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| Full name | Queens Park Rangers Football Club |
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| Nickname(s) | The Hoops, The 'R's | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Founded | 1882 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ground | Loftus Road (Rangers Stadium) Shepherd's Bush Hammersmith (Capacity 19,128) |
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| Chairman | Gianni Paladini | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Manager | Luigi De Canio | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| League | The Championship | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–07 | The Championship, 18th | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English football club, based at Shepherds Bush in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in West London. The club's first team currently plays in the Football League Championship. In August 2007 QPR was bought by Formula One tycoons, Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore, who sold a 20% stake to the family of steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal in December of that year. The club is commonly referred to as "QPR" or often just "Rangers" by fans. Other nicknames include the "Hoops" or the "Superhoops" (after the team's kit of blue and white hooped shirts), or the "Rs". The club's fans traditionally consider Chelsea, Fulham and Brentford as rivals owing to their nearby locations - however recently they have also developed a rivalry with Luton Town. QPR are not to be confused with the Scottish clubs, Rangers or Queen's Park.
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History
QPR was formed in 1882, when a team known as St Jude's merged with Christchurch Rangers. The resulting team was called Queens Park Rangers, because most of the players came from the Queens Park area of North-West London. QPR became a professional team in 1889 and played their home games in nearly 20 different stadia (a league record), before permanently settling in Loftus Road in 1917 (although the team briefly played at White City between 1931-3 and 1962-63 in the hope of attracting larger crowds).[1] QPR were promoted as champions of Division 3 South in the 1947/48 season. Dave Mangnall was the manager as Rangers enjoyed 4 seasons in the Second division, being relegated in 1951-52. Tony Ingham was signed from Leeds United and went on to make most ever league appearances for QPR (519). Prior to the start of the 1959-60 season saw the arrival of arguably the club's greatest ever manager,[2] Alec Stock. The 1960-61 season saw QPR achieve their biggest win to date - 9-2 vs Tranmere Rovers in a Division 3 match. In time, Stock, with the advent as Chairman in the mid-60s of Jim Gregory helped to achieve a total transformation of the club and its surroundings. In 1966-67, QPR won the Division Three championship and became the first Third Division club to win the League Cup on Saturday, March 4, 1967, beating West Bromwich Albion 3-2, (coming back from a two goal deficit). 40 years on, it is still the only major trophy that QPR have won. The final was also the first League Cup Final to be held at Wembley Stadium. Gerry Francis, a key player in the 1970s QPR side who had proved himself as a successful manager with Bristol Rovers, was appointed manager in the summer of 1991. In the 1991-92 First Division campaign they finished mid-table in the league and were founder members of the new Premier League which began in 1992. Francis oversaw one of QPR's most famous victories, the 4-1 win at Old Trafford in front of live TV on New Years Day 1992. They finished that season in fifth place, and in the following season Francis guided them to a ninth place finish. Midway through the 1994-95 season Francis resigned and very quickly became manager of Tottenham Hotspur and Ray Wilkins was installed as player-manager. Wilkins led QPR to an eighth place finish in the Premiership. In July 1995 the club's top goalscorer, Les Ferdinand, was sold for a club record fee of £6 million to Newcastle United. QPR's struggled in the following season and were relegated at the end of the 1995-96 season. QPR then competed in Division 1 until 2001 under a succession of managers. Gerry Francis returned in 1998 however the 2000-2001 season proved to be a disaster, and Francis resigned in early 2001. Charismatic former player Ian Holloway became manager but was unable to stop Rangers from being relegated to England's third tier for the first time for more than thirty years. Following the 2003-2004 season QPR returned to Division 1 and struggled for consistent form over the next two campaigns before Holloway was suspended amidst rumours of his departure for Leicester City. A poor series of results and lack of progress at the club saw Holloway's successors Gary Waddock and later John Gregory (both former players) fail to hold on to the manager's job. During this same period QPR became embroiled in financial and boardroom controversy. Although the club had floated on the Alternative Investment Market in 1996, in 2001 it entered administration. A period of financial hardship followed and the club left administration after receiving a £10m high-interest emergency loan which continued to burden the club.[3] Scandals involving the directors, shareholders and others emerged in 2005-2006 season and included allegations of blackmail and threats of violence against the club's chairman Gianni Paladini. In an unrelated incident QPR were further rocked by the murder of Youth Team footballer Kiyan Prince on 18 May 2006[4] and, just over a year later, the death of promising teenager and first-team player Ray Jones in a car crash.[5] During the 2007–08 season, Queens Park Rangers are playing in the Football League Championship.
