lot and it’s acknowledged

that the Championship is

one of the toughest leagues

to survive in. If we can stay

in the Championship for a

period with Gary as manager,

then I would have to start

reassessing who is the best

manager I have seen at the

club.

Who’s the best player you’ve

ever seen wearing an Oxford

shirt?

Your questions don’t get any

easier! Watching Oxford for

over 40 years and across

five divisions, it is almost

impossible to assess the best

player. For many fans, Joey

Beauchamp will always be

up there as the best player

we have ever produced and

someone who only ever

HOOPS | 31

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wanted to play for Oxford

United. Other than that, for

goalscoring I would have to

say John Aldridge, defensively

I always enjoyed watching

Gary Briggs, a no-nonsense

defender.

And which Oxford player

should we be watching out for

tonight in particular?

I will be looking to see if Brian

De Keersmaecker continues

to adjust to British football.

Which games, or specific

moments, stand out from

previous meetings you’ve

witnessed between QPR and

Oxford?

Ask any fan of my age, then

it’s that match; Milk Cup Final,

Wembley 20th April 1986

Oxford United 3 QPR 0 (With

hindsight, perhaps a question

we shouldn’t have asked – Ed)

If you could sign one current

QPR player on a free transfer,

who would it be and why?

Sam Field, so he can’t score

against us at MATRADE

Loftus Road like he did last

season!

What are Oxford’s realistic

aims for this season?

Our aim has to be to stay

in the division and to finish

higher than last season, and

maybe not leave it to the last

few games to be safe!

Finally, let’s have a score

prediction for tonight…

I never make score

predictions, just tend to have

a feeling about games and

for this one I think we could

see Oxford still playing good

football away from home –

COYY.


5 PEOPLE

HAVE AN

OUT-OF-HOSPITAL

CARDIAC

ARREST

EVERY 90 MINUTES *

In partnership with

*UK data

34 | HOOPS

OUR HISTORIC 1975/76 SEASON

INTERVIEW: Tony Incenzo

Fifty Years Ago

Years ago

HALF A CENTURY HAS PASSED SINCE THE START OF A

SEASON IN WHICH QUEEN’S PARK RANGERS DAZZLED

DIVISION ONE AND CAME CLOSER THAN EVER BEFORE – OR

SINCE – TO BEING CROWNED CHAMPIONS OF ENGLAND.

GOALKEEPER PHIL PARKES SHARES HIS THOUGHTS ON

THAT UNFORGETTABLE SEASON IN THE FIRST SEGMENT OF

A THREE-PART INTERVIEW…

P

hil, would you say

the building of that

1975/76 team had

taken place over a few years,

with previous QPR manager

Gordon Jago beginning the

process?

That’s correct. Not many

people gave Gordon Jago

the credit he deserved for

starting to put that side

together. Then when Gordon

left, Dave Sexton came along

and obviously added his twist

to the whole thing. Dave finetuned

it so that we became

the team that we were in the

mid-70s, it was always there in

the making and Gordon had a

lot to do with that.

Do you remember the

pre-season build-up,

recording victories over

top quality opposition in

West German champions

Borussia Monchengladbach

and Portuguese champions

Benfica?

Yes and we also beat the

English champions Derby

County 5-1 in our first away

league fixture, so it was three

wins over three different


HOOPS | 35

Hang on

a minute!

QPR

are starting

to become

a very good

side

champions in the space of a

month. To defeat teams of

that calibre was pretty special.

We knew we were a good

side that could play some top

quality passing football, but

we didn’t realise then that we

were going to have a great

campaign – things didn’t really

start to come together for us

until the second half of the

1975/76 season.

We started 1975/76 with

a 2-0 triumph against

Liverpool on a very sunny day

at Loftus Road before 27,113

spectators. That result and

performance really set the

marker for our season…

We hadn’t previously enjoyed

good results against Liverpool.

I don’t think the R’s had ever

beaten them before but it all

fell into place on that day. It

got people thinking: “Hang

on a minute! QPR are starting

to become a very good side.”

That shone through when


36 | HOOPS

Gerry Francis scored the BBC1

Match of the Day Goal of the

Season for us on the opening

day of the season, which

doesn’t happen very often,

does it?

In fact, you began the move

for Gerry’s goal, didn’t you?

I started it by bowling the

ball out but I am not claiming

an assist! When it reached

Gerry, off he went and

played a couple of one-twos.

Everything opened up for him

and he beat ‘Clemo’ (Liverpool

goalkeeper Ray Clemence)

with a great shot right into the

corner. Clemo had no chance

and it was a very special team

move for the goal.

You’ve already mentioned

our 5-1 win at champions

Derby County the following

week, but we went there with

our two regular centre-backs

Frank McLintock and David

Webb out injured…

Yes, we fielded a couple of

youngsters at the back in Tony


HOOPS | 37

"we fielded

a couple of

youngsters at

the back in

Tony Tagg

and Ronnie

Abbott who

was actually a

centre-forward!"

Tagg and Ronnie Abbott who

was actually a centre-forward!

Two young kids but we just

destroyed Derby, we really

did and everyone sat up a bit

more around the country when

they saw that 5-1 result coming

in. The more the season wore

on, the more we started to

believe in ourselves.

You were ever-present in

1975/76 – so a good campaign

for you personally…

Oh it was. I turned 25 at the

start of that season and was

starting to improve. I think

as a goalkeeper, you don’t

reach your potential until your

early 30s. But I was enjoying

my game, working hard and

keeping fit as well, so it was

a good thing for me to play

every match in 1975/76. Most

of the other lads in the squad

featured in lots of games for

us too – there was no squad

rotation in those days. Squads

were way smaller back then.

