Queens Park Rangers (Botswana)
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Queens Park Rangers Football Club, commonly abbreviated to QPR, is a professional
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
club based in
Shepherd's Bush Shepherd's Bush is a district of West London, England, within the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham west of Charing Cross, and identified as a major metropolitan centre in the London Plan. Although primarily residential in character, i ...
, West London, England, which compete in the . After a nomadic early existence, they have played home matches at Loftus Road since 1917, other than two brief spells at the White City Stadium. They share rivalries with various other clubs, most notably they contest the West London derby. The club was founded as Christchurch Rangers in 1882 and took up their current name after merging with St Judes Institute four years later. Having won the West London League in 1898–99, they joined both the Southern League and Western League. Having won titles in both leagues, they were elected to the
Football League The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, the league is the oldest such competition in the world. It was the top-level football league in Engla ...
in 1920. They played in the Third Division South until winning promotion as champions in 1947–48. Relegated in 1952, they won the
Third Division In sport, the Third Division, also called Division 3, Division Three, or Division III, is often the third-highest division of a league, and will often have promotion and relegation with divisions above and below. Association football *Belgian Thir ...
and League Cup in the 1966–67 season under the stewardship of Alec Stock. Promoted from the Second Division in 1967–68, they were relegated after one season in the First Division. QPR won promotion again in 1972–73 and then were runners-up to the English football champions in 1975–76 after finishing one point behind Liverpool. Relegated in 1979, they reached the FA Cup final as a second tier club in
1982 Events January * January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00). * January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street bridges, 14th Street Bridge in ...
, losing to Tottenham Hotspur after a
replay Replay may refer to: * Replay (sports), a replayed match between two sport teams Technology * Game replay, a recording of a game session. * Instant replay, in motion pictures and television, a showing again of part of a film * Replay Professional, ...
. QPR won another Second Division title in 1982–83 and were beaten finalists in the 1986 League Cup final. They remained in the top-flight for thirteen years, becoming founder members of the Premier League in 1992, before they were relegated in 1996. Relegated again in 2001, they secured promotion from the third tier at the end of the 2003–04 campaign. QPR won promotion as winners of the Championship in 2010–11, though were relegated from the Premier League after two seasons. They won an immediate promotion via the play-offs in
2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
, though were relegated again the following season and have remained in the Championship since that time.