Investment
After a number of years of financial difficulties which included a period in financial administration, QPR was bought by Formula One tycoons and multi-millionaires Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore in August 2007. Four months later, on 20 December 2007, it was announced that the family of billionaire Lakshmi Mittal had purchased a 20 per cent shareholding in the club from Briatore and Ecclestone. As part of the investment Lakshmi Mittal's son-in-law took a place on the board of directors.[6] Despite QPR's perilous financial condition, the combined personal wealth of the club's new owners (which included the world's then 5th richest man in Lakshmi Mittal) sparked speculation that QPR would receive significant further investment from their new benefactors drawing parallels to their wealthy West London neighbours Chelsea and Fulham.[7] However, to date no further funds are believed to have been made available to the club other than those injected as part of the purchase of its share capital.
Honours
- Division Three (South) Champions 1947-48.
- Division Three Champions 1966-67.
- League Cup Winners 1967
- Milk Cup (League Cup) Finalists 1986.
- Division Two Runners-up 1967-68, 1972-73.
- Division Two Champions 1982-83.
- Division One Runners-up 1975-76.
- FA Cup finalists 1982
- Nationwide Division Two Runners-up 2003-04.
- FA Community Shield runners-up 1908, 1912.
Records
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For more details on this topic, see QPR records.
- Highest Attendance 35,353: vs Leeds United 27/04/1974 Division 1
- Highest league win 9-2: vs Tranmere Rovers 03/12/1960 Division 3
- Highest league loss 1-8: vs Manchester United 19/03/1969 Division 1
- Most capped player Alan McDonald: 52 Northern Ireland
- Most League appearances Tony Ingham: 519 1950-63
- Oldest Player Ray Wilkins: 39 years 352 days
- Youngest Player Frank Sibley: 15 years 275 days
- Most League Goals in a Season: George Goddard, 37, Division 3 South, 1929-30.
- Most Goals in a Season: Rodney Marsh, 44 (30 League, 3 FA Cup,11 League Cup) 1966-67
- Most League Goals in Total Aggregate: George Goddard, 174, 1926-34.
- Most Goals in Total Aggregate: George Goddard, 186 , 1926-34
- Record Transfer Fee Received: £6,000,000 from Newcastle United for Les Ferdinand, June 1995.
- Record Transfer Fee Paid: £2,750,000 to Stoke City for Mike Sheron, July 1997.
Grounds
Rangers have had a somewhat nomadic existence, having played in nearly 20 different locations throughout North West London since their formation. The several grounds before 1886 are unknown but were probably in the Queens Park area (the first being The Queens Park itself) Along with having the title of most home grounds in football league history:[8]
- Welford's Fields (1886-1888)
- London Scottish F.C.'s Ground (1888-1889)
- Brondesbury(1888-1889)
- Home Farm (1888-1889)
- Kensal Green (1888-1889)
- Gun Club (1888-1889)
- Wormwood Scrubs (1888-1889)
- Killburn Cricket Ground (1888-1889)
- Kensal Rise Athletic Ground (1899-1901)
- Latimer Road (1901-1904)
- Notting Hill (1901-1904)
- Royal Agricultural Society showgrounds (1904-1907)
- Park Royal (1904-1907)
- Park Royal Ground (1907-1917)
- Loftus Road (1917-1931)
- White City Stadium (1931-1933)
- Loftus Road (1933-1962)
- White City Stadium (1962-1963)
- Loftus Road (1963- present)
Managers past and present
| Name | Nat | From | To | G | W | D | L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Cowan |  |
August 1907 | May 1913 | ||||
| James Howie | |
August 1913 | April 1920 | ||||
| Ned Liddell |  |
April 1920 | May 1925 | 177 | 71 | 42 | 64 |
| Robert Hewison | |
August 1925 | May 1931 | 219 | 80 | 53 | 86 |
| Archie Mitchell | |
November 1931 | May 1933 | 79 | 32 | 18 | 29 |
| Mick O'Brien |  |
May 1933 | April 1935 | 84 | 40 | 16 | 28 |
| Billy Birrell | |
April 1935 | May 1939 | 184 | 85 | 42 | 57 |
| Ted Vizard |  |
May 1939 | April 1944 | ||||
| Dave Mangnall | |
April 1944 | May 1952 | 280 | 112 | 74 | 94 |
| Jack Taylor | |
June 1952 | May 1959 | 341 | 118 | 89 | 134 |
| Alec Stock | |
August 1959 | June 1968 | 439 | 206 | 104 | 129 |
| Bill Dodgin | |
