Memries of QPR

[grafikhaus]

​

Tough one, this. Despite meeting 46 times in the League, very few games stand out. My first trip to Loftus Road was on 8th December, 1973 – a dreadful 0-0 draw. Only once has either team scored four (14th April 1952) and I’ll welcome anybody remembering some excitement from other meetings.

Down the years, QPR have had some excellent players – Stan Bowles, Gerry Francis, Les Ferdinand, Clive Allen, Rodney Marsh etc. One of my abiding favourites was Adel Taarabt. A sublimely-gifted player who played his best stuff on loan to QPR from Spurs (48 games), and then when his move was made permanent – 26 goals in 109 appearances.

Our last meeting with QPR was a superb 0-3 win at Loftus Road on January 4th, 2015 in the Third Round of the FA Cup. Nigel Clough’s Blades were in the third tier (Division One) and overcame QPR – then in the Premier League.



Both tiers of the away end were packed with Blades who celebrated in style!



My personal favourite memrie of QPR came on 13th April, 1991. Back then – as now – we had an absolute legend of a manager, Dave Bassett. We had sailed from the third tier – stopping for only one season in the second tier – and straight up into the top flight (sounds familiar?). A team of unknowns and ragamuffins experienced hard times as soon as we got to the top division. Out of the first sixteen games of the 1990-91 season, we lost twelve games and lost four – only getting our first win at home to Nottingham Forest on December 22nd, 1990 when we won 3-2. After that, we only lost six games of the remaining games until the end of the season – 21 games, including seven straight wins - (Derby (H), Southampton (H), Everton (A), Manchester United (H), Aston Villa (H), Sunderland (A) and Chelsea (H). To say watching the Blades at this time was a pleasure would be an understatement. We were taking many thousands to every away game and, five games from the end of the season, around five thousand Blades fans travelled to Loftus Road for a game that really had no importance. Our stellar form meant we were in a safe mid-table position. On a glorious sunny day, our fans – many wearing the iconic fluorescent-yellow ‘away’ shirts, saw the Blades go in at half-time 1-1 thanks to a goal by Deano. In the second half, Bob Booker scored the winner in front of the massed ranks of Blades and the legend of ‘Ooh, aah, Bob Bookah!’ was born. Less than a month later (May 11th) saw the final game of the season at home to Norwich. The kop roof had been removed and we were about to enter a new era for United.

For the next 15 years or so, we met QPR fairly consistently – usually in the second tier. However in the 2010-11 season, our fortunes were to take very different directions. From losing the play-off final just two years previously (v Burnley 0-1), and finishing a creditable eighth in the Championship in 2009-10, United were to be relegated to the third tier, while QPR finished as Champions and moved up to the Premier League where they stayed for just two seasons (although how they managed this promotion is now becoming clear…). In the 2012/13 season, QPR won only 25 points, having won only four games all season.

About the only other thing of note I can dig out for games against QPR was a home game on 16th August 2008. This was Billy’s ‘second coming’ when he scored just 8 goals in 51 appearances – including all three in a 3-0 win v. QPR.


To date, our League results against QPR read:

Home: P: 23 W: 7 D: 12 L: 4 F: 30 A: 245

Away: P: 23 W: 5 D: 6 L: 12 F: 26 A: 35

Recent-ish results against The Hoops:

 

[efinglongway]

1971, two nil down with two minutes to go, drew two all. That was the day I thought we would get promotion.

 

[dublin 10 blade]

Only one game to remember at QPR .
Arise sir Bob Booker
And that dayglow kit
Magic

 

[TTMeysh]

I used to live near Loftus Road back in the 1990s so saw us a few times there including that fantastic afternoon you mention in 1991. My abiding memory of that was coming into Shepherds Bush Green and seeing maybe a thousand Blades in that away shirt - it was a brilliant sunny day and the glare from those shirts hurt my eyes. Did Booker climb the fencing behind the goal after he scored? My failing memory has him stood above us fist-pumping.