You look at it now and top

Premier League clubs could

almost field two teams, they

rotate and a goalkeeper

might just play in the cups with

another keeper for the league

fixtures. But back in our day,

you wanted to play in every

match you could, because that

was how you made your wages

up with appearance money

and win bonuses.

As a goalkeeper, you used to

command the penalty area

completely and when you

punched the ball it would end

up on the halfway line. Is that

a fair assessment?


38 | HOOPS

I was enjoying

my game, working

hard and keeping

fit as well, so it

was a good thing

for me to play

every match in

1975/76


HOOPS | 39

"Back in our

day, you wanted

to play in every

match you could,

because that was

how you made

your wages up with

appearance money

and win bonuses."

Yes, but I look at matches

nowadays and the art of

goalkeeping has gone! It is

not goalkeeping in the way

goalkeeping used to be.

Keepers are now more intent

on playing the ball around with

their feet. They’ve forgotten

they have to keep the ball

out of the net as well, that’s

secondary now to being

able to play with your feet

and I don’t see goalkeepers

throwing the ball out much like

I used to. The thing is now, by

the time goalkeepers have got

the ball, put it on the ground,

had a little touch and then

dinked it out to the full-back or

whatever, then the opposition

are back in place and ready.

I would have got the ball

and thrown it out so that our

attacks could build 10 seconds

earlier, but goalkeepers just

don’t do it any more.

You wouldn’t have fancied

the modern-day rule where

goalkeepers can take short

goal kicks to a team-mate in

the box then?

Oh it’s stupid, isn’t it? I

honestly really cannot

understand why keepers do

it. If you have the best players

in the world, then fine – but I

am watching League One and

League Two matches on TV

on a Saturday night and there

are so many mistakes on short

goal kicks by goalkeepers and

defenders! They are trying to

play like Manchester City and

Liverpool do, but they are not

good enough players to do it.

Stick to what you’re good at

and what you know!


40 | HOOPS


HOOPS | 41

RANGERS HEROES AND...

Dave Clement

THE QUEENS PARK RANGERS SIDE OF 1975/76 DAZZLED

ENGLISH FOOTBALL, GETTING WITHIN A WHISKER OF

WINNING THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE TITLE – WE TURN

THE SPOTLIGHT ON THE INDIVIDUALS WHO WROTE A

GLORIOUS CHAPTER IN THE HISTORY OF THIS CLUB.

F

irst and foremost, Dave

Clement was a tremendous

athlete. He could bomb up

and down the right flank all day long

with boundless energy.

Clement was strong in the tackle and

tactically aware at all times and,

when he did get forward, posed a

constant threat with expert crosses

and fierce right-footed shots at goal

as he cut inside.

Born in Battersea on 2nd February

1948, Clement graduated through the

junior levels at Loftus Road before

signing professional forms in July 1965.

Having become a first-team mainstay,

Clement played 40 times for the R’s

in that never-to-be forgotten 1975/76

season and scored vital goals in a

5-1 away win at reigning champions

Derby County and a 3-2 home success

against Stoke City.

In total, Clement played 472 firstteam

games for QPR plus four as a

substitute and hit 28 goals. He is the

fourth highest appearance holder in

the long history of the club.

Clement also won five full England

caps as a QPR man. His full

international appearances were

between March 1976 and February

1977 against Wales (at Wrexham),

Wales (Cardiff), Italy (New York),

Italy (Rome) and the Netherlands

(Wembley Stadium).

When that Rangers team began to

break up, Clement moved to Bolton

Wanderers for £170,000 in June 1979

– playing 33 times for the Trotters

without scoring. He subsequently

had brief spells back in London with

Fulham and Wimbledon.

Dave Clement died on 31st March

1982 at the age of 34.


42 | HOOPS

OUR HISTORIC 1975/76 SEASON

Take Me Back To...

The Match

DELVING INTO THE ARCHIVES, WE TRACE THE STORY OF

QPR’S UNFORGETTABLE 1975/76 CAMPAIGN, GAME BY GAME…

SHREWSBURY TOWN

1 QPR 4

Tuesday 9th September 1975

League Cup second round

Background: A tricky

cup tie for top-flight Rangers

against Division Three

underdogs Shrewsbury Town.

8 MINUTES: 1-0 Shrewsbury:

Early pressure from the

Shropshire side resulted in a

goal. Hoops goalkeeper Phil

Parkes parried Alan Tarbuck’s

fierce drive before Chic Bates

swivelled to score.

50 MINUTES: 1-1. Dave

Thomas chipped over a corner,

pinpointing David Webb

to head the QPR equaliser.

67

MINUTES: 2-1 Rangers.

Another corner by Thomas

eventually fell to Don Masson

who drilled into the roof of

the net.

82 MINUTES: 3-1 Rangers.

Thomas nodded home from a

Masson assist.


Stan Bowles with the flag kick

this time allowing Mick Leach

to complete the scoring.

RANGERS: Phil Parkes, Dave

Clement, David Webb, Mick

Leach, Frank McLintock, Ron

Abbott, Dave Thomas, Gerry

Francis, Don Masson, Stan

Bowles, Don Givens. Sub not

used: John Hollins

Attendance: 11,250

EDITORIAL

SNIPPET: “QPR

were founded in

1885, and have now

established themselves

in the First Division after

many seasons in the

lower reaches of the

Football League. Their

establishment amongst

soccer’s elite serves as

a good example to clubs

in a similar position to

that of ourselves, of

what is possible with

careful forethought and

planning, something we

here at The Gay Meadow

are presently very

concerned with.”