History


1880s–1970s

The club was formed in 1886, when a team known as St Jude's (formed in 1884) merged with Christchurch Rangers (formed in 1882). The resulting team was called Queen's Park Rangers and their official formation date is considered to be 1882, which is the original founding date of Christchurch Rangers. The club's name came from the fact most of the players came from the Queen's Park area of west London. St Jude's Institute on Ilbert Street W10 is still in use as a community hall and in July 2011 club icon
Stan Bowles Stanley Bowles (born 24 December 1948) is an English former professional footballer who as a player in the 1970s was known for his skills as a forward, and also gained a reputation as one of the game's great non-conformists and mavericks. Club ...
unveiled a plaque celebrating its place in history. QPR became a professional team in 1889. The club were elected into the Southern Football League in
1899 Events January 1899 * January 1 ** Spanish rule ends in Cuba, concluding 400 years of the Spanish Empire in the Americas. ** Queens and Staten Island become administratively part of New York City. * January 2 – **Bolivia sets up a c ...
. They first won the Southern Football League in 1907–08. As Southern League champions that year, they played in the first ever Charity Shield match, against the Football League champions,
Manchester United Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of City of Salford, Salford to ...
. The club lost 4–0 in a replay after the first game had finished 1–1. Both games were played at
Stamford Bridge Stamford Bridge may refer to: * Stamford Bridge, East Riding of Yorkshire, a village in England ** Battle of Stamford Bridge, 25 September 1066 * Stamford Bridge (bridge), a bridge in the village of Stamford Bridge * Stamford Bridge (stadium), in L ...
. QPR were Southern League champions for a second time in 1911-12. The club joined the Football League in
1920 Events January * January 1 ** Polish–Soviet War in 1920: The Russian Red Army increases its troops along the Polish border from 4 divisions to 20. ** Kauniainen, completely surrounded by the city of Espoo, secedes from Espoo as its own ma ...
, when the Third Division was formed, mainly with Southern League clubs. When the Third Division was split into North and South the following season, QPR, like most of the former Southern League clubs that had joined the Football League to form the Third Division, were in the Third Division (South). QPR played their home games in nearly 20 different stadia (a league record), before permanently settling at Loftus Road in 1917, although the team would briefly attempt to attract larger crowds by playing at the White City Stadium for two short spells: 1931 to 1933, and the 1962–63 season. The club were promoted as champions of Division 3 South in the 1947–48 season. Dave Mangnall was the manager as the club participated in four seasons of the Second Division, being relegated in 1951–52. Tony Ingham was signed from Leeds United and went on to make the most ever league appearances for QPR (519). Arguably the club's greatest ever manager, Alec Stock, arrived prior to the start of the 1959–60 season. The 1960–61 season saw QPR achieve their biggest win to date: 9–2 vs Tranmere Rovers in a Division 3 match. In time, Stock, together with Jim Gregory who arrived as chairman in the mid-1960s, helped to achieve a total transformation of the club and its surroundings. In 1966–67, QPR won the Division Three championship and became the first Third Division club to win the League Cup on Saturday, 4 March 1967, beating West Bromwich Albion 3–2, coming back from a two-goal deficit. It is still the only major trophy that QPR have won. It was also the first League Cup final to be held at Wembley Stadium. After winning promotion in 1968 to the top flight for the first time in their history, Rangers were relegated after just one season and spent the next four years in
Division Two NCL Division Two The NCL or National Conference League Division Two (known as the Kingstone Press NCL Division Two) League winners {, class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" , - , colspan=4 style="text-align:center;" , NCL DIVISION TWO , ...
. Terry Venables joined from Spurs at the beginning of the 1969–70 season and Rodney Marsh was sold to
Manchester City Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The tw ...
. During this time, new QPR heroes emerged including Phil Parkes, Don Givens,
Dave Thomas Dave may refer to: Film, television, and theater * Dave (film), ''Dave'' (film), a 1993 film starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver * Dave (musical), ''Dave'' (musical), a 2018 stage musical adaptation of the film * Dave (TV channel), a digital ...
and Stan Bowles. These new signings were in addition to home-grown talent such as
Dave Clement David Thomas Clement (2 February 1948 – 31 March 1982) was an English professional footballer. Clement played as a right fullback who developed his career with Queens Park Rangers through the club's youth set-up. Clement signed professional ...
, Ian Gillard, Mick Leach and
Gerry Francis Gerald Charles James Francis (born 6 December 1951) is an English former footballer and manager. Playing career Francis made his first team debut for Queens Park Rangers against Liverpool in March 1969. He was captain and central midfield play ...
. In 1974, Dave Sexton joined as manager and, in 1975–76 led QPR to the runners-up spot in the First Division, missing out on the championship by one point with a squad containing seven England internationals and internationals from the home nations. After completing their 42-game season, QPR sat at the top of the league, one point ahead of Liverpool who went on to defeat Wolverhampton Wanderers to clinch the title. Wolves were relegated to the Second Division that same season. The late 1970s also saw some cup success with Rangers reaching the semi-finals of the League Cup and in their first entry into European football reached the quarter finals of the UEFA Cup losing to AEK Athens on penalties. Following Sexton's departure in 1977 the club eventually slipped into the Second Division in 1979.


1980s–1990s

In 1980, Terry Venables took over as manager and in 1981 the club installed an
artificial turf Artificial turf is a surface of synthetic fibers made to look like natural grass. It is most often used in arenas for sports that were originally or are normally played on grass. However, it is now being used on residential lawns and commer ...
pitch. In 1982 QPR, still playing in the Second Division, reached the FA Cup Final for the only time in the club's history, facing holders Tottenham Hotspur. Tottenham won 1–0 in a replay. The following season QPR went on to win the Second Division championship and returned to English football's top division. After a respectable fifth-place finish, and UEFA Cup qualification, the following year, Venables departed to become manager of Barcelona. In 1988 the club had a new chairman, 24-year-old Richard Thompson. Over the next seven years, various managers came and went from Loftus Road and the club spent many seasons finishing mid table but avoided relegation. The most successful season during this period was the 1987–88 season in which QPR finished fifth, missing out on a UEFA Cup campaign due to the ban on English clubs in European competition as a result of the Heysel Stadium disaster. They were also runners up in the 1986 League Cup, losing to Oxford United. Gerry Francis, a key player in the 1970s QPR side who had proved himself as a successful manager with Bristol Rovers, was appointed manager in the summer of 1991. In the 1991–92 First Division campaign they finished mid-table in the league and were founder members of the new Premier League, finishing fifth, as top London club, in the
1992–93 Year 199 ( CXCIX) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was sometimes known as year 952 ''Ab urbe condita''. The denomination 199 for this year has been used since th ...
inaugural season. Francis oversaw one of QPR's most famous victories, the 4–1 win at
Old Trafford Old Trafford () is a football stadium in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, England, and the home of Manchester United. With a capacity of 74,310 it is the largest club football stadium (and second-largest football stadium overall after Wemb ...
in front of live TV on New Year's Day 1992. Midway through the 1994–95 season Francis resigned and very quickly became manager of Tottenham Hotspur and Ray Wilkins was installed as player-manager. Wilkins led QPR to an eighth-place finish in the Premiership. In July 1995 the club's top goalscorer, Les Ferdinand, was sold for a club record fee of £6 million to
Newcastle United Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Newcastle upon Tyne, that plays in the Premier League – the top flight of English football. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End ...
. QPR struggled throughout the following season and were relegated at the end of the 1995–96 season. QPR then competed in Division 1 until 2001 under a succession of managers. Gerry Francis returned in 1998; however, the 2000–2001 season proved to be a disaster, and Francis resigned in early 2001.


2000–present

Charismatic former player Ian Holloway became manager, but was unable to stop Rangers from being relegated to England's third tier for the first time for more than 30 years. Following the 2003–2004 season QPR returned to Division 1 and struggled for consistent form over the next two campaigns before Holloway was suspended amidst rumours of his impending departure for Leicester City. A poor series of results and lack of progress at the club saw Holloway's successors
Gary Waddock Gary Patrick Waddock ( ; born 17 March 1962) is a former professional footballer. He is assistant head coach of Cambridge United. A former midfielder, he spent most of his career playing for Queens Park Rangers and Luton Town. He also had stin ...
and later John Gregory – both former players – fail to hold on to the manager's job. During this same period, QPR became embroiled in financial and boardroom controversy. Although the club had floated on the Alternative Investment Market in 1991, in 2001 it entered administration (receivership). A period of financial hardship followed and the club left administration after receiving a £10m high-interest emergency loan which continued to burden the club. Scandals involving the directors, shareholders and others emerged in 2005–06 season and included allegations of blackmail and threats of violence against the club's chairman Gianni Paladini. In an unrelated incident, QPR were further rocked by the murder of youth team player
Kiyan Prince Kiyan Josiah Prince (25 November 1990 – 18 May 2006) was a 15-year-old boy who was fatally stabbed outside the London Academy in Edgware, London on 18 May 2006. Prince, who played football for the youth team of professional club Queens Park R ...
on 18 May 2006 and, in August 2007, the death of teenager and promising first-team player Ray Jones in a car crash. Following this low point in the club's history as Rangers also faced mounting financial pressure, in the same month it was announced that the club had been bought by wealthy Formula One businessmen
Flavio Briatore Flavio Briatore (; born 12 April 1950) is an Italian businessman. He started his career as a restaurant manager and insurance salesman in Italy. Briatore was convicted in Italy on several fraud charges in the 1980s, receiving two prison senten ...
and
Bernie Ecclestone Bernard Charles Ecclestone (born 28 October 1930) is an English business magnate. He is the former chief executive of the Formula One Group, which manages Formula One motor racing and controls the commercial rights to the sport, and part-owns ...
(see '' Ownership and finances'' below). During the 2007–08 season, Rangers competed in the
Football League Championship The English Football League Championship (often referred to as the Championship for short or the Sky Bet Championship for sponsorship purposes) is the highest division of the English Football League (EFL) and second-highest overall in the En ...
(see also:
2007–08 Queens Park Rangers F.C. season During the 2007–08 season, Queens Park Rangers were playing in the Football League Championship. Review Pre-season Manager John Gregory began rebuilding the squad before the new season, bringing in Daniel Nardiello, Chris Barker and John C ...
). John Gregory's reign as manager came to an end in October 2007 after a string of poor results left QPR at the bottom of the Championship and he was replaced by
Luigi De Canio Luigi De Canio (born 26 September 1957) is an Italian football manager and a former player who played as a full-back. Career Player De Canio, a full back, played mostly with Serie C1 and Serie C2 teams, his lone season in Serie B being 1979– ...
until the end of the 2007–08 season. Further investment followed in early 2008 as the club looked to push for promotion to the Premier League within four years, on the back of greater financial stability. On 14 May 2008, Iain Dowie was announced as the manager to begin the campaign to return Rangers to the top flight. However, on 24 October 2008 Dowie was sacked after just 15 games in charge of the club. On 19 November 2008, QPR named former Portugal midfielder Paulo Sousa as their new first team coach. However, on 9 April 2009, his contract was terminated after he allegedly divulged confidential information without authority. On the same day as Sousa's sacking, player/coach Gareth Ainsworth was appointed as player/caretaker manager for a second time. In June 2009 Jim Magilton was named as new manager of QPR. Despite leading QPR to a good start to the 2009–10 season, a loss of form combined with an alleged head-butting incident with Hungarian midfielder Ákos Buzsáky saw the club further embroiled in controversy. Magilton left the club by mutual consent on 16 December 2009, along with his assistant
John Gorman John Gorman may refer to: * John Gorman (director) (1884–1936), American movie director *John Gorman (entertainer) (born 1936), English vocalist and musician *John Gorman (politician) (1923–2014), Northern Ireland politician *John Gorman (footb ...
. They were replaced by Paul Hart and
Mick Harford Michael Gordon Harford (born 12 February 1959) is an English football manager and former professional player. He is the chief recruitment officer at Luton Town, a club where he has spent a large portion of both his playing and non-playing caree ...
