History of Queens Park Rangers F.C.

The history of Queens Park Rangers Football Club (often abbreviated to QPR) dates back to 1882 with the formation of Christchurch Rangers. In the early part of the 20th century, the club fielded teams in both the Southern League and the Western League. In 1920 all teams in the Southern League, of which QPR were one, were incorporated en-masse to the new Football League Third Division. They have remained in the Football League ever since, with the vast majority of the time being spent in the top two divisions; formerly Football League First Division and Football League Second Division, which have been succeeded by the Premier League and Football League Championship.^[1]

Early history

QPR was founded in 1886,^[2] when a team known as St Jude's (founded 1884) merged with Christchurch Rangers (founded 1882). 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 1931–32 and 1962–63 in the hope of attracting larger crowds).^[3]

Queens Park Rangers 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, QPR moved to the Park Royal Ground, 400 yards south, an almost exact replica of Ayresome Park, with a capacity of 60,000. The club were forced to move out in February 1915 as the ground was taken over by the Army.^[4]

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,^[5] 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.

Cup glory and promotion double

In 1966–67, QPR won the Division Three championship and became the first Third Division club to win the League Cup on Saturday, 4 March 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. The undoubted star of the team was Rodney Marsh who scored 44 goals, but also included Les Allen, Roger Morgan and captain Mike Keen. They won promotion again the following year, reaching the top flight for the first time in their history.

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, Bill Dodgin, Jr. took over as manager, but after a bad start to the season stepped aside in favour of Tommy Docherty, who in turn resigned after only a month, claiming that he was unable to work with the club's board. Les Allen was appointed as player-manager after Docherty's departure, but was unable to improve matters and the club were relegated straight back to the Second Division.

Promotion again

After relegation in the 1968–69 season, QPR spent 4 years back in the Second Division. Terry Venables joined from Spurs at the beginning of the 1969–70 season. Later, Rodney Marsh was sold to Manchester City, but a skilful and exciting team was built largely by Gordon Jago. This included goalkeeper Phil Parkes, striker Don Givens from Luton, winger Dave Thomas from Burnley and Marsh's replacement, the outrageously skilled Stanley Bowles. These new signings in addition to home grown talent such as Dave Clement, Ian Gillard, Mick Leach and captain Gerry Francis finished runners up to Burnley in 1972–73 season.

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 Dave Sexton led them to the runners-up spot in the First Division, missing out on the Championship by a single point. After completing their 42-game season, QPR sat at the top of the league a single point ahead of Liverpool. Liverpool had to win their final game of the season, at Wolverhampton Wanderers to clinch the title. 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 win the League Championship. The squad contained 5 England internationals and internationals from the home nations and Morocco. 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 Aston Villa and in their first entry into European football reached the quarter finals of the UEFA Cup losing to AEK Athens FC on penalties. In the summer of 1977 Sexton moved to Manchester United and was replaced by his assistant, Frank Sibley, who became the youngest manager in the history of the Football League. The following season proved to be a poor one however, and QPR only just avoided relegation, leading to Sibley's tenure being cut short after just a year. Former manager Alec Stock agreed to return to the club over the summer, only to back out just days before the following season started, due to a disagreement over the playing budget, leading to the hasty appointment of Stock's intended assistant, Steve Burtenshaw as manager. 1978-79 proved to be a thoroughly dismal season, and the club were relegated after winning just six league games (four of the victories coming before Christmas 1978).

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 'plastic pitch'. The technology was premature and this unpopular measure was reversed in April 1988. The first game on plastic was against Luton Town who won the game 2–1 and later became the second side to install an artificial pitch. That same season QPR reached the FA Cup Final for the only time in the club's history, facing holders and London rivals Tottenham Hotspur. The first game ended 1–1 after extra time and so for the second year running the Final was to be decided by a replay. Tottenham won the replay 1–0 with the only goal coming from a Glenn Hoddle penalty in the 6th minute. There was disappointment in the league as they finished fifth in the Second Division after spending virtually all of the season in the top three until the final stages.

The following season however, 1982–83 QPR went on to win the Second Division championship quite comfortably thus returning to English football's top division. The side included accomplished players such as Steve Wicks, Terry Fenwick, Simon Stainrod, Clive Allen and future manager John Gregory. After a respectable fifth-place finish, and UEFA Cup qualification, the following year, Venables departed to become manager of Barcelona in Spain.