HOOPS | 43

PRESS GANG

DAVID BARNES

For the Daily Mail...

“England skipper

Gerry Francis and his

football trendies had

to show far more than

style to survive a fierce

assault from below last

night. Third Division

Shrewsbury Town

gave them a scare by

scoring in eight minutes

and holding an equal

balance of power until

the break. But the

ruthless way Rangers

emerged to score four

second-half goals is a

signal not only of their

League Cup menace

but of their very real

challenge in the First

Division.”


44 | HOOPS

QPR 1

MANCHESTER UTD 0

Saturday 13th September 1975

Background: More than

29,000 spectators packed

into Loftus Road alongside

cameras from ITV’s ‘The Big

Match’ show and legendary

commentator Brian Moore.


Fourth-placed QPR forged

ahead as a short corner

by Stan Bowles picked out

Gerry Francis who crossed

into the middle. Ian Gillard

nodded against the crossbar

and fellow defender David

Webb launched himself at the

rebound to convert a torpedo-like

header.

51 MINUTES: Rangers won

a penalty. United defender

Martin Buchan clearly

upended Dave Thomas in the

box, an easy decision for the

referee. Bowles took the kick

left-footed but goalkeeper

Alex Stepney pulled off a competent

save.

Stepney was in outstanding

form all afternoon to deny

Dave Clement, Bowles and

Don Givens.


Clement, Ian Gillard, Mick

Leach, Frank McLintock, David

Webb, Dave Thomas, Gerry


Bowles, Don Givens. Sub not

used: John Hollins.

Attendance: 29,237

ELSEWHERE

West Ham United maintained their

undefeated league start with a lastminute

equaliser by Pat Holland to

seal a 3-3 draw at Leicester City who

had led 3-0 at half-time…Peter Noble

scored all four goals for Burnley in their

4-4 home draw against Norwich City…

PRESS GANG

PATRICK COLLINS

in the News of the World…

“Rangers played like the

resourceful, inventive side we

know them to be yet they were

sufficiently wasteful in their

finishing to keep United in with

a hope.

“…A real side, a real match.

Last week we suggested

that you might flirt with the

attractions of BBC TV’s Beau

Geste instead of watching

the Big Match. This week we

make no such suggestion. Stan

Bowles against Errol Flynn…it’s

no contest.”

EDITORIAL SNIPPET: The Bush

Telegraph column…’Congratulations

Gerry!...our warmest congratulations

really must go to Gerry Francis on his

selection for England’s captain so early

in his international career. The ‘Evening

Standard’ marked the appointment by

making Gerry “Footballer of the Month

August 1975” and we can only agree

with their judgement and trust that our

skipper will fill the boots of such illustrious

predecessors as Billy Wright and Bobby

Moore with equal success and service to

the nation.’


HOOPS | 45

EDITORIAL

SNIPPETS: ‘Today’s

visitors have had more

homes than any other

League club since their

formation in 1885 when

they were known as

St Judes (becoming

Queens Park Rangers in

1887). The first ground

they had was known as

‘Welfords Fields’. Since

that time they have had

no fewer than 15 moves

before returning for the

second time to Loftus

Road.’

MIDDLESBROUGH 0

QPR 0

Saturday 20th September 1975

Background: Rangers

travelled to the North East

looking to further preserve

their unbeaten start.

FIRST HALF: Middlesbrough

built up a head of steam

going forward. However,

Hoops custodian Phil Parkes

kept out efforts from Peter

Brine, David Armstrong and

Alan Foggon in spectacular

fashion.

SECOND HALF: R’s striker

Don Givens was stretchered

off on 47 minutes after a high

tackle by Stuart Boam. A

further injury to QPR veteran

centre-back Frank McLintock

saw him hobbling around up

front because the one permitted

substitute had already

been used. Boro continued

their physical approach

throughout but Dave Sexton’s

men held firm for a point

thanks to composed possession

football.


Clement, Ian Gillard, Frank

McLintock, David Webb Mick

Leach, Dave Thomas, Gerry


Bowles, Don Givens (John

Hollins 47).

Attendance: 24,867

PRESS GANG

PATRICK COLLINS

in the News of the

World…

“Rangers have spent

the past few weeks

flaunting their cheeky

football in the face of

Division One.

“Yesterday they had to

provide proof of their

character…and they

were magnificently

equal to the task.

“It was inevitable

that Rangers would

eventually meet a side

which tried to suppress

their skills with muscle

and studs. A team

which had few qualms

about reducing the First

Division to the status of

a bar-room brawl. They

found that at Ayresome

Park yesterday.”


46 | HOOPS


HOOPS | 47

United

Nations

of QPR:

PLAYERS FROM ALL OVER THE GLOBE HAVE GRACED THE

QPR SHIRT DURING THE CLUB’S HISTORY – WE TAKE A

CLOSER LOOK AT SOME OF THE INDIVIDUAL COUNTRIES

REPRESENTED IN RANGERS COLOURS.

F

our past QPR players

have worn the

international colours

of Antigua and Barbuda.

Wide attacker Josh Parker

originally came up through

the youth ranks at Rangers

before making six first-team

appearances for the club.

In November 2010, Parker

received a call up to play for

Antigua and Barbuda in the

Caribbean Championship

qualifiers and duly won

his first full international

honours in a 2-1 victory

over Suriname that year.

Parker, who was

capped a total

of six times for

Antigua and

Barbuda as a

QPR man, is still

playing regularly

at the age of 34 for

Oxford City FC in the

National League North.

Tough-tackling

midfielder Mikele

Leigertwood joined the

R’s from Sheffield United

in August 2007 and went

on to play 141 times for

the club during a

four-year spell.