on the next day. Less than a month and only five games after becoming manager at QPR, Hart parted with the club on 14 January 2010; the reasons for his leaving the club were unstated. On 30 April 2011, QPR secured promotion to the Premier League by winning the Championship with a 2–0 win over Watford. A subsequent FA investigation involving QPR's acquisition of
Alejandro Faurlín Alejandro Damián Faurlín (born 9 August 1986) is a former Argentine professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Career Faurlín began his playing career in 2004 with Rosario Central in the Primera División Argentina, making his de ...
threatened to deduct points from the side and put their promotion into jeopardy. The investigation concluded on 7 May 2011, with QPR found to be at fault in two of the seven charges, and received a £875,000 fine. However, there were no points deducted by the FA, and QPR's promotion to the Premier League was secured. In January 2012, club chairman Tony Fernandes appointed Mark Hughes as team manager 36 hours after the previous incumbent
Neil Warnock Neil Warnock (born 1 December 1948) is an English former football manager and player. He is also a television and radio pundit. In a managerial career spanning five decades, Warnock has managed sixteen different clubs from the Premier League to ...
was sacked. Following a tough start to his Loftus Road career and after a run of five straight home wins, Hughes and QPR escaped relegation despite a dramatic 3–2 defeat at
Manchester City Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The tw ...
on the last day of the season. On 23 November 2012, Mark Hughes was sacked after a poor start to the 2012–13 season, having amassed only four points in 12 games and with the club languishing at the bottom of the Premier League despite significant financial investment in new players in the 11 months of Hughes' tenure. A day later,
Harry Redknapp Henry James Redknapp (born 2 March 1947) is an English former football manager and player. He has previously managed AFC Bournemouth, West Ham United, Portsmouth, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, Queens Park Rangers and Birmingham City. In his ...
was confirmed as the new manager. On 28 April 2013, in a 0–0 draw against fellow relegation rivals Reading, and with three games of the season to play, QPR were relegated from the Premier League down to the Championship after two seasons in the top flight. During the 2013–14 season, QPR finished fourth in the Championship, and qualified for the play-offs where they defeated Wigan Athletic in the semi-finals. In the final against favourites Derby County on 24 May 2014, QPR won 1–0 with a goal scored by
Bobby Zamora Robert Lester Zamora (born 16 January 1981) is an English former professional footballer who played as a forward. Zamora began his career at Football League club Bristol Rovers, but was soon signed by Brighton & Hove Albion, where he found first ...
in the 90th minute to return to the Premier League. Following promotion to the Premier League, QPR endured a difficult 2014–15 campaign. Harry Redknapp resigned in February after poor results and mutual frustration with the board. He was replaced by Chris Ramsey. The club finished the season in last place, amassing only 30 points, and were relegated back to the Championship after only one season. After a poor start to the following season, Ramsey was sacked in November 2015 and former manager Neil Warnock returned in interim charge. On 4 December 2015, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was appointed the club's new manager on a rolling contract. Hasselbaink was sacked on 5 November 2016, just 11 months after being in charge. Then six days later QPR reappointed Ian Holloway who was in charge 10 years previously. Holloway left the club at the end of the 2017–18 season. On 17 May 2018, QPR appointed former England manager Steve McClaren as manager. Despite a promising first half of the season in which the team sat as high as eighth by Christmas, results quickly tailed off following the turn of the year and McClaren was sacked in April 2019 after a 2–1 loss to Bolton. On 8 May 2019,
Mark Warburton Mark Warburton (born 6 September 1962) is an English professional football manager and former player who is a first-team coach at West Ham United. As a player, Warburton was a right back at non-League level with Enfield and Boreham Wood. ...
was appointed as McClaren's successor on a two-year deal. He signed a new contract ahead of the 2021–22 season. The club played attractive possession based football and challenged for promotion in each of Warburton's three seasons in charge however failed to make the playoffs in any of these seasons. Warburton's contract was not renewed after the 2021–22 season in which a disappointing end to the season saw Rangers drop out of the playoff where they had spent the majority of the season and finishing 11th. Ahead of the 2022–23 season, former
Aston Villa Aston Villa Football Club is a professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, England. The club competes in the , the top tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1874, they have played at their home ground, Villa Park ...
and Glasgow Rangers assistant manager Mick Beale was appointed as manager on a three year deal on 1 June 2022.


