QPR’s final Southern League Match, 1920

Team: Merrick, Blackman, Watts, Cain, Mitchell, Baldock, Pidgeon, Birch, Smith (J.W.), Gregory, Donald.

Attendance: 12,000

QPR played their final Southern League match on 30th April 1920. John (Jack) Gregory scored the only goal of the game in the 1-0 win over Norwich City. The following match report appeared in the West London Observer on 7th May:

‘Queen’s Park Rangers completed their Southern League programme in fitting fashion on Saturday, at Loftus Road, Shepherd’s Bush, by a victory over Norwich City by the only goal of the match which was scored by Gregory, more than midway through the second-half.

The Rangers failed to maintain their midfield accuracy when near goal, and consequently the visitors were indeed lucky to escape a more pronounced defeat.

Skermer, the Norwich custodian, failed to negotiate a high shot from Birch, and this led up to the Rangers scoring. Gregory seized the opportunity and fastening on the ball, easily found the net from close range. Later Birch scored an offside goal.

jimmybirch

Norwich put up a fine defence, but the Rangers halves gave the visitors forwards little scope, while the work of the home defence was minimised by the hefty kicking of the Norwich backs.

Both Pullen and Broster were absentees from the Rangers’ team, Watts and Cain filling their places. The Rangers finish the season in the sixth position in the league table.’

So the R’s finished in sixth place with 46 points. Portsmouth were top, followed by Watford, Crystal Palace, Cardiff City and Plymouth Argyle respectively.

Steve Russell

(The above pic of the legendary Jimmy Birch is from my collection. My thanks go to Indy R’s stalwarts Colin (ESSEXURS) and Bernard (Kerrins), and also to Gordon Macey for providing the Rangers line-up)

5 thoughts on “QPR’s final Southern League Match, 1920

  1. At least you didn’t say OLD stalwarts!
    I’d better look up this ‘stalwarts’ in my trusty dictionary, in case it is a derogatory term!
    Fascinating period in our history.

  2. Yes Young Kerrins a good picture but not the sort you would like to come across on a dark night!

  3. Yes I agree Young Kerrins. We did specialize in some horror comic villains in those days!

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