Leigertwood made

his international

debut for Antigua

and Barbuda on

5th November 2008 in a

3-2 loss against Trinidad

and Tobago. He made a

total of six international

appearances while on

the books at QPR.

Striker Dexter

Blackstock played in

Antigua

and Barbuda

six games for Antigua and

Barbuda after his departure

from W12, having been at

Rangers between 2006 and

2009 and scoring 30 league

goals in 89 starts.

Midfield man Justin Cochrane

has a similar story, playing just

once for QPR as a youngster

in 2001 before going on to

win 14 caps for Antigua and

Barbuda.


48 | HOOPS

JUNIOR

HOOPS

FUN, GAMES, TRIVIA & MORE!

Answers: True – they changed their name to Oxford United in 1960. False – they spent three seasons in the old Division One (1985-88).

True – he played 560 games for the U’s (1959-71). Familiar Face: Jamie Mackie, Spot the Ball: B.

TRUE OR

FALSE?

1. The club were originally known

as Headington United.

SPOT THE BALL

Can you spot the real ball location below?

2. Oxford have never played in

the top flight.

3. Former Manchester United

and Aston Villa manager

Ron Atkinson made more

appearances for Oxford than

any other player.

FAMILIAR

FACE

Q: This Scotland international

played more than 150 games

across two spells with QPR

before finishing his career at

Oxford – can you name him?


HOOPS | 49

BIRTHDAYS!

Big birthday wishes to all Junior Hoops celebrating in October…

1st

Hampus Chapman

2nd

Reggie Mellish

3rd

Gracie Houriane

Maxwell McRury

Ronnie Parker

Alba Smith

4th

Monty Carter

Conor Greener

Harrison Thomas

5th

Daniel Brown

Kit Lowe

Isla Vause

6th

Max Ashby-Ryall

Jamie Cooper

Chloe Marsh

Sean McCarthy

7th

Ben Buckhurst

Edward Cartledge

Joshua Hayes

Joseph Morris

Curtis Thorpe

8th

Bay Bigrave

Henry Deans

James Perry

Andreas Sousa

Brian Walsh

Stanley Whitman

9th

James Ashwood

Odhran Brown

George Clark

Axel Danowski

Elliott Duncan

James Elam

George Fraser

Bobby Hart

Logan Mayes

Austin McCullough

Oliver Wilkinson

10th

Orla Mladenovic

Lili-Ella Sheehan

Wynn Siddington

Joshua Smith

Arthur Weatherhead

11th

Molly Collacott

Henry Sorrell

Dan Weathers

12th

Paddy Fitzgerald

Jack Fogden

13th

Freddie Mangell

Jack O’Leary

14th

Kendall Butcher

Nick Gettens

Joanna Partridge

Joseph Williams

15th

Bobby Beynon

Bobby Hart

Lincoln Riley

16th

Kristian Duncan

Joshua Heywood

Nancy Madden-Hedges

Teddy Parsons

17th

Joshua Bass

Jasmine Coughlan

Amelia King

Noah Neylon

Arthur Taylor

18th

Harry McBride

Oliver Muldoon

19th

Frankie Delaney

Jackson Fidler

Owen Hpa

Mya Williams

20th

Arthur Asbridge

Sebastian-Austin Britnell

Daniel Day

Freddie Hill

Thomas Jenke

Arabella Johnston

Joseph Long

Grace O’Connell

Ralph Sheridan

Joshua Silvester

21st

Sienna Baker

Hedda Bernsten Kolbeinse

Henry Coppins

Jackson Epps

Louie Lalor-Bawden

Daniel Mortimer

Evie Stedman

22nd

Rhys Collins

Sonny Du Cann

Finley Kelly

Beau Moody

Amelia Morgan

23rd

Remy Bewsey

James Buckner

Robert Fitzmaurice

Sienna Harding

Malachy Lane

Hettie Rowe

Isabella Wilkinson

24th

Stanley Bushnell

Michael Healy

Stanley Hughes

Maisie Meere

Joseph Wills

25th

Lincoln Gale

Havana Garcia-Keane

Morgan Goode

Lillie McKee

Alex Murphy

26th

Edward Grinhaff

Joshua King

Bertie Saunders

27th

Mila Bor

Ryan Mee

Charlie Wood

28th

Ethan Beasley

Ralph Charge

Alfie Whitman

29th

Harry Brand

30th

Harley Brady

Darcey Mae Campbell

Yashar Kermanipour

Tegan Mahoney

Joey Plumridge

31st

Charlie Collar

Reece Donoghue

Darcie Humphreys

Sophia Thomas


D.O.B: 17.03.2000 - Nationality:

Midfielder

Nico

Madsen

24

52 | HOOPS

IMAGES: MARTIN PERCIVAL

MEMORY LANE

AS THE EALING GAZETTE SPORTS EDITOR, MIKE DONOVAN WAS

A MAINSTAY OF THE QPR 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…

S

urvivors of the QPR

campaign which

steered the club

closer than ever to the

top-flight title got together

to remember that historic

season at the recent home

game against Stoke.

After all, it is 50 years since

Stan Bowles, Gerry Francis,

Ian Gillard, Phil Parkes and the

rest went within an ace of the

biggest prize in English football

in a league often boasted as

being the best in the world.

How would that have

felt? Bittersweet, I would

guess. The highs of Rangers’

best ever league campaign

against the lows of the

championship being snatched

away and being unable to

do anything about it, having

played their final fixture.

There was a certain irony

in eventual champions

Liverpool’s role. They were

there when the highs were

surging towards their highest

and the lows at their lowest.