Kits


Grounds

Queens Park Rangers have led a somewhat nomadic existence in their history. The several grounds used prior to 1886 are unknown but were probably in the Queens Park area of London (the first being ''The Queens Park'' itself). Thereafter, the club played at 15 different locations in west London and north-west London, but since joining the Football League in 1920, they have only played at two grounds: Loftus Road ( Formally known as Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium ) and White City Stadium. *Welford Fields (1886–1888) * London Scottish Ground (1888–1889) *Home Farm (1888–1889) *
Kensal Green Kensal Green is an area in north-west London. It lies mainly in the London Borough of Brent, with a small part to the south within Kensington and Chelsea. Kensal Green is located on the Harrow Road, about miles from Charing Cross. To the w ...
(1888–1889) *Gun Club (1888–1889) * Wormwood Scrubs (1888–1889) *Kilburn Cricket Ground (1888–1889) * Barn Elms (1891) *Kensal Rise Athletic Ground (1899–1901) *Latimer Road (1901–1902) *Kensal Rise Athletic Ground (1902–1904) * Royal Agricultural Society showgrounds (1904–1907) *Park Royal Ground (1907–1917) * Loftus Road (1917–1931) * White City Stadium (1931–1933) * Loftus Road (1933–1962) * White City Stadium (1962–1963) * Loftus Road (1963 –present) There were plans to build a new 40,000-seater stadium called New Queens Park; however, plans have been shelved with the club looking to build a stadium on the site of the
Linford Christie Stadium The Linford Christie Stadium is an athletics stadium in Wormwood Scrubs, West London, England. The venue first opened as the West London Stadium in 1967. It initially had a cinder running track, which was upgraded to a synthetic surface in 1973. ...
with 30,000 seats. The club have argued this would bring a huge financial boost to the local area, but their plans were met with some initial scepticism by Hammersmith & Fulham Council. QPR have also been involved in a long-running legal battle to build a training ground at Warren Farm in Southall. In November 2018,
Supreme Court A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
judges rejected the final appeal from local objectors against the proposals, paving the way for the redevelopment of the site to begin. However the club formally abandoned plans for a training ground at Warren Farm on 6 May 2020 replacing it with a plan to develop the site into a community sports centre as the club signed a non-disclosure agreement with an unknown party regarding the freehold of another site. It was announced on 6 July that the club formally secured the freehold of the Heston Sports Ground from Imperial College, with the intention of developing the site into a training ground for the club, with discussions ongoing between the club and Hounslow Council. On 31 March 2021, the club obtained planning permission for the redevelopment of Heston Sports Ground into a state of the art training ground, subject to a referral to the Secretary of State. The club received formal support from the Secretary of State on 27 September 2021 along with final planning permission from Hounslow Council being granted, with formal construction beginning on 1 October 2021. The Club aims to move into the £20m facility, (with £6.75m being raised through a bond scheme), by the start of the 2022-23 season, with the final competition date being the 2023-24 season. In June 2019, the club gifted the stadium naming rights to The Kiyan Prince Foundation, a local charity set up by the father of
Kiyan Prince Kiyan Josiah Prince (25 November 1990 – 18 May 2006) was a 15-year-old boy who was fatally stabbed outside the London Academy in Edgware, London on 18 May 2006. Prince, who played football for the youth team of professional club Queens Park R ...
. Prince was a former QPR youth player who was fatally stabbed in 2006. On 25 May 2022, the club announced that the stadium name would revert to Loftus Road ahead of the 2022-23 season.


