Earlier this year, Martin Percival conducted a two-part Vox Populi with a number of German R’s. Next up are four Canadian R’s fans who have kindly answered the following questions:
Name: Nicole Wilkins
Q: Why Queen’s Park Rangers ?
A: I moved here nearly five years ago and originally chose to support Arsenal because some friends did and I didn’t know any better. Shortly afterwards though, I met my now-husband, whose family are West London born and bred. I started going along to Loftus Road now and then around the time Warnock took over. I soon realised that I was spending more time there than paying attention to Arsenal and would have to admit that I had become a QPR supporter.especially as I was in the process of buying a season ticket.
Q: What was your impression of the Stadium and the fans on your first visit ?
A: The first time I went to Loftus Road was a big culture shock for me. Live sport in Canada is so quiet in comparison – the first hockey game I went to back home seemed positively silent. I had been to the Emirates a couple of times before (sitting practically in the rafters), but that hadn’t prepared me for a Saturday afternoon in R Block, feeling like I was sat right on the pitch. I hadn’t been warned in advance to expect some.ahem, language. The worst of it came from the elderly woman sitting next to me, and I still look out for her at every game.
Q: What is your match-day routine ?
A: We try and get a pie at the Defector’s Weld beforehand or a sausage roll at a bakery on the Uxbridge Road. I frantically check Twitter for the team news, and usually get to the ground in time for a drink there. Nothing too special ! I usually text my brother in Canada during the game if we scoreor, more often last season, if we’ve been particularly shocking!
Q: Who do you consider to be more of a hero for Canada, Marc Bircham or err.Junior Hoilett ?
A: Even though I was too late for the Bircham era.Bircham.
Q: In your time as one of the Hoops faithful, what have been the highs and lows ?
A: Highs – both wins against Chelsea. And on the last game of the promotion season, we got to the Goldhawk pub before everyone there had heard the news that we hadn’t been deducted points and were definitely going up. I had seen the news on my phone on the way in, and told some people when we got to the bar. We watched the news spread from person to person across the pub, until eventually everyone was cheering and singing. Of course it didn’t matter that we lost later !
Lows – can the whole of last season count ? Having each weekend worse than the last. Or at least a couple of games towards the end of the season where the whole atmosphere at Loftus Road was just so angry, nothing was happening on the pitchone guy near me started punching himself in the face at the end of the game !
Q: What reaction do you get from other football fans in Canada when you talk about QPR ?
A: “Who ? I support ManU/Chelsea.” I once met a Swedish QPR supporter In Malta, although, after a Malta/Sweden World Cup qualifier, that was cool.
Q: Your hopes for QPR next season ?
A: I want to say Championship/promotion of course, but at this point I’ll just take it not being a total disaster and getting relegated again.
Q: What role does Twitter, Facebook, QPR fans websites and the Official site play in being part of the QPR family ?
A: One nice thing is that the Twitter account has made the club seem really approachable. I used it to get in touch with the club about buying some club ties for our wedding that weren’t available in the Club Shop as they’re for staff, and they actually sent us a bunch for free which was really nice.
Q: Please tell us a wee bit about yourself.
A: I’m 26 and work as a publisher and editor for a news website. I came to London nearly five years ago to study, and took up watching football to fill the ice hockey-shaped hole in my life. My hockey team in Canada was blue and white (Toronto Maple Leafs) so aside from the brief Arsenal period, I’ve stuck with that and despite the early promotion success, I’ve now settled into the same thing supporting blue and white has always given me – hope followed by crushing disappointment. I’ve now married into a staunchly QPR family, and forced my dad and brother in Canada to become QPR supporters as well. The strange QPR/Toronto relationship makes it work.
Name: Carl Brown
Q: Why Queen’s Park Rangers ?
A: In the early 80’s, QPR were up and coming from the Second Division. We got weekly highlights over here and I was impressed with the team in hoops who took a top side to a replay in the FA Cup. I was a fan of the old NASL so I watched lots of football on plastic pitches and thought QPR were quite innovative !
Q: Have you been to a QPR match and if so how was it ? If not, what do you think a visit to Loftus Road would be like ?
A: First time I saw QPR play was also my first time to England. I flew over and watched the ’86 Milk Cup Final at Wembley. The match was a shock and there’s been other disappointments along the way !
My second QPR match and first at Loftus Road was the FA Cup quarter-final against Liverpool. I had brought a High School team I was coaching on a tour of Britain and Europe, and a stop in West London was part of it ! The late Neil Roberts was instrumental in getting us great tickets in the terrace near the centre of the pitch and arranging a friendly for us versus West London Schools. That 2-2 draw is still the best live match I have seen to this day.
Q: What is your ‘live game’ day like and have you watched them with fellow R’s fans ?
A: The great thing about our brief return to the EPL was that I was actually able to watch every QPR game live, either on TV or online (some will say that was a bad thing). Most matches kick off at 10am our time so it’s breakfast and a happy coffee as I watch Rangers !
Q: Who do you consider to be more of a hero for Canada, Marc Bircham or err.Junior Hoilett ?
A: Birchy by a mile, Hoilett is looked at as a villain here as he won’t play for Canada. He caused a shit storm when he was photographed training with Toronto FC for one day ! Funny, Bircham played and scored for Canada before setting a foot in the country and he’s a cult hero. There’s a great picture of him having a Molson Export with the Voyageurs (Canadian Soccer Supporters) in Kingston after a WC qualifier, he had changed his Mohawk to red and white for Canada !
Q: In your time as one of the Hoops faithful, what have been the highs and lows ?
A: There’s so many over the years. The highs would be getting to Wembley twice and the promotions. The lows would be relegation, especially our latest and the Milk Cup Final.
Q: What reaction do you get from other football fans in Canada when you talk about QPR ?
A: QPR are fairly well liked over here by the neutrals and even by some of our rival fans, maybe because of the small club feel and the Canadian connection with Bircham and Peschisolido. Some people are bewildered as to why I would support a club that isn’t winning the EPL !
Q: Your hopes for next season ?
A: I hope we can get rid of some of the mercenaries who don’t seem to care about the club and put together a team to fight for promotion. It will be nice to actually win some matches but the division will be tough.
Q: What role does Twitter, Facebook, QPR fans websites and the Official site play in being part of the QPR family ?
A: Obviously social media has brought QPR and their fans closer through Twitter and message boards.
Q: Please tell us a wee bit about yourself.
A: I’m born and raised in Canada. I developed a real love for soccer in the 70’s and followed NASL. I became a QPR Fan in the early 80’s. I am a fan of Ryan Nelsen’s Toronto FC and attend many of their matches. I have extensive coaching experience and have played the game a bit although I play more hockey (ice hockey) than football nowadays.
Name: Zac Mills
Q: Why Queen’s Park Rangers ?
A: Both my parents are English and my mum grew up down the street from Loftus Road. While for many years we couldn’t get any EPL games on TV in Canada, we always checked the scores the next day in the newspaper. And we certainly didn’t get any lower division games, we could get the QPR results in the paper. It is a club that I grew up with while never getting to watch them until recently.
Q: Have you been to a QPR match and if so how was it ? If not, what do you think a visit to Loftus Road would be like ?
A: I have seen Loftus Road but never been to a game. Based on what I see from matches on TV, I picture it with a very loud home crowd. The fans seem passionate, celebrating the positive and letting the players have it when they screw up.
Q: What is your ‘live game’ day like and have you watched them with fellow R’s fans ?
A: It is pretty rare that I get to see QPR games live (most of the time on tape delay) but we treat it like any other sporting event for our favourite teams. A few drinks and gathering round the TV to watch. We do our best to avoid the result but sometimes that can’t be helped.
Q: Who do you consider to be more of a hero for Canada, Marc Bircham or errJunior Hoilett ?
A: Marc Bircham
Q: In your time as one of the Hoops faithful, what have been the highs and lows ?
A: The highs and lows would have to be going to the Premiership. High because they worked hard and finally made it and avoided any penalties at the end of the season, but it’s also a low because my dad passed away that winter and didn’t get to see it.
Q: What reaction do you get from other football fans in Canada when you talk about QPR ?
A: Most don’t know the club. We had personalised plates on my dad’s truck that said ‘QPR FAN’ and every now and then we would get people to come up and talk football with us. Some trash talking but most loved that we supported the club that much.
Q: Your hopes for next season ?
A: My hope is that Harry Redknapp can get the players he wants and make it his team. Ideally that they move back up, but I have a feeling that it might take another season.
Q: What role does Twitter, Facebook, QPR fans websites and the Official site play in being part of the QPR family ?
A: I follow the Twitter feed for club updates and games updates that I know I won’t be able to watch. Facebook is good for match reports and pictures. I don’t go on the Official site that often, but I get the weekly e-newsletter.
Q: Please tell us a wee bit about yourself.
A: I live in the US now, but was raised as a typical Canadian kid, a lot of hockey and outdoor sports. I’ve travelled around the world and try to go to as many sporting events as I can. I work in e-marketing for a life science managing web and social media.
Name: Danny Stoker
Q: Why Queen’s Park Rangers ?
A: My dad became a fan when he moved to London in the early 80’s, but I was also born in White City so it’s been a no brainer for me really. One of my earliest memories is being pushed around Loftus Road in a buggy on Saturdays while the match was on, so by the time I was old enough to go to my first game I was already hooked.
Q: Have you been to a QPR match and if so how was it ? If not, what do you think a visit to Loftus Road would be like ?
A: I’ve been away from the UK for over four years now, but I try and make it to a match or two every time I come back to visit. In 2011 it was the 2-3 loss to Sunderland and this past January I witnessed Kieron Dyer’s goal against West Brom in the cup. Not two of our best games but I have certainly been to worse.
Q: What is your ‘live game’ day like and have you watched them with fellow R’s fans ?
A: Being five hours behind has its benefits and its drawbacks. It’s great to be able to wake up at ten and watch the games, but I haven’t made the effort to get out and find other fans because it’s an early start. I usually find a stream around 9.30 and then watch the misery unfold on Twitter and qprdot.org. Last year was a difficult one because my day was invariably ruined every week by mid-day – a little too early to drink the sorrows away (according to my girlfriend anyway).
Q: Who do you consider to be more of a hero for Canada, Marc Bircham or errJunior Hoilett ?
A: Bircham of course, but I’m not a Canadian so I shouldn’t answer this one. He was one of my heroes growing up along with Kevin Gallen and Richard Langley.
Q: In your time as one of the Hoops faithful, what have been the highs and lows ?
A: The highs would have to be our promotion at Hillsborough in ’04 and at Watford two years ago. I was lucky enough to see Trevor Sinclair’s overhead kick with my dad and brother, something I won’t ever forget.
The lows – the play-off final against Cardiffand Vauxhall Motors !
Q: What reaction do you get from other football fans in Canada when you talk about QPR ?
A: I play for a Croatian team here in Toronto and a few of them give me stick for wearing my R’s gear to training. Most of them think that it’s funny and ask why we were bottom after spending so much money, but they all support teams in the top-four so I can’t really take them seriously.
Q: Your hopes for next season ?
A: Some stability would be nice. Of course I hope we go straight back up, but I’d rather see us take a few years to re-build and develop a solid and exciting style of play again. It’s all up in the air in terms of players at this point in time, but I really hope Taarabt stays. Faurlin comes back and some younger players like Harriman are given a chance to impress. We need a massive clear out first though.
Q: What role does Twitter, Facebook, QPR fans websites and the Official site play in being part of the QPR family ?
A: I’m not on the Offish much anymore, but you don’t really need to be now that everything’s through social media. Twitter is great, especially with the Board and players we have (Joey Barton in particular), but I more enjoy sites like Loftforwords and Indy r’s that are free of spin.
Q: Please tell us a wee bit about yourself.
A: I’m 23, just graduated from university in New York where I went on a football (soccer) scholarship, and moved to Canada this February on a year’s work permit. Very keen to meet other QPR fans in England and abroad. Twitter handle is ‘DannyStoker’ if you ever want to get in touch.
Once again, my thanks to everyone that took the time to take part.
Paul Finney