Team: Saphin, MacDonald, Worthington, Farrow, Chapman, Tobin, Muir, Gee, Gibbons, Adams, McKay Ahead of next week’s friendly against Harrow Borough, QPR had visited the Earlsmead ground in 1949 when the Club was known as Harrow Town. The benefit match on 7th May was in aid of their goalkeeper, Ron Phillips. A match report appeared in Continue reading
In Memory of Keith Rutter
Keith Rutter, stalwart centre-half for QPR FC, has sadly passed away at the age of 89. During his near-nine-year period with the R’s, Keith was a reliable rock steady, no nonsense defender. He was rarely injured and certainly in my own personal recollection from 1957 onwards, he never dropped from the first team. You hardly Continue reading
‘ The Management of Queen’s Park Rangers have Walled off a Special Enclosure for 2,000 Young Fans’
The Club’s plans for the formation of what was to be known for some time as, ‘The Boy’s Pen’, were laid out in the West Ham reserve programme on 4th September 1948: ‘The main complaint, however, was the slow rate of entry at the South Africa Road entrance and the danger to which boys were Continue reading
“I didn’t get to show what I can actually do!”- Paul Smyth
It came as no surprise when news came through that Paul Smyth had been released at the expiry of his contract. Paul had joined the R’s in 2017 initially on a two-year deal. I will never forget his 72nd minute winner on New Year’s Day, 2018 against Cardiff City and remember a similar goal later Continue reading
Gerry Francis’ Visit to the Gola Factory in 1976
The Gola Sportswear Company used to be known as the Bozeat Boot Company and was based in the North Northamptonshire village of Bozeat. Gerry Francis visited the factory in the summer of 1976. The company was founded in 1905 and it is thought that the name was chosen because it was an anagram of the Continue reading
‘So far as Shepherd’s Bush was concerned, undoubtedly from the Decorative Standpoint, the Brightest Part of the District on the Night of Coronation Day, was Askew Road’
The Coronation of King George V and Queen Mary took place on this day in 1911 at Westminster Abbey. The two following articles later appeared in the West London Observer: Here, the traders, with enthusiastic goodwill, had vied with each other to make the road as bright as possible after dark, and they succeeded. Numbers Continue reading
A Life-Long R’s Fan was Responsible for Compiling the 1969/70 Season’s Fixtures
As we await the 2021/22 Championship fixtures next week, the following article appeared in the Torbay Express & South Devon Echo on 5th June 1969: ‘For the second season running, the fixture lists for the four divisions of the Football League have been compiled by International Computing Services Limited on a KDF9 computer at the Continue reading
“I thought Dave Clement played well, Mr Jago”
The following article was written by Paul Bennett and appeared in ‘Goal’ magazine in December 1971: ‘The Scene: The Queen’s Park Rangers Press Room 20 minutes after the final whistle. Manager Gordon Jago is holding his usual post-match conference. Rangers have won a tense game 2-1 after conceding an early goal and the talk is Continue reading
When Barry McGuigan was Crowned World Featherweight Champion at Loftus Road
The news that Barry McGuigan would fight in London for the World Featherweight title was all over the press and the media in April 1985. Not only was the fight with Panama’s Eusebio Pedroza in London but it was to be staged at Loftus Road. The fight was shown live on BBC TV and also Continue reading
The 1963 Supporters Club Sunday Football League “Lewis” Cup Final – QPR SCFC v Manchester United SCFC (London Branch)
Dennis Samuels kindly copied the match programme for me but unfortunately, he didn’t participate in the match because he had been injured earlier in the season. He was advised by the team manager and Supporters Club Committee Member, Bill Waddon, to go to Loftus Road to see the R’s trainer, Alec Farmer. After examining him Continue reading