Rivalries

QPR have long-standing rivalries with several other clubs. The most notable of these are Chelsea and Luton. Other less fierce rivals include;
Brentford Brentford is a suburban town in West London, England and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It lies at the confluence of the River Brent and the Thames, west of Charing Cross. Its economy has diverse company headquarters buildings whi ...
,
Fulham Fulham () is an area of the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham in West London, England, southwest of Charing Cross. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, bordering Hammersmith, Kensington and Chelsea. The area faces Wandsworth ...
and Cardiff.


Records and statistics

*Highest attendance: 35,353 vs Leeds United, 27 April 1974, Division 1 *Highest all-seated attendance: 19,002 vs
Manchester City Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The tw ...
, 6 November 1999, Division 1 *Biggest league win: 9–2 vs Tranmere Rovers, 3 December 1960, Division 3 *Biggest league loss: 1–8 vs
Manchester United Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of City of Salford, Salford to ...
19 March 1969, Division 1 *Biggest home defeat: 0–6 vs Newcastle United, 13 September 2016 *Most capped player: Alan McDonald, 52, Northern Ireland *Most league appearances: Tony Ingham, 519, 1950–63 *Oldest player: Ray Wilkins, 39 years and 352 days, 1 September 1996, Division 1 *Youngest player: Frank Sibley, 15 years and 275 days *Most league goals in a season: George Goddard, 37, Division 3 South, 1929–30. *Most goals in a season: Rodney Marsh, 44 (30 League, 3 FA Cup, 11 League Cup) 1966–67 *Most league goals in total aggregate: George Goddard, 174, 1926–34. *Most goals in total aggregate: George Goddard, 186, 1926–34 *Record transfer fee received: £19.5 million from Crystal Palace for Ebere Eze, August 2020 *Record transfer fee paid: £12.5 million to Anzhi Makhachkala for Christopher Samba, January 2013


QPR in Europe

QPR's first foray into European competition came when they qualified for the
1976–77 UEFA Cup The 1976–77 UEFA Cup was the sixth season of the UEFA Cup, a club association football, football competition organised by UEFA (the Union of European Football Associations). It was won by Italian club Juventus F.C., Juventus, who beat Athletic B ...
reaching the quarter finals where they were eliminated by AEK Athens on penalties. The club also qualified for the
1984–85 UEFA Cup The 1984–85 UEFA Cup was the 14th season of the UEFA Cup. It was won by Real Madrid, who gained an aggregate victory over Videoton of Hungary in a two-legged final. Changes *Spain +1 *Netherlands -2 *Scotland +1 *Czechoslovakia +1 *East German ...
, but were knocked out in the second round.


Players


First-team squad

The club retired the number 31 shirt as a tribute to former striker Ray Jones who died in 2007.


Out on loan


Development squads


Under-21s squad


Notable former players


Retired numbers

(2006–2007) ''posthumous honour''


Queens Park Rangers FC 'All Time XI'

Queens Park Rangers fans were asked for a vote for their all time strongest squad in 2008. * Phil Parkes (1970–79) *
Dave Clement David Thomas Clement (2 February 1948 – 31 March 1982) was an English professional footballer. Clement played as a right fullback who developed his career with Queens Park Rangers through the club's youth set-up. Clement signed professional ...
(1965–79) * Alan McDonald (1981–97) * Paul Parker (1987–91) * Ian Gillard (1968–82) * Trevor Sinclair (1993–98) *
Stan Bowles Stanley Bowles (born 24 December 1948) is an English former professional footballer who as a player in the 1970s was known for his skills as a forward, and also gained a reputation as one of the game's great non-conformists and mavericks. Club ...
(1972–79) *
Gerry Francis Gerald Charles James Francis (born 6 December 1951) is an English former footballer and manager. Playing career Francis made his first team debut for Queens Park Rangers against Liverpool in March 1969. He was captain and central midfield play ...
(1968–79 and 1981–82) *
Dave Thomas Dave may refer to: Film, television, and theater * Dave (film), ''Dave'' (film), a 1993 film starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver * Dave (musical), ''Dave'' (musical), a 2018 stage musical adaptation of the film * Dave (TV channel), a digital ...
(1972–77) * Les Ferdinand (1987–95) * Rodney Marsh (1966–72) :''Updated 14 May 2019.''


Club management


Coaching positions


Managerial history

''The last ten permanent managers of QPR:''


Ownership and finances

British music, media and sport entrepreneur Chris Wright bought QPR in 1996, eventually relinquishing his majority shareholding in 2001 having ploughed £20 million into Loftus Road over the previous five years; the club struggled financially and went into administration that same year. Following lengthy negotiations in December 2004, Wright agreed to sell his remaining 15% stake; 50% of the money paid to him was given back to QPR, which was significant amount of cash to the club. After a number of years of financial difficulties which included a period in financial administration, QPR was bought by Formula One tycoons and multi-millionaires
Bernie Ecclestone Bernard Charles Ecclestone (born 28 October 1930) is an English business magnate. He is the former chief executive of the Formula One Group, which manages Formula One motor racing and controls the commercial rights to the sport, and part-owns ...
and
Flavio Briatore Flavio Briatore (; born 12 April 1950) is an Italian businessman. He started his career as a restaurant manager and insurance salesman in Italy. Briatore was convicted in Italy on several fraud charges in the 1980s, receiving two prison senten ...
in a £14 million takeover in August 2007. In spending £690,000 to acquire a 69% majority stake in the club from a Monaco-based consortium led by Italian football agent, Antonio Caliendo, Ecclestone spent £150,000 on his 15%, while Briatore bought 54% for £540,000 through a British Virgin Islands registered company, Sarita Capital. In addition, Briatore and Ecclestone were believed to have promised £5 million in convertible loan facilities to help buy players and have covered £13 million of debt, in a total commitment to the club of around £20 million. At the time of purchase, the remaining 31% of shareholders turned down the offer of 1p a share. On 20 December 2007, it was announced that the family of billionaire Lakshmi Mittal had purchased a 20% shareholding in the club from Flavio Briatore. The purchase price of the 20% stake was just £200,000. As part of the investment Lakshmi Mittal's son-in-law
Amit Bhatia Amit Bhatia (born 4 September 1979) is a British businessman. He is the founding partner of Swordfish Investments and chairman of Queens Park Rangers F.C., Queens Park Rangers football club. Early and personal life Amit Bhatia was born in Lond ...
took a place on the board of directors. While Gianni Paladini remained chairman of the football club, Alejandro Agag, as chairman of QPR Holdings (the parent company) was the de facto chairman, until he was replaced by Flavio Briatore in early February 2008. Agag moved into the role of managing director, supported by a deputy managing director, Ali Russell, who moved from Hearts in the
Scottish Premier League The Scottish Premier League (SPL) was the top level league competition for professional football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football' ...
. Despite QPR's perilous financial condition in 2007–08, the combined personal wealth of the club's new owners – which included the then world's eighth richest man, Lakshmi Mittal – sparked speculation that QPR would receive significant further investment from their new benefactors, drawing parallels with their wealthy West London neighbours Chelsea and
Fulham Fulham () is an area of the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham in West London, England, southwest of Charing Cross. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, bordering Hammersmith, Kensington and Chelsea. The area faces Wandsworth ...
. However, no significant further funds were made available to the club other than those injected as part of the purchase of its share capital, and much of the subsequent player transfer activity involved loan acquisitions or free transfers. Indeed, it was reported in January 2008 that the investors had not discharged the £10 million loan from ABC Corporation – secured on the club's stadium – together with its £1 million annual interest burden—despite the club's prospective annual turnover of between £10 million and £15 million. Furthermore, around £2 million was still owed to former director and major shareholder, Antonio Caliendo, who waived £4.5 million of loans when Briatore and Ecclestone bought the club. It was expected that the ABC loan would be discharged in June 2008 on its maturity and that the debt owed to Caliendo would be paid off "in early 2008" in line with a funding strategy which Ecclestone publicly stated would not result in the wealthy owners simply bankrolling the club. In fact, the ABC loan was discharged on or around 31 July 2008. Mittal's investment is thought to be primarily motivated by his son-in-law's interests and it was assumed that Mittal himself would remain a silent investor while Briatore, Ecclestone and Bhatia worked together to implement the strategy of slowly building the club up ahead of a push for promotion to the Premier League in 2009. The new owners also pledged to refurbish Loftus Road and use their experience in Formula One to increase sponsorship revenues. On 25 March 2008, QPR confirmed that, from the 2008–09 season and for five seasons, their kits would be supplied by Lotto Sport Italia as part of a number of new partnerships formed by Flavio Briatore. The investment potential of the club's new backers resulted in a number of wildly speculative storylines in the football press throughout the 2007–08 season, including rumoured signings of former World Player of the Year winners Luís Figo and Zinedine Zidane, the latter as a possible manager. In May 2008, billionaire Vijay Mallya was linked with buying into the club, as part of the Ecclestone, Briatore and Mittal consortium. Following the termination of the club's sponsorship deals with Car Giant, Le Coq Sportif and Sellotape at the end of the 2007–08 season, in early July 2008 it was expected to be announced that Gulf Air would be the new shirt sponsors for three years. Further sponsorship packages were also announced, including Abbey Financial Services and Lotto Sport Italia. On 12 September 2011, Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia announced sponsorship of QPR's shirts for the two seasons, with the sponsorship costing some £6.2 million. Flavio Briatore's future as QPR chairman came into question in September 2009 after he left the Renault F1 team in the midst of race fixing allegations. The Football League board discussed the matter on 8 October 2009 and declared that they would be awaiting a response from Briatore to various questions before commenting further. Meanwhile, the club continued to make losses (£18.8m in 2008–09 and £13.7m 2009–10). Briatore sold his 62% share to Ecclestone in December 2010, with the Italian possibly retaining a right of first refusal should Ecclestone sell, and initially stepped back from the day-to-day running of the business in favour of Amit Bhatia and Ishan Saksena, the company chairman and managing director respectively. However, his involvement gradually returned, and conflicts between Briatore on the one hand and Bhatia and Saksena on the other resulted in both Bhatia and Saksena leaving QPR in May 2011. On 18 August 2011, Malaysian businessman Tony Fernandes was unveiled as the majority shareholder after having bought out Ecclestone's 66 percent stake in the club for a rumoured fee of around £35 million, while the Mittal Family retained their 33% stake. Amit Bhatia was restored to his position as vice-chairman. Phillip Beard was announced as the new chief executive of the club and Gianni Paladini removed as club chairman. Briatore and Ecclestone were no longer involved with the club, with no board representation or other financial ties. Bhatia also explained in the takeover announcement that the loan, representing the refinanced ABC Corporation debt secured using the stadium as collateral, had now been "bought off" by the new regime – that is, refinanced by new debt. It is thought that the current debt is represented by a shareholder loan to the club and is non-interest-bearing. Despite the club's fortunes in attracting investors, it continues to be mired in controversy from previous ownership regimes and has been subject to proceedings from former investors Carlos Dunga and Antonio Caliendo. On 15 August 2018, Bhatia took over as chairman of the club.