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 Bristol Rovers, was appointed manager in the summer of 1991. In the 1991–92 First Division campaign, they finished mid-table in the league and were founder members of the new Premier League which began in 1992. Francis oversaw one of QPR's most famous victories, the 4–1 win over leaders Manchester United at Old Trafford broadcast live on terrestrial television on New Years Day 1992. The hat-trick scored by Dennis Bailey in that game remains the last time the feat was achieved in league football at Old Trafford. Many people also saw it as the beginning of the downturn in United's league form that season, as they suffered a severe shortage of goals in the second half of the campaign and were beaten by the league title by Leeds United.^[6] 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 and they also reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, sparking hopes that Wilkins could maintain the success that Francis had achieved.

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 stabilized 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.^[7]

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.^[8] 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.^[9] He was later reported to have received threats and was, for a time, wearing a bullet-proof vest.^[10] The Chairman also launched a strong attack against some critics who he claimed were seeking to destroy the club.^[11]

In an unrelated incident youth team footballer Kiyan Prince was murdered on 18 May 2006.^[12]

QPR avoid relegation

Waddock brought in several new players in preparation for the 2006–07 season, including Jamaican international centre-back Damion Stewart from Bradford City and Cameroon midfielder Armel Tchakounte from Carshalton Athletic, Zesh Rehman from Fulham, Nick Ward from A-League team Perth Glory and latterly the team's top goalscorer for the season, Dexter Blackstock from Southampton for £500,000. The team was knocked out of the League Cup by Port Vale of League One and from the FA Cup by Luton Town, and struggled in the League. As a result, in September 2006 Gary Waddock was demoted to first-team coach, and later left the club.

Another former QPR player, John Gregory, replaced him as manager. He reduced the playing staff with Ian Evatt, Scott Donnelly, Ugo Ukah, Matthew Rose, Matthew Hislop, Jonathan Munday and Egutu Oliseh all agreeing mutual termination of their contracts, while Kevin Gallen and Sean Thomas were loaned to other clubs, and he signed Finnish defender Sampsa Timoska and Adam Bolder of Derby County, and introduced the impressive Lee Camp also of Derby on loan. The team climbed to mid-table including a 1—0 defeat of the then league leaders, Cardiff City, at Ninian Park with promising young striker Ray Jones scoring in the 88th minute.^[13] Despite initial results the club later reverted to previous form and dropped once again to the relegation zone. In an exciting end to the season however, QPR secured safety after a run of wins, including beating Cardiff City again, this time by a solitary goal from Dexter Blackstock.^[14] The last game of the season was a 1–1 draw at home to promotion contenders Stoke City. Martin Rowlands scored Rangers' last goal of the season. 8 QPR players were booked, the most for them in 2007 and Sampsa Timoska was sent off. QPR finished 18th, a marginal improvement on the previous season and did their traditional end of season lap of honour.

On 7 February 2007, a friendly 'goodwill' match against China's youth side was curtailed after it descended into a "kung-fu" brawl, in which one Chinese player suffered a broken jaw and was knocked out.^[15] Causing a diplomatic incident, QPR's assistant manager Richard Hill was suspended by the club,^[16] and later replaced by Warren Neill.

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.^[17] Following this low point in the club's history as Rangers also faced mounting financial pressure, in the same month it was announced that the club had been bought by wealthy Formula One businessmen Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone (see New investors below). During the 2007–08 season, Rangers competed in the Football League 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,^[18] and he was replaced by Luigi De Canio.^[19] QPR's form improved as De Canio guided them to a secure 14th place in the final table,^[20] 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.^[21] 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.^[22]

New investors

On 20 August 2007, the Board of Directors of QPR Holdings Ltd tendered their resignations with immediate effect to facilitate potential new investment.^[23] This was followed by a statement made on 1 September that the board had recommended that shareholders accept an offer for QPR from motor racing tycoons Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone.^[24] The club was purchased for £1 million with an agreement to discharge some £13 million of debt. Ecclestone later revealed the new owners' intention to return QPR to the Premiership within 4 years.^[25] On 20 December 2007, it was announced that the Mittal family, headed by the world's 5th richest person, Lakshmi Mittal, had taken a 20% stake in the club. Mittal's son in law Amit Bhatia, was appointed a club director.^[26]

2008–09 season

Ian Dowie was revealed as Luigi De Canio's replacement six days after the latter's departure on 14 May 2008.^[27] Tim Flowers was subsequently named Dowie's assistant for the upcoming 2008-09 season, reprising his former role with Dowie at Coventry City.^[28] However, on 24 October 2008 Iain Dowie was sacked after just fifteen games in charge of the club.^[29] On 19 November Paulo Sousa, a former Portugal midfielder and previously assistant coach of the Portuguese national side, was announced as the first team coach ending club captain Gareth Ainsworth's six game run as caretaker.^[30]

2009–10 season

2010–11 season

2011–12 season

References