I also remember a dour 1-0 defeat (I think) the following season when Les Ferdinand skipped past half our team (Gannon a particular culprit) to score and then Colin Hill missed an absolute sitter.

I also have quite vivid memories of the Billy hat-trick game - Speed's sublime pass for the second allowed him to outsprint his marker which in hindsight possibly was a bad thing, as he was often badly served that season with balls over the top to exploit his non-existent sprinting speed. We scored all three in the first half and were then lucky not to concede three in the second when they overran us.

 

[coaxingstar71]

There was a bit more significance to the game at Loftus Road in April 1991, it was the win that ensured we were staying up as I recall.

I went to the game at Bramall Lane that season which I think was played on New Years Day. We'd beat Forest and then won at Luton but then lost heavily at Arsenal. Deane scored an early goal with a header from a corner and the rest of the game was a pretty drab affair. However I remember Roy Wegerle taking and missing an awful penalty. In the end it was an important 1-0 win.

 

[Coily]

SANTOS!

 

[Tyler Durden]

14th August 2010: United 0-3 QPR

After watching QPR masterfully obliterate us over the course of 45 mins, I walked out of the ground to attend to a more pressing matter.

Two impulsive decisions were made after that. United sacked Kevin Blackwell and I asked out the girl who would later become my wife.

Both of those decisions led to misery and despair for the next 5 years.....

 

[Tynemouth Blade]

Shouting "FREEEEAK" at Peter Crouch!

 

[TTMeysh]

SANTOS!

Shouting "FREEEEAK" at Peter Crouch!

Was just going to say 'The game where Santos was world-class and QPR played a weird, gangly fucker up front'.

 

[TTMeysh]

I think we also played a night match at the Loft about that time. Have no memory of the game except that I think we got a result, but quite vivid memories of a lively night in the Bush Ranger afterwards.

 

[John Street West Terrace]

Only one game to remember at QPR .
Arise sir Bob Booker
And that dayglow kit
Magic

My fav also DB there were Blades fans outside every boozer in Shepherds Bush fuckin great day out

 

[Vegasblade1]

Shouting "FREEEEAK" at Peter Crouch!

I was there doing the same haha

 

[Revolution]

My trips there:

1991-2: lost 1-0. Poor performance on a cold day. Wegerle got a late winner

1996-7: lost 1-0 in the rain. Action replay of my previous visit

1997-8: drew 2-2 as Charles Green was selling the team. Ian Rush did his only useful things in a United shirt, combining well with Saunders and setting up a goal for him. Stuart got the other from another good move.

1998-9: won 2-1. Up 2-0 very early as Kachouro continued his recent good form with one of the goals. Managed to hang on as they came at us. Kachouro sent off for a bout of fisticuffs and John Deehan, Bruce's assistant, arrested for antics on the touch line. A third away win in a few weeks after 51 weeks without one.

Don't like the area around the ground but it's a great place to watch a game. So close to the pitch.

 

[Silent Blade]

1971, two nil down with two minutes to go, drew two all. That was the day I thought we would get promotion.

Were you there?

That day I was at a reserve match at Bramall Lane with my eye on the pavillion scoreboard throughout the match, our score at Loftus Road was being updated. At half time we were trying to come to terms that we were losing 1-0 but news coming out that Dave Powell had been admitted to hospital after being carried off (sadly he never played for our 1st team again) was another blow. The next time our score on the pavillion scoreboard got updated was that QPR had scored again. At full time of the reserves match the crowd were leaving the ground feeling dejected that we had lost another important match that week (we lost 2-1 to Hull the previous Tursday). Then all of a sudden there were some excitement and shouting outside the ground in John Street and I saw a tall man in the terrace entrance raising double V signs to indicate "2-2". My dad (he was wondering if it was a wind-up) then told me to get back in the ground to look at the pavillion scoreboard again and there it was "2-2"!

Never forgot that and the feeling was almost as good as I felt when Duffy scored at S6!

