On the 10th February 1951 the R’s were involved in a Football Combination Cup tie against Arsenal at Loftus Road.
Whilst at Highbury the Rangers 1st team were taking on an Army X1 in a friendly match. The programme notes explained the reason for the game:
‘As our First team were without a league game today the Board agreed to play a match against the British Army Representative side at Highbury this afternoon and we express our thanks to Arsenal Football Club for the very sporting and prompt way in which they agreed to allow the use of their ground for this match.
This game is in the nature of a final trial for the Army side who next week go to France to take part in an Army International triangular tournament.’
The ‘Voice of Arsenal’ stated: ‘Today we have pleasure in loaning the Stadium for the purpose of a friendly match between the Army and Queen’s Park Rangers, which will serve, as much as anything, as good match practice for the Army in preparation for their forthcoming game against the French Army.
Those of you who saw the soldiers against the FA X1 on this ground last November will know that they can put a good team into the field and that they will be a good match for the Rangers, who themselves are to be congratulated for putting a strong team out to test the Army.’
According to the programme the R’s lined up as follows:
Saphin, Poppitt, Ingham, Nicholas, Woodward, Clayton, Waugh, Cameron, Addinall, Mills, Shepherd.
A short match report later appeared in the West London Observer:
‘Although Queen’s Park Rangers did most of the attacking against the Army at Highbury on Saturday, poor finishing spoilt their efforts and the strong Army defence was usually on top.
It was a good match to watch, with both sides playing fast, intelligent football and swinging the ball about well on a heavy pitch.
Although the Army attack had less of the game than Rangers’, they were a useful line, well led by Pace (Pte D of the R.A.M.C), but the QPR defence played soundly.
The only goal did not come until midway through the second half, when Addinall headed in a centre from Shepherd.’
Steve Russell
My Dad was at the game and I still have his copy of the programme. He went to school in Kilburn in the 1920s and 1930s – an era when Rangers were generally a struggling Third Division (South) club and Arsenal won the league 5 times and the FA Cup twice. I suspect he received a lot of stick at school for being an Rs fan and his disliking for Arsenal was enormous. His handwritten note in the programme for this game versus The Army in the ‘Voice of Arsenal’ column against where it’s mentioned that there will be regular announcements every 15 minutes from Old Trafford of the score of Arsenal’s FA Cup tie versus Man Utd is ‘Score after 15 minutes Man U 1 Arsenal 0. No further announcements made. Final score 1-0!’
Another famous Rs game v The Army https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNhJQlICnz8