‘The Superhoop – The Official Magazine of the Queens Park Rangers Supporters Club.’

There have been a number of periodicals issued by the Club/Supporters Club since the 1940’s. The average life of any particular edition would be just a few years.’The Superhoop’ was the Official magazine of the Supporters Club and was launched at the start of the 1975/76 season and this featured issue is No.2 and dates from November 1975.

The Supporters Club Chairman was Keith Friend and he was also the magazine Editor. The Secretary was Daphne Biggs of course and in her column she writes about two Players Fan Clubs, Stan Bowles and Dave Thomas and also some travel news regarding the trip to Leeds. ‘A whole train was charted for the trip to Leeds and this was popular – 312 people travelling . It was a trouble free trip and all who travelled are to be congratulated on this.’ It cost ¬£4.25 and I remember that we had to walk to and from the ground with some Leeds fans checking what we were wearing and others who were looking for a row !

There is a mention of Dennis Frith, Supporters Club Member No.002 who had just been featured in an article by Steve Stammers on football supporters in the Evening News. Titled ‘One Lone Ranger’ and it reads as follows:

‘Denis Frith, reckons that football and girls do not mix. So for the best part of ten months a year, he gives girls up and watches Queen’s Park Rangers. Denis, 18, a British Rail clerk from Surbiton, explained: “Football takes up so much of my time I couldn’t see a girl putting up with it. Rangers are a terrific club. The high cost prevents me from going to a lot of away matches, but I see as many as I can. And I use my summer holidays to see them in the close-season and pre-season matches on the Continent. This summer I went to Holland, Belgium, France and West Germany and saw their great win over Borussia Monchengladbach. Rangers are such a friendly club. They can’t do enough for their supporters. And the players are very approachable too. I am building up a collection of Rangers momentoes and souvenirs to re-decorate my bedroom. There is no doubt about which team I follow.” Incidently, a picture taken by Joe English of Denis with other R’s fans in Germany was used by Martin Percival in his anniversary article last year on the 4-1 victory over Borussia Monchengladbach.

There is a message from the Commercial Manager Tony Ingham appealing for more Pools Agents. In those days Supporters Club Members would receive books of Derby and Christmas Draw tickets which we would flog to our family and mates.

The ‘Revolutionary Silk Scarf’ was available for ¬£1.25. I remember some fans would tie them to their wrists and is described as, ‘Indestructible Image, Team and Players Heads in full colour.’

Elsewhere, the Club Secretary, Ron Phllips, writes about what seems to be actually an untypical hour-by-hour match day account, ‘Facing The Maddening Crowd.’ There is an excellent interview with Dave Thomas and you could test your Rangers knowledge with ten “Mindteasers” put together by Alan Barnes. There is a letters page and included are contributions fom F. Marsh of Brixham Crescent, Ruislip Manor, R. Anstee, Doddsfield Road, Slough and A. Soley, Gloucester Gardens, Paddington. The latter wrote about how he bacame an R’s fan in 1925 and a particular wartime match at Norwich when 21 of the 22 players on the field were guests.

I will feature another Club/Supporters Club journal in the near future.

Steve Russell