I wrote about both occasions

in my book Queens Park

Rangers Greatest Games

and make no apologies

for plundering the tome to

outline what I am on about.

It’s purely for the reader’s

edification rather than trying

to gain sales, I assure you.

Let’s start with the highlight.

It came when the late

Dave Sexton’s Superhoops

defeated Bob Paisley’s Reds

2-0 at Loftus Road on a

bright afternoon, 16th August

1975. Rangers welcomed an

illustrious Liverpool outfit

featuring Ray Clemence,

Kevin Keegan, John Toshack

and Emlyn Hughes, titans of

their time.

I wrote: “Thornlea Fred’s

Red was of great pride to

pigeon racer Gerry Francis.

It won a national prize for

its owner. Francis, rather

more well-known for his

sporting endeavours in

football, collected another

countrywide award in the

1975/76 campaign for Goal

of the Season on the BBC’s

Match of the Day.

“The Queens Park Rangers

superstar and soon-to-beappointed

England captain,

a true local hero having been

raised just up the road from

Shepherd’s Bush in Chiswick,

scored it on the opening day

of his club’s greatest topflight

campaign against the

most powerful team of the

times, Liverpool.

“Francis had enjoyed the

success of the pigeons he

had ‘broken’ in at his ‘lofts’

over the years. But the feelgood

factor of any of those

flights-of-fancy triumphs was

given a run for their money

with his wonder goal in front

of the Loft End and the rest


HOOPS | 53

of Loftus Road on the sunny

day Rangers announced

they had the potential to be

genuine title contenders. He

also made the second goal

for Micky Leach, which sealed

Rangers their first ever

win over Liverpool on that

sunniest of days for the hosts.

“The Reds had an air of

invincibility about them

going in. It often had teams

defeated before they even

left the dressing room. After

all, they had already begun

their domination of English

and continental football in the

1970s and 1980s. And they

had collected together an

awesome group of players.

‘But Rangers had not been

doing too badly since Dave

Sexton took over the reins

from Gordon Jago.’

And the potential was on

display this day.

I wrote, ‘Stan Bowles, the

magician who had lit up

Loftus Road since taking over

the No 10 shirt from Rodney

Marsh three years earlier,

was on his game. And Francis

was a powerhouse often

linking up with Bowles.

“There was no finer example

of that understanding when

Francis put Rangers ahead

with his wonder goal shortly

before the interval.

“Liverpool skipper Emlyn

Hughes tried to close in on

Bowles, who was facing his

own goal, but the Rangers

icon was unflustered.

Without seeming to glance

across, he gave the ball

the lightest of touches into

the path of Francis running

in behind him to his left.

The midfielder, in acres of

space, galloped forward

and, with Phil Thompson in

close attendance, pushed

the ball to (Don) Givens. The

Irishman had his back to the

defence and could see Francis

continuing his diagonal run

between Thompson and Phil

Neal. Givens clipped an angled

ball which pierced the defence

and Francis picked it up again

behind the beaten defenders.

He now had Ray Clemence

to beat. The Rangers

number eight maintained

his composure and drew

Clemence at the near post and

guided the ball into the far

corner from 16 yards.”

The lowest of lows – which I

won’t linger on for too long

– came on the evening of

4th May 1976 when Liverpool

defeated Wolverhampton

Wanderers to overtake

leaders Rangers and claim

the championship crown.

The boys from the Bush

finished their season top

of the pile by defeating a


54 | HOOPS


HOOPS | 55

Leeds United team which

included such luminaries as

Eddie Gray, Billy Bremner

and Norman Hunter 10 days

earlier, when the Reds were

originally scheduled to face

Wolves. Liverpool requested

a postponement due to

international call-ups, and it

allowed them the privilege of

knowing what they had to do

on the night.

There was negativity.

I wrote: “’I’m going to

get drunk. What are you

doing Gerry?’ That is what

a disconsolate Stan Bowles

said to QPR captain Gerry

Francis after the dynamic

duo had watched Liverpool

beat Wolves to seal the

title…from a London

television studio.”

Rangers defender Ian

Gillard, though, took out

positives. He said to me: “It

was a choker that we missed

out in the end. But a lot of

people, not just QPR, thought

we deserved to win the

league that year. We worked

our socks off. We reached a

pinnacle for the club.

“’We were QPR’s greatest

side because we fought for

each other. There was a

great team spirit. We all

stuck together.’”

These days Liverpool can

splash out £125m on a striker

in the shape of Alexander

Isak from Premier League

rivals Newcastle United, while

Rangers spend £2.75m, plus

add-ons to boost the total

up to £5m, for Richard Kone

from lower league Wycombe

Wanderers. And the Reds

can still fight for any piece of

silverware they can get their

hands on, while QPR would

be grateful for promotion

back to the top flight. The

fortunes of football are

like that but at least the

Superhoops proved how close

they were to being the best

of the best in English football

in a season that has clearly

never been forgotten. But

perhaps in the future another

QPR team can be found to go

one better than the class of

1975/76 and supersede it in

the memory banks.


56 | HOOPS

CAMERTOWN TIMBER


HOOPS | 57

News & Updates

QPR Women

QPR FC WOMEN 0

WATFORD 6

Rangers’ National League Cup hopes were

brought to an end against ruthless higherdivision

opponents as Watford triumphed in

their decisive group clash at Hanwell Town.

Ava Kuyken gave the Hornets an early

advantage and Madison Perry soon made

it 2-0 after QPR goalkeeper Kenny Clarke

had initially denied Freda Ayisi.

Izzy Fisher’s quickfire double then extended

Watford’s lead further and Lachante Paul

hit their fifth goal before half-time with a

drive that deflected in off Jaime Gotch.