Current board of directors and senior management

:''Updated 15 August 2018.''


Honours and achievements

''Note: the leagues and divisions of English football have changed somewhat over time, so here they are grouped into their relative levels on the
English football league system The English football league system, also known as the football pyramid, is a series of interconnected leagues for men's association football clubs in England, with five teams from Wales, one from Guernsey, one from Jersey and one from the Isl ...
at the time they were won to allow easy comparison of the achievement''


Domestic


League

Football League First Division The Football League First Division was a division of the Football League in England from 1888 until 2004. It was the top division in the English football league system from the season 1888–89 until 1991–92, a century in which the First ...
(1st tier) *Runners-up: 1975–76 Football League Second Division / Championship (2nd tier) * Champions: 1982–83,
2010–11 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...
* 2nd place promotion: 1967–68, 1972–73 * Play-off winners: 2013–14 Football League Third Division / Third Division South / League One (3rd tier) * Champions: 1947–48, 1966–67 *2nd place promotion: 2003–04


Cup

FA Cup * Runners-up: 1981–82 League Cup * Winners: 1966–67 * Runners-up: 1985–86
FA Charity Shield The Football Association Community Shield (formerly the Charity Shield) is English football's annual match contested at Wembley Stadium between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup. If the Premier Le ...
* Runners-up:
1908 Events January * January 1 – The British ''Nimrod'' Expedition led by Ernest Shackleton sets sail from New Zealand on the ''Nimrod'' for Antarctica. * January 3 – A total solar eclipse is visible in the Pacific Ocean, and is the 46 ...
,
1912 Events January * January 1 – The Republic of China (1912–49), Republic of China is established. * January 5 – The Prague Conference (6th All-Russian Conference of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party) opens. * January 6 ...


Minor honours

*Division Three South (North Region): 1945–46 * Southern League: 1907–08, 1911–12 * Western League: 1905–06 * Wartime League South B: 1939–40 * West London Challenge Cup runners-up: 1890–91 * West London Observer Cup: 1891–92, 1892–93 * London Cup: 1895 * Southern Charity Cup: 1913 * Copa De Ibiza: 2005 * Dryworld Cup: 2016


References


External links


Queens Park Rangers Official Website
{{Authority control 1882 establishments in England Association football clubs established in 1882 Sport in Hammersmith and Fulham Football clubs in London Football clubs in England English Football League clubs Premier League clubs EFL Championship clubs EFL Cup winners Companies that have entered administration in the United Kingdom Tune Group