I was 19 at the time and the years between 1964 and 1968 I think, were the best ever (I hope my wife understands) Everything was great, we were a Club on the up, Gregory was Chairman, Stock was the Manager, Keen was Captain and for a 3rd Division team, we had one of the League’s biggest stars, Rodney Marsh. Life was good, the music around then was brilliant. The Rolling Stones were and still are, my favourite band. Janis Joplin was just becoming well known although tragically, not for long.
My Dad was also Rangers through and through and he used to go to games with his mates in the 50’s and then with me and my mates. Although he had faded away slightly in attending games, he was at Birmingham for the 1st Leg Semi Final. Beating them had become easy and so the R’s made it to Wembley. It wouldn’t be my first visit there as in the early 60’s, Schools used to get tickets for Schoolboy Internationals. In those days, it was easy to drive to and park at the Stadium, so we jumped in Dad’s car and arrived at Wembley at around 12.30pm for the 3.30pm kick off.
A hell of a lot of Rangers fans had walked to the Stadium from Kensal Town, led by a well known family named Orsmond. Their friends and relatives had become famous for banging the drum on the half way line at Loftus Road. I used to stand behind them and once again at Wembley, me and Dad sat behind them. As we saw at Cardiff in the Play Off Final when we had over 30,000 fans there, people will turn out for Finals. I think we still hold the record for the most tickets sold by one Club at Wembley, 44,000 against Oxford in 1986. In 1967, my Sister went to her only ever football match, complete with hand made QPR bonnet. Getting to the Ground 3 hours before kick off would normally mean most of that time would be spent having a drink. But on that day there was just too much to take in. It was to be my Dad’s last game as he passed away 3 years later. It was good for both of us that we had seen the R’s win at Wembley, together.
Everyone knows how the game panned out. One of our greatest players, Clive Clark who had previously been sold to West Brom, had given them a two goal lead. Rodney’s great overhead kick had been ruled offside, Roger Morgan’s headed goal, Rodney’s brilliant dribble and finish followed by the winner from my own personal favourite at the time, Mark Lazarus, with a lot of help from unsung hero, Ron Hunt, He was one of QPR’s hardest ever players who saw off many a centre half coming into the Club ! Other things stick in my mind, like Lazarus laying out Williams twice I think, giving his famous ‘palms up’ sign to the Rangers fans when getting stick from the opposition supporters. The players going up the 39 steps to receive the Cup and their tankards followed by Mike Keen raising the Cup to the fans. Then there was the lap of honour, Rodney crying, Jim Langley, it’s all coming back ! Nowadays after such a victory, it would be back to the pub with mates and celebrate for hours but me and Dad got back into the car, went home, then waited and waited for Match Of The Day to see highlights of our greatest day.
Sunday morning meant buying all the newspapers. This current Season is my 49th but to me on that day in 1967 we won our only major trophy. I have seen the R’s in four Finals (including Cardiff), promoted five times and win two trophies in Europe, Bruges and Ibiza, but that day, 4th March 1967, will always be THE day. It put QPR on the map and for one reason or another, have never been off it.
Alan Barnes
Alan a great read…my personal account is to be posted up soon.
We are from the same generation…There are not that many of us who can still remember those white shirts and navy blue shorts!…Div 3 (South)..and players like Bobby Cameron Pat Kerrins Leslie Locke and Alex Dawson!
At the time of the late 1950’s and early 1960’s (as the Mark Lazarus record goes)….
Who’d have thought that we had done it
Who’d have thought that we’d be there…etc etc
Great read Alan, thanks for sharing your views of a great day I missed by a year.(born 1968).
Thanks for this touching piece of your memory. May IT happen again im a not far future..
Great read Alan… brought back all those good memories of that 66 67 season.(I was 19 then as well) and a regular behind the goal at the Loftus rd end. Afraid i can’t remember the day as well as you so thanks again for the article
What a read, i am 52 years old, and remember standing in the Que at the ER end to get the tickets for my dad and i, for Wembley.
But you can remember more than me.
Thank you
I noticed a mention of Leslie Locke as a QPR player in the 1950’s. I was at school with him in Devon and I belong to our Old Grammarians Association, which is very active and meets twice a year. I have heard Les Locke mentioned so often but no-one seems to know where he went after his QPR days. I have a feeling he was also attending university when in London but don’t know what he was studying. Some of his old mates from the school soccer and cricket teams would be interested in hearing of (or from) him.
I’ll “watch this space” for a while and see if anyone knows of him. Cheers! (from an unrepentant Gunners fan!)
I live in South Carolina in the U.S. Leslie Locke was my grandmothers brother in law. He played for Tottenham Hotspur for a while, then played at QPR. He then married and moved to South Africa, and died of bleeding in the brain around 1995 or 96.
He also played for Scotland International team.
my uncle richard was the man who used to bang the drum down the bush in those days,and his son ricky was who the players took round on thier lap of honor.we still have some great pictures of that day in 67. funny to see my family name known from all those years ago,it was a friend of mine that pointed it out to me
I remember both of them and the drum of course on the half-way line & Wembley etc. Weren’t the family originally from Kensal Town ? Great memories, thanks for leaving a comment.
I saw a thread on a MB about fans currently being so negative – not without reason either. But then one sits down and reads articles and the follow-up comments (Include the reg Allen Article)like this, and it does cheer you up, it does bring back that pride we hold our club up in. Our history during happier times. A real community. And this person knew that person etc, Like a big family.
Thanks everyone, you have lifted the doom off my shoulders for a while.
Paul Orsmond…was your uncle Richard the person who was filmed shown on the opening credits of Bradens week(1967 TV chat Programme)..parading round the Loftus Rd touchline pre match banging the Drum?
On the TV clip the QPR Ensignia on the drum were “blocked out”..and super imposed over were the words Bradens Week.
On the Subject of Leslie Locke..I will never forget that hat trick he scored against Millwall in a Midweek league Div 3 south fixture at Loftus Rd in 1957..R’s won 3-0
I had previously not known he was deceased.
kerrins,i was only a youngster in those days. my dads family were from southam street and that area ,that was my uncle yes. my dad drove the lorry which was full of qpr supporters on the back to wembley. he actually lost his job over that cos it made the papers lol .
steve russell / my family were from kensal town,the brothers used to drink in the cobden club,and the derby .there were 16 in the family,my nan lived in appleford road and some of my uncles and aunts along with my mum and dad lived in southam street