Despite the scoreline, the R’s displayed

plenty of spirit after the break and Grace

Stanley forced a save from Watford keeper

Rebekah Dowsett, while Melia D’Santos had

an attempt blocked.

Dre Georgiou found the net again for

the Hornets and, although a defensive

lapse allowed Stanley an opportunity to

grab a consolation goal, her finish sailed

over the bar.

Rangers turn their attention to the Women’s

FA Cup this Sunday, when they travel to

take on Dartford FC Women in the third

qualifying round at Princes Park, kick-off

2pm.

QPR: Clarke, Sampson, Brooks, Gotch,

Searle, Hill, Owen, Mehmet, Orchard,

Dzyadyk, Stanley. Subs: Makowska, Ali,

Adebowale-Arimoro, Wellesley-Davies,

Blodgett, D’Santos, Leach.


58 | HOOPS

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HOOPS | 59

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@QPRtrust

EXTRA TIME

SEEKS EXTRA

HELP

QPR are proud of the role

we play in the community,

but one programme in

particular holds a special

place in our hearts – the

Extra Time Club.

Designed for residents aged

60 and over, Extra Time has

become a lifeline for older

adults across west London,

providing opportunities to

stay active, socialise, and

enjoy life to the fullest.

Extra Time has welcomed

hundreds of participants

through its doors since

launching. Each week,

members come together

to enjoy activities ranging

from gentle aerobics to

dance sessions and friendly

social time.

Beyond the physical

benefits, the club is a place

where friendships flourish,

confidence grows, and older

residents feel part of a

supportive community.

The programme also

offers educational talks

on health and well-being,

covering vital topics such

as falls prevention, scams,

and stroke awareness.

Annual trips, summer

parties and festive

Christmas celebrations give

participants something to

enjoy all year round.

The impact has been clear:

Extra Time helps combat

social isolation, encourages

healthier lifestyles, and

improves mental well-being

– but programmes like this

don’t run on goodwill alone.

To keep Extra Time going,

we need the help of our fans.

We are seeking support to

keep Extra Time running for

the next three years.

Donations will help fund

weekly sessions, special

events, trips and well-being

talks, ensuring that older

adults in our community can

continue to benefit.

You can contribute via the

QR code – and help older

residents to remain active,

connected and part of a

community that cares.

Every donation – no matter

the size – makes a tangible

difference.


60 | HOOPS

Player Sponsorship 2025/26

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HOOPS | 61

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62 | HOOPS

Queens Park Rangers

2025/26 SEASON FIXTURES & RESULTS

DATE KO COMP OPPONENTS ATTENDANCE F/A POS. REFEREE

AUGUST 2024

SATURDAY 9 15:00 SBC PRESTON NORTH END 16,804 1-1 12 O. Langford

TUESDAY 12 19:45 EFLC PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 10,884 2-3 N/A J. Busby

SATURDAY 16 15:00 SBC WATFORD 19,517 1-2 18 T. Harrington

SATURDAY 23 15:00 SBC COVENTRY CITY 29,015 1-7 22 A. Herczeg

SATURDAY 30 12:30 SBC CHARLTON ATHLETIC 16,875 3-1 18 A. Kitchen

SEPTEMBER 2024

SATURDAY 13 15:00 SBC WREXHAM 10,608 3-1 12 B. Speedie

SATURDAY 20 12:30 SBC STOKE CITY 16,481 1-0 9 T. Robinson

SATURDAY 27 15:00 SBC SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 20,132 1-1 9 J. Brooks

