History of Queens Park Rangers F.C.
The history of Queens Park Rangers Football Club (often abbreviated to QPR), a professional association football club based in White City, London, dates back to 1882, when Christchurch Rangers were formed.
Formation and early history
Queens Park Rangers F.C. were formed in 1886,
QPR became a professional team in 1889. The club were elected into the Southern Football League in
The club joined the Football League in 1920, when the Third Division was formed, mainly with Southern League clubs. When the Third Division was split into North and South the following season, QPR, like most of the former Southern League clubs that had joined the Football League to form the Third Division, were in the Third Division (South).
QPR 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 1931–32 and 1962–63 in the hope of attracting larger crowds).[2]
The club played on two grounds within Park Royal. The first was the Horse Ring, the site of the now-demolished Guinness Brewery, on the Royal Agricultural Society's show grounds from 1904 to 1907 which had a capacity of 40,000. When the Society sold the grounds in 1907, the club moved to the Park Royal Ground, 400 yards south, an almost exact replica of Ayresome Park, with a capacity of 60,000. They were forced to move out in February 1915 as the ground was taken over by the Army.[3]
Cup glory and promotion to the top flight
The club were promoted as champions of Division 3 South in the 1947–48 season. Dave Mangnall was the manager as Rangers enjoyed four seasons in the Second division, being relegated in 1951–52. Tony Ingham was signed from Leeds United and went on to make most ever league appearances for QPR (519).
Prior to the start of the 1959–60 season saw the arrival of arguably the club's greatest ever manager,[4] Alec Stock. 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
Unfortunately, their debut in the top division rapidly turned into an absolute disaster, as Stock was harshly sacked over the summer after missing the final three months of the promotion campaign due to illness. His chief coach,
Promotion again
After relegation in the 1968–69 season, QPR spent four years back in the Second Division.
Sexton's supremes
Jago resigned in late 1974 and was replaced by former Chelsea manager Dave Sexton. Sexton added John Hollins, Don Masson and David Webb to give the side the blend of experience that was needed. In 1975–76, Sexton led them to the runners-up spot in the First Division, missing out on the league title by a single point. After completing their 42-game season, QPR sat at the top of the First Division a point ahead of Liverpool who had to win their final game of the season, at Wolverhampton Wanderers to snatch title away from Rangers. Because of Liverpool appearing in the then two-legged UEFA Cup Final, the game was held over for ten days. Despite Wolves taking the lead and holding it until the 77th minute, Liverpool scored 3 times to win 3–1 and clinch the league title. The squad contained seven England internationals. Had the current 3-points-for-a-win and goal-difference rules been in place, QPR would have stood a chance as their points would have been equal, with a goal difference of only 1.
In 1976–77, QPR failed to recreate their fine form of the previous season in the league, but the cup competitions saw some success. The side reached the semi-finals of the League Cup but lost in a replay to
Revival under Venables
Tommy Docherty was appointed in 1979 but after little progress Terry Venables took over as manager in October 1980. In 1981, the club installed a
The following season however, 1982–83 QPR went on to win the Second Division championship quite comfortably thus returning to English football's top division. The side included accomplished players such as Steve Wicks, Terry Fenwick, Simon Stainrod, Clive Allen and future manager John Gregory. After a respectable fifth-place finish, and UEFA Cup qualification, the following year, Venables departed to become manager of Spanish club Barcelona.
Mixed fortunes
Venables was replaced by Alan Mullery, who early in his brief reign presided over one of the worst defeats in QPR's history, a 0–4 loss against Partizan and elimination from the UEFA Cup despite a 6–2 1st leg advantage. Despite this loss the club's league form was generally decent, but Mullery was inexplicably sacked and replaced by former manager Frank Sibley in December 1984. The season rapidly deteriorated after this, and a bizarre run of form (in which the club alternated between winning and losing every match for nearly three months) combined with a dismal end to the season saw them only escape relegation due to Norwich City losing their last game.
Jim Smith replaced Sibley that summer and oversaw a period of relative stability for the club, comfortably avoiding relegation in his first two seasons and also being runners up in the 1986 League Cup, losing to Oxford United. They finished in fifth place in the 1987–88 season, but missed out on a UEFA Cup campaign due to the ban on English clubs in European competition which arose from the Heysel Stadium disaster. Despite the club being well-placed in the table the following campaign, Smith surprisingly resigned to take over at the First Division's bottom club, Newcastle United.
