Charles Buchan’s Football Monthly Star Strip Featuring Les Allen in July 1967

This full page cartoon strip by R. Bond appeared in Charles Buchan’s Football Monthly in July 1967. It features Les Allen who had arrived from White Hart Lane in the summer of 1965 for what was then a record club fee of ¬£21,000. With Jim Gregory at the helm, there were a number of other pre-season arrivals including Ian Watson and Alan Wilks from Chelsea, Jim Langley from Fulham and the part-timer from Plymouth, Keith Sanderson. Les Allen and Jim Langley brought with them a wealth of experience and hopes for the coming season were raised.

lesallen

However, I will never forget that opening game of the 65/66 season when the R’s went down 1-6 at Brentford. They were our main rivals then of course so losing to them anytime was bad enough and I had also witnessed a 2-5 defeat the previous February at Griffin Park !

Les Allen was a member of our 1967 League Cup winning side and was also involved in two successive promotion campaigns. He went on to make 151 first-team appearances for the R’s and scored 62 goals. He took over as Manager in 1968 from Tommy Docherty before resigning in January 1971.

Steve Russell

12 thoughts on “Charles Buchan’s Football Monthly Star Strip Featuring Les Allen in July 1967

  1. Good article Steve not seen that strip before.

    Yes I certainly remember that first season 65/66 when Les arrived..and saw I that shock 6-1 defeat at Brentford!.. For some strange reason The team did not start playing until November otherwise we would surely have been promoted.We got too far behind Hull and Millwall and try as we might just couldnt catch them.

    but we made up for it during the next two seasons didnt we?

    Les Allen at centre forward was an instant favourite with the crowd…and gave us all hope for the future.. especially as we suffered largely dross the previous two years!

  2. I too was present at Griffin Park to witness our disappointing defeat. But, scoreline apart, my most vivid memory of that afternoon is the comment of a nearby Bees fan, at the final whistle. Above the derisory (but goodnatured) abuse, aimed by home supporters at their West London rivals, one lone voice of reason rang loud & true – “Well, whatever anyone else says, I reckon QPR have got the makings of a good team” The man was obviously a Prophet of his time & the rest (as they say) is (QPR) History !

  3. Fortunately I was in Cornwall for that Brentford game. Unfortunately the family of my brother’s girlfriend were all Brentford fans.

    I seem to recall that Brentford were quite fancied to go up that year. Instead they got relegated.

    As Kerrins said, we took a while to get going, I think we were about 20 points behind Hull and Millwall when we did. But when we did, it was sensational.

  4. I have a feeling that in that 6-1 rout by Brentford Frank Smith was in goal and Ray Brady at Centre half…I will check the records and if I am correct that might go a long way in explaining matters!!

  5. Yes Frank Smith was in goal and Ray Brady at Centre Half in the 6-1 defeat at Brentford.

    I have to say that these two players were amongst the last few “leftovers” from that painful Feb 63 to May 65 era and were never going to feature in the future set up

  6. Didn’t Jimmy Langley give away a penalty in that game after making a flying save ? I was living in Greenford then and travelled back on the bus with some Brentford fans who gave me stick. My school was at least 90% Rangers, but there were a fair few Brentford fans too.
    They were the second best supported there at the time.

    The line-up that day was: Smith, Watson, Langley, Hazell, Brady, Keen, Collins, Allen, McAdams, Sanderson and Roger Morgan who scored our goal. Frank Smith only played two more games for us, Ray Brady never featured in the 1st team again and was replaced by Colin Moughton briefly before Ron Hunt made the position his own.

  7. Yes Les Allen was one of the ‘building bricks’ of Alec Stock, with the support of Jim Gregory, that produced the first of our magical teams. A great blend of youth and experience.
    Kerrins, did I got to the Brentford defeat? Can only remember our trip of the time to Brentford when we needed them to win. I wonder if supporters would do the same now if their team was not involved.
    Maybe selective memory has erased the defeat!

  8. Steve..I think John Mortimore(signed from Chelsea) took over for a brief spell at centre half 65/66 before Ron Hunt was established.. Right I’m off to check the records again lol

    Colin I think it was the usual suspects.. you me Geoff Murrell and Alan Poole at Griffin Park that day.

  9. PS..Steve you may be right about Jim Langley giving away a penalty…but try as I might I just cant picture it in my memory. Shame on me!

  10. Thank you Kerrins for your confirmation! I think my brain was obviously too cluttered with many other games I would rather forget for that period!

  11. Yes Colin I wish I could forget that Feb 63-May65 era!

    by the way just checked the records and was right about John Mortimer..He took over from Ray Brady at centre half for a while 65/66 then got an injury which finished his career. I understand he subsequently joined the QPR coaching Staff.

  12. He was an excellent player, only 10 1st team appearances though before leaving for Sunderland as player/manager. At least we had Ron Hunt waiting in the wings. Later managed Portsmouth, was assistant at Southampton and then Benfica etc

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