OCTOBER 2024

WEDNESDAY 1 20:00 SBC OXFORD UNITED

SATURDAY 4 15:00 SBC BRISTOL CITY

SATURDAY 18 12:30 SBC MILLWALL

WEDNESDAY 22 19:45 SBC SWANSEA CITY

SATURDAY 25 15:00 SBC DERBY COUNTY

NOVEMBER 2024

SATURDAY 1 15:00 SBC IPSWICH TOWN

WEDNESDAY 5 19:45 SBC SOUTHAMPTON

SATURDAY 8 15:00 SBC SHEFFIELD UNITED

SATURDAY 22 15:00 SBC HULL CITY

WEDNESDAY 26 19:45 SBC BLACKBURN ROVERS

SATURDAY 29 15:00 SBC NORWICH CITY

DECEMBER 2024

SATURDAY 6 15:00 SBC WEST BROMWICH ALBION

TUESDAY 9 19:45 SBC BIRMINGHAM CITY

SATURDAY 13 15:00 SBC MIDDLESBROUGH

SATURDAY 20 15:00 SBC LEICESTER CITY

SATURDAY 26 15:00 SBC PORTSMOUTH

MONDAY 29 19:45 SBC WEST BROMWICH ALBION

JANUARY 2025

THURSDAY 1 15:00 SBC NORWICH CITY

SUNDAY 4 15:00 SBC SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY

SATURDAY 17 15:00 SBC STOKE CITY

TUESDAY 20 19:45 SBC OXFORD UNITED

SATURDAY 24 15:00 SBC WREXHAM

SATURDAY 31 15:00 SBC COVENTRY CITY

FEBRUARY 2025

SATURDAY 7 15:00 SBC CHARLTON ATHLETIC

SATURDAY 14 15:00 SBC BLACKBURN ROVERS

SATURDAY 21 15:00 SBC HULL CITY

TUESDAY 24 19:45 SBC SOUTHAMPTON

SATURDAY 28 15:00 SBC SHEFFIELD UNITED

MARCH 2025

SATURDAY 7 15:00 SBC MIDDLESBROUGH

TUESDAY 10 19:45 SBC BIRMINGHAM CITY

SATURDAY 14 15:00 SBC LEICESTER CITY

SATURDAY 21 15:00 SBC PORTSMOUTH

APRIL 2025

FRIDAY 3 15:00 SBC WATFORD

MONDAY 6 15:00 SBC PRESTON NORTH END

SATURDAY 11 15:00 SBC BRISTOL CITY

SATURDAY 18 15:00 SBC MILLWALL

TUESDAY 21 19:45 SBC SWANSEA CITY

SATURDAY 25 15:00 SBC DERBY COUNTY

MAY 2025

SATURDAY 2 12:30 SBC IPSWICH TOWN


HOOPS | 63

PAUL NARDI

KEALEY ADAMSON

JIMMY DUNNE

LIAM MORRISON

STEVE COOK

JAKE CLARKE-SALTER

KADER DEMBELE

SAM FIELD

ŽAN CELAR

ILIAS CHAIR

PAUL SMYTH

MICHAEL FREY

JOE WALSH

KOKI SAITO

ISAAC HAYDEN

RUMARN BURRELL

KWAME POKU

R. NORRINGTON-DAVIES

TIMOTHY AKINDILENI

HARVEY VALE

KIERAN MORGAN

RICHARD KONE

DANIEL BENNIE

NICO MADSEN

JAYLAN PEARMAN

RAYAN KOLLI

AMADOU MBENGUE

ESQUERDINHA

BEN HAMER

TYLON SMITH

RAY JONES

MATTEO SALAMON

RIDWAN HASSAN

CHARLIE WARREN

ELIJAH DIXON-BONNER

EMMERSON SUTTON

TAYLOR RICHARDS

JOHNATHAN VARANE

T TARTBOTTON

NOAH MCCANN

J PUTMAN

A WILKIE

C DILLON

K BRUNSON

LORENT TALLA

A TRUJILLO

1 1 1

1

1

1 1

1 1

1

1

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.


64 | HOOPS

WIN ONE OF

72 SEASON

TICKETS

SIGN-UP TODAY


League Table

2025/26

HOME AWAY

P W D L F A W D L F A GD Pts

HOOPS | 65

Championship Pack

Stat

1 MIDDLESBROUGH 7 3 0 0 4 1 2 2 0 8 4 +7 17

2 COVENTRY 7 2 2 0 11 2 1 2 0 7 5 +11 13

3 STOKE 7 2 1 1 5 3 2 0 1 5 2 +5 13

4 BRISTOL C 7 1 1 1 5 5 2 2 0 8 2 +6 12

5 LEICESTER 7 2 1 0 4 1 1 2 1 5 5 +3 12

6 PRESTON 7 2 2 0 5 3 1 1 1 2 2 +2 12

7 CHARLTON 7 2 1 1 5 2 1 1 1 2 3 +2 11

8 WEST BROM 7 1 2 1 3 3 2 0 1 5 4 +1 11

9 QPR 7 2 1 0 5 2 1 1 2 6 11 -2 11

10 MILLWALL 7 1 0 2 1 5 2 2 0 5 3 -2 11

11 BIRMINGHAM 7 2 1 0 3 1 1 0 3 2 7 -3 10

12 IPSWICH 6 2 2 0 10 4 0 1 1 1 2 +5 9

13 SWANSEA 7 1 3 0 5 4 1 0 2 2 2 +1 9

14 NORWICH 7 0 0 3 4 7 2 2 0 6 3 0 8

15 WREXHAM 7 0 2 2 6 9 2 0 1 6 4 -1 8

16 WATFORD 7 2 1 1 6 5 0 1 2 1 3 -1 8

17 PORTSMOUTH 7 1 0 2 2 4 1 2 1 3 3 -2 8

18 HULL 7 2 0 1 6 6 0 2 2 5 8 -3 8

19 SOUTHAMPTON 7 1 2 1 4 4 0 2 1 4 6 -2 7

20 BLACKBURN 6 0 0 2 1 4 2 0 2 4 4 -3 6

21 DERBY 7 0 1 2 4 7 1 2 1 5 6 -4 6

22 OXFORD 7 0 2 2 4 6 1 0 2 5 5 -2 5

23 SHEFF WED 7 0 1 3 1 9 1 1 1 5 4 -7 5

24 SHEFF UTD 7 0 0 3 1 6 1 0 3 1 7 -11 3

LAST UPDATED: 29.09.2025

This Round's Fixtures

kick-off 7.45pm unless stated otherwise

Tuesday 30th September

Birmingham City v Sheffield Wednesday

Blackburn Rovers v Swansea City

Bristol City v Ipswich Town

Hull City v Preston North End

Leicester City v Wrexham

Middlesbrough v Stoke City

Sheffield United v Southampton

Derby County v Charlton Athletic

Wednesday 1st October

Millwall v Coventry City

Norwich City v West Bromwich Albion

Portsmouth v Oxford United

Top Goalscorers

H WRIGHT

COVENTRY CITY 5

V TORP

COVENTRY CITY 5

J SARGENT

NORWICH CITY 5

Top Assists

O MCBURNIE

HULL CITY 3

S THOMAS

STOKE CITY 3

M JOHNSTON

WEST BROM 3

Top Clean Sheets

T KAMINSKI

CHARLTON ATHLETIC 4

N SCHMID

PORTSMOUTH 3

S BRYNN

MIDDLESBROUGH 3


66 | HOOPS

MEDIA VOICE

Thom Gibbs

THOM GIBBS, SENIOR SPORTS WRITER FOR THE DAILY

TELEGRAPH, SHARES HIS THOUGHTS

M

arc Bircham provoked

a minor social media

kerfuffle after our last

home game against Stoke.