Following Smith's departure, Trevor Francis took over as player-manager and steered the club to another respectable finish, this time in ninth place. As the season drew to an end however, rumours of discontent between Francis and the senior players came to a head, and the effects rapidly became evident on the pitch as the club made a horrid start to the 1989–90 season, winning just 2 of their first 12 games and leading to the dismissal of Francis. He was replaced by Don Howe, and the club recovered well under the new manager, finishing in eleventh place, with only a poor end to the season preventing them from doing even better. However, they failed to improve significantly the following season, dropping one place to twelfth, which resulted in Howe's contract not being renewed at the end of the season.
The return of Gerry Francis
Gerry Francis, a key player in the 1970s QPR side who had proved himself as a successful manager with
However, July 1995 saw the sale club's top goalscorer, Les Ferdinand, for £6 million to Newcastle United.
Life after the Premiership
Wilkins failed to find a successful replacement for Ferdinand and this was a major factor in QPR's relegation at the end of the 1995–96 season. Following relegation, QPR competed in Division 1 until 2001 under a succession of managers, including Stewart Houston and Ray Harford. Gerry Francis returned in 1998 and for a while stabilised the club. However, the 2000–01 season proved to be a disaster, the only bright spot being the emergence of future England international Peter Crouch in attack. Francis resigned in early 2001 to be replaced by former player Ian Holloway but it was too late as the club was relegated to England's third tier for the first time for more than thirty years.
Holloway consolidated the team and revived its fortunes finishing eighth in 2001–02, fourth in the following season (losing in the play-off final to Cardiff City) and finally second in 2003–04 which resulted in the club's promotion back to Division 1. The positive signs initially carried through into the following season as Rangers achieved a mid-table finish (11th) in the 2004–05 campaign. However QPR struggled to build on the previous years' successes and on 6 February 2006 Holloway was suspended amidst rumours of his departure for Leicester City. He was replaced by a former player; the popular Gary Waddock. The 2005–06 season overall was difficult for Rangers both on and off the pitch as financial troubles and boardroom issues combined with a series of poor performances and defeats. However, until the sacking of Ian Holloway, they had been secure in mid-table, it was only a winless run from the end of February to the end of the season, saw Rangers drop to 21st position.
Financial troubles and problems off the pitch
For some 10 years from the mid-1990s until late 2007, QPR were embroiled in financial and boardroom controversy. The club floated on the Alternative Investments Market in 1996 at the instigation of Chris Wright, but in 2001 following the relegation from the Premiership and a number of seasons in the second tier, the club was obliged to enter administration. A proposal to merge with Wimbledon was raised, but proved controversial and was dropped.[6]
The club left administration burdened with a £10m loan from a Panamanian-registered financier at heavy interest, and secured by a mortgage upon the club's stadium.[7] The club's debts were rumoured to be close to £20 million.
Scandal involving the directors, shareholders and other interested parties emerged during the 2005–06 season, following allegations of blackmail and threats of violence against the club's then chairman Gianni Paladini, who was allegedly held at gunpoint during a match at Loftus Road by hired thugs at the instigation of rival directors.[8] He was later reported to have received threats and was, for a time, wearing a bullet-proof vest.[9] The Chairman also launched a strong attack against some critics who he claimed were seeking to destroy the club.[10]
In an unrelated incident youth team footballer Kiyan Prince was murdered on 18 May 2006.[11]
QPR avoid relegation
Gary Waddock brought in several new players in preparation for the
Another former QPR player, John Gregory, replaced him as manager. He reduced the playing staff with
On 7 February 2007, a friendly 'goodwill' match against
2007–08 season
2007–08 started on a tragic note for QPR with the death of player Ray Jones in a car crash at the age of 19.[16] Following this low point in the club's history, Rangers also faced mounting financial pressure, and in the same month it was announced that the club had been bought by wealthy Formula One businessmen Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone. During the 2007–08 season, Rangers competed in the EFL Championship. John Gregory's reign as manager came to an end in November 2007 after a string of poor results left QPR at the bottom of the Championship,[17] and he was replaced by Luigi De Canio.[18] QPR's form improved as De Canio guided them to a secure 14th place in the final table,[19] and a narrow defeat at the hands of their Premier League neighbours Chelsea in the FA Cup third round. Further investment also followed in early 2008 courtesy of steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal as the club looked to push for promotion to the Premier League within 4 years, on the back of greater financial stability.[20] On 8 May, QPR announced that Luigi De Canio had left the club "by mutual consent" and that a further announcement regarding a new manager for the following season would be made in due course.[21]
2008–present
However, a subsequent FA investigation involving QPR's acquisition of Alejandro Faurlín threatened to deduct points from the side and initially put their promotion into jeopardy. An investigation concluded on 7 May 2011, revealed the club to be found to be at fault in two of the seven charges, and received a fine of £875,000, but there were no points deducted by the FA, and QPR's promotion to the Premier League was secured.[25] Tony Fernandes became the club's new chairman on 18 August 2011, after buying Bernie Ecclestone's 66% majority stake.