June 1968 | November 1968 | 16 | 2 | 5 | 9 |
| Tommy Docherty | |
November 1968 | November 1968 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Les Allen | |
December 1969 | January 1970 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Gordon Jago | |
January 1971 | October 1974 | 161 | 71 | 55 | 35 |
| Dave Sexton | |
October 1974 | July 1977 | 130 | 57 | 32 | 41 |
| Frank Sibley | |
July 1977 | July 1978 | 45 | 9 | 17 | 19 |
| Steve Burtenshaw | |
July 1978 | May 1979 | 41 | 6 | 13 | 22 |
| Tommy Docherty | |
May 1979 | October 1980 | 51 | 20 | 16 | 15 |
| Terry Venables | |
October 1980 | May 1984 | 166 | 84 | 33 | 49 |
| Alan Mullery | |
June 1984 | December 1984 | 26 | 11 | 8 | 7 |
| Frank Sibley (Caretaker) | |
December 1984 | June 1985 | 28 | 8 | 6 | 14 |
| Jim Smith | |
June 1985 | December 1988 | 167 | 67 | 38 | 62 |
| Trevor Francis | |
December 1988 | November 1989 | 93 | 31 | 30 | 32 |
| Don Howe | |
November 1989 | May 1991 | 75 | 27 | 21 | 27 |
| Gerry Francis | |
May 1991 | November 1994 | 158 | 59 | 47 | 52 |
| Ray Wilkins | |
November 1994 | September 1996 | 80 | 31 | 13 | 36 |
| Stewart Houston | |
September 1996 | November 1997 | 63 | 25 | 15 | 23 |
| John Hollins (Caretaker) | |
November 1997 | December 1997 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Ray Harford | |
December 1997 | September 1998 | 41 | 5 | 18 | 18 |
| Iain Dowie (Caretaker) |  |
September 1998 | October 1998 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Gerry Francis | |
October 1998 | February 2001 | 125 | 36 | 42 | 47 |
| Ian Holloway | |
February 2001 | February 2006 | 252 | 100 | 71 | 81 |
| Gary Waddock | |
February 2006 | September 2006 | 23 | 4 | 8 | 11 |
| John Gregory | |
September 2006 | October 2007 | 48 | 13 | 12 | 23 |
| Mick Harford (caretaker) | |
October 2007 | October 2007 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Luigi De Canio |  |
October 2007 | Present | 14 | 5 | 4 | 5 |
Notable players, past and present
- Emboldened players have represented their respective countries at full international level
Current squad
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Out on loan
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Retired numbers
31 – Ray Jones, striker, 2006–2007[11]
Supporters' clubs
In common with many long-established football clubs in England QPR has a network of loyal supporters' associations. The principal supporters' association is the QPR LSA. Other supporters groups exist throughout the UK and around the world including the USA, New Zealand, Serbia and Hungary. QPR also has a supporters' football team: Accrington Stanley Bowles who play matches against similar supporters' sides from other English clubs. Famous fans of QPR include musicians Pete Doherty of Babyshambles, Ian Gillan from Deep Purple, Glen Matlock of the Sex Pistols, Robert Smith of The Cure, Nick Midson of Threshold, Alan Wilder former Depeche Mode member, Mick Jones (The Clash)Indie Trouabdor Alex Thomas, author Leslie Thomas, actor Martin Clunes, Andrew Ridgeley of Wham, BBC London DJ Robert Elms, Cricketers Ashley Giles and Alex Tudor, Tory MP Sir George Young, 6th Baronet, comedian Bill Bailey and the character Eddie (played by Adrian Edmondson) in the comedy series Bottom.
References
- ^ Inglis, Simon: Football Grounds of Britain, page 305-6. ISBN 0-00-218426-5
- ^ Alec Stock Obituary at QueensParkRangersFC.com
- ^ The Independent
- ^ The Independent
- ^ QPR's Ray Jones dies in car crash BBC Sport, 25 August 2007
- ^ "QPR secure huge investment boost", BBC. Retrieved on 2007-12-20.
- ^ >"Lakshmi Mittal pushes QPR up the rich list", Daily Telegraph. Retrieved on 2008-01-04.
- ^ VitalFootball.co.uk
- ^ QPR's First England International
- ^ Player Profiles. Queens Park Rangers FC. Retrieved on 2007-10-31.
- ^ "Remembering Ray - Number 31", Queens Park Rangers FC, 2007-08-28. Retrieved on 2007-08-28.
External links
- Official Site
- QPR Report
- QPR at Rivals.Net fansite
- QPR at VitalFootball.co.uk
- We are the Rangers Boys, fansite including audio of fan chants
- Supporters Trust
- Queens Park Rangers F.C. on BBC Sport: Club News - Recent results - Upcoming fixtures - Club stats