The mood following the final

whistle was giddy and few in

the stadium watched the crowd

work of Amadou Mbengue with

anything other than glee, pride

and relief. Bircham, though,

seemingly not in attendance,

expressed reservations about

the ferocity of the celebrations.

“Definitely not a fan of

celebrating like this after a

home win,” he said, suggesting

that “we should set our

standards higher.” Perhaps

he has a point. Bircham’s QPR

team went an entire season

unbeaten at home, so he is

speaking from a position of

authority. In his day, a 1-0

home win against a team in the

same league was routine and

did not require players to throw

a full-scale party afterwards.

It is a reasonable opinion,

expressed non-provocatively.

But the blowback from some

QPR fans was swift. Pictures

of Bircham’s team celebrating

the Copa de Ibiza were posted,

a fair riposte as they showed

the class of 2005 lauding it up

after winning a pre-season

tournament. Surely a category

one offence under the watchful

eye of the celebration police?

Before long, apparent QPR

fans were calling Bircham

all sorts of rude names, an

unedifying way to treat a

former player.

Bircham is a hero to my

mind. His commitment and

rabble-rousing played a huge

part in reviving the club and

altering its course after the

nadir of relegation to the

third tier in 2001. Anyone who

lived through that descent

to then-Division Two and

the subsequent return to the

second tier will have only fond

memories. He deserves better

than an online hounding, but

that is overridden when some

football fans feel wronged. The

anger ramps up at speed and

reaches a level it never would

in a face-to-face conversation.

There is a nuanced discussion

to be had about celebrations.

Jurgen Klopp was mocked in

his briefly shaky first months

at Liverpool when he ordered

his team to salute the Kop

with gumption after a home

win against West Brom. In

time, the bond that developed

between that team and

Liverpool’s fans rivalled any

in their history. Sometimes, in

matters of emotion, you have

to risk looking uncool.

Fundamentally though,

perhaps Bircham forgot one

of the maxims drummed into

modern children: “don’t yuck

my yum.” In other words,

there is no need to knock

down others having a good

time. But those abusing him

forgot another key rule: don’t

be a berk.

Some more evergreen advice,

and this applies to all of us, not

just QPR legends: do not post

on social media. At this point

there is very little to gain.


SPORT PLAYS

GREEN.

ays

green

Find out more about

errea.com

We have always believed in taking great care of the planet we live on. That’s why

we continue to invest in eco-friendly technologies and machinery that have a low

environmental impact. We follow the rules of circular economy rules, eliminating

waste and making use of recycled materials. Likewise, the clothing we make adheres

to this philosophy, thanks to our Standard 100 Oeko-Tex ® certification that places

extremely strict limits on harmful chemicals used in textile products. By 2030, we

also aim to reduce our carbon footprint by 30% per unit sold and increase the use of

sustainable materials by 20%. These are important steps, and there are many more

to come. Because you can never love the environment too much.

errea.com

QUEENS PARK RANGERS WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT

QUEENS PARK RANGERS

HEAD COACH:

JULIEN STEPHAN

1 PAUL NARDI GK

2 KEALEY ADAMSON

3 JIMMY DUNNE

4 LIAM MORRISON

5 STEVE COOK

6 JAKE CLARKE-SALTER

7 KADER DEMBELE

8 SAM FIELD

10 ILIAS CHAIR

11 PAUL SMYTH

12 MICHAEL FREY

13 JOE WALSH GK

27 AMADOU MBENGUE

14 KOKI SAITO

28 ESQUERDINHA

15 ISAAC HAYDEN

29 BEN HAMER

16 RUMARN BURRELL

30 TYLON SMITH

17 KWAME POKU

31 RAY JONES

18 R. NORRINGTON-DAVIES 32 MATTEO SALAMON GK

19 TIMOTHY AKINDILENI 33 RIDWAN HASSAN

20 HARVEY VALE

35 CHARLIE WARREN

21 KIERAN MORGAN

36 EMMERSON SUTTON

22 RICHARD KONE

38 ZIYAD LARKECHE

23 DANIEL BENNIE

40 JONATHAN VARANE

24 NICO MADSEN

41 NOAH MCCANN

25 JAYLAN PEARMAN

26 RAYAN KOLLI

OXFORD UNITED

MANAGER:

GARY ROWETT

1 JAMIE CUMMING GK

2 SAM LONG

3 CIARON BROWN

4 WILL VAULKS

6 MICHAL HELIK

7 PRZEMYSLAW PLACHETA

8 CAMERON BRANNAGAN

9 MARK HARRIS

10 MATT PHILLIPS

11 OLE ROMENY

12 LUKE HARRIS

13 SIMON EASTWOOD GK

14 BRIAN DE KEERSMAECKER

15 BRODIE SPENCER

16 NIK PRELEC

17 STANLEY MILLS

18 LOUIE SIBLEY

19 TYLER GOODRHAM

20 TOM BRADSHAW

21 MATT INGRAM GK

22 GREG LEIGH

23 SIRIKI DEMBELE

24 HIDDE TER AVEST

26 JACK CURRIE

27 WILL LANKSHEAR

29 BEN DAVIES

31 JACOB KNIGHTBRIDGE

36 JOSHUA JOHNSTON

39 GATLIN O’DONKOR

50 FILIP KRASTEV

REFEREE: R. RICARDO AR1: E. CARNEY

AR2: L. VENAMORE 4TH OFFICIAL: J. BELL

NEXT UP @ MATRADE LOFTUS ROAD:

MILLWALL

SATURDAY 18TH OCTOBER 2025, KO12.30PM

Queens Park Rangers v Oxford United

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