In January 2012, Fernandes appointed Mark Hughes as team manager only 36 hours after the previous incumbent Neil Warnock was sacked. Hughes led the club to safety. On 23 November 2012, Hughes was sacked after a poor start to the 2012–13 season,[26] Harry Redknapp was confirmed as the new manager the next day.[27] On 28 April 2013, in a 0–0 draw against fellow relegation rivals Reading, the club were relegated from the Premier League down to the Championship after two seasons in the top flight.[28]
At the end of the
QPR had a poor start to their 2014–15 campaign in the Premier League and Harry Redknapp resigned in February after poor results and mutual frustration with the board. He was replaced by Chris Ramsey. The team finished the season in last place with only 30 points, and were relegated back to the Championship after just one season. After a poor start the following season, Ramsey was sacked in November 2015 and former manager Neil Warnock returned to the club. On 4 December 2015, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was appointed the club's new manager. Hasselbaink was sacked on 5 November 2016 after just 11 months.[30] Then six days later the club reappointed old favourite Ian Holloway.[31] Holloway left the club at the end of the 2017–18 season,[32] and just a week later, on 17 May 2018, former England manager Steve McClaren was appointed as manager.
References
- ^ qpr.co.uk. "History – Timeline and Club Honours". Official QPR Website. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
- ISBN 0-00-218426-5
- ISBN 0-00-218426-5
- ^ Alec Stock Obituary Archived 25 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine at QueensParkRangersFC.com
- ^ Hat-trick hero still going strong, BBC Sport, 3 February 2006
- ^ BBC News
- ^ The Independent Archived 7 November 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ BBC News
- ^ Sunday Mirror
- ^ "QPR Press Release". Archived from the original on 5 August 2012. Retrieved 26 March 2009.
- ^ The Independent Archived 1 January 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Cardiff 0–1 QPR BBC Sport 17 November 2006
- ^ QPR 1–0 Cardiff ESPN Soccernet, 21 April 2007
- ^ BBC Sport
- ^ BBC Sport
- ^ "QPR's Ray Jones dies in car crash". BBC. 25 August 2007. Retrieved 2 January 2008.
- ^ Gregory sacked as manager of QPR from BBC Sport
- ^ "Former Napoli boss takes QPR role". BBC. 29 October 2007. Retrieved 29 October 2007.
- ^ "QPR 0–2 West Brom". BBC Sport. 4 May 2008. Retrieved 5 May 2008.
- ^ Wade, Alex (11 February 2008). "QPR fans give thanks a billion times over". The Times. London. Retrieved 25 February 2008.
- ^ "De Canio parts company with QPR". BBC Sport. 8 May 2008. Retrieved 9 May 2008.
- ^ "QPR bring in Dowie as new coach". BBC Sport. 14 May 2008. Retrieved 15 May 2008.
- ^ "Flowers named QPR assistant boss". BBC Sport. 20 May 2008. Retrieved 22 May 2008.
- ^ "BBC Sport – Watford 0–2 QPR". BBC Sport. 30 April 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
- ^ Ashdown, John (7 May 2011). "Joy and relief for QPR after FA clear the path to promotion". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
- ^ "Mark Hughes Sacked". Thesackrace.com. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
- ^ "QPR: Harry Redknapp takes over as manager". BBC Sport. 24 November 2012. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
- ^ James, Stuart (28 April 2013). "Reading and QPR relegated from Premier League after goalless draw". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
- ^ Moore, Glenn (24 May 2014). "QPR promoted to the Premier League: Bobby Zamora's £80m goal seals play-off victory for Rangers". The Independent. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
- ^ "Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink sacked as Queens Park Rangers manager". BBC Sport. 5 November 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
- ^ "Ian Holloway: QPR reappoint ex-Crystal Palace & Blackpool boss". BBC Sport. 11 November 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
- ^ "Manager Ian Holloway departs QPR". Queens Park Rangers F.C. 10 May 2018. Retrieved 10 May 2018.