Woodward and Hemsley (pen) were the scorers in the last two minutes

 

[Silent Blade]

The last time I was at Loftus Road was in August 1992. A very good match, end to end stuff but we lost 3-2. Les Ferdinand opened the scoring with lovely skill, pace and great finishing. Alan Cork equalised, Simon Barker got QPR back into the lead with a good diving header after a cross by Andy Sinton (who gave Gage a hard time). Brian Deane equalised with a towering header. Dennis Bailey got the winner after a goalmouth header. Think it was the first time the Blades fans were singing "Alan Cork, he's got no hair but we dont care"

 

[RossoDeltic]

The Santos game, we arrived late as there was no tube from KX to Hammersmith for ages. Crouch got hammered all afternoon with ‘Freak’. Pretty sure he was subbed during the second half.
I also remember going for a night match when I lived in London, we had recently signed Ian Rush and he started for us and was rubbish.

 

[Pollingtonblade]

The last time I was at Loftus Road was in August 1992. A very good match, end to end stuff but we lost 3-2. Les Ferdinand opened the scoring with lovely skill, pace and great finishing. Alan Cork equalised, Simon Barker got QPR back into the lead with a good diving header after a cross by Andy Sinton (who gave Gage a hard time). Brian Deane equalised with a towering header. Dennis Bailey got the winner after a goalmouth header. Think it was the first time the Blades fans were singing "Alan Cork, he's got no hair but we dont care"

I remember us singing that the season before at Goodison when we won 2-0

 

[Deadbat]

My trips there:

1991-2: lost 1-0. Poor performance on a cold day. Wegerle got a late winner

1996-7: lost 1-0 in the rain. Action replay of my previous visit

1997-8: drew 2-2 as Charles Green was selling the team. Ian Rush did his only useful things in a United shirt, combining well with Saunders and setting up a goal for him. Stuart got the other from another good move.

1998-9: won 2-1. Up 2-0 very early as Kachouro continued his recent good form with one of the goals. Managed to hang on as they came at us. Kachouro sent off for a bout of fisticuffs and John Deehan, Bruce's assistant, arrested for antics on the touch line. A third away win in a few weeks after 51 weeks without one.

Don't like the area around the ground but it's a great place to watch a game. So close to the pitch.

Had similiar experiences/trips

Saw the two 1-0 defeats. Missed the win that sealed survial but do remember the Katchouro/Deehan game. Seen a 1-1 draw there when Morgan scored - 2008. Missed the Cup game but recall anothe defeat I have seen there but cannot remember which. So only seen one win in maybe 4 or 5 visits. Due a better result for my visit Tuesday!

Yes, it is always a great atmosphere - only a few thousand can make a lot of noise. Wondering why Wolves were given both tiers and us only one? Not saying we would have sold out -think there are still a handful of our 1,600 ish tickets left. Maybe it is because its midweek. On a Sturday we would have taken double that down to London and maybe been given both tiers.

 

[Paisley Blade]

Happy memries of QPR away where I'm currently on a 100% win ratio, slightly ahead of Conte, Gwaardyohla and Sir Chris.

First one was the Bob Booker game , and then in 2010 an FA Cup replay where we went 3 up in no time , eventually clinging on to win 3-2. It was January and around 500 hardy Blades were huddled together in the lower tier , it was absolutely Baltic. I think it may have been Kyle Walker's last appearance for us ..?

I'm Easyjetting down to try and make it the hat trick on Tuesday. It's a good laugh attending Blades games via the medium of air travel. I used to think it would be the closest I'd ever get to a 'watching the Blades in Europe' style experience.

Well, that's what I used to think.

 

[grafikhaus]

At full time of the reserves match the crowd were leaving the ground feeling dejected that we had lost another important match that week (we lost 2-1 to Hull the previous Tuesday).

Watch this space - 'Memries of Hull' will be out this Wednesday.

Meanwhile, I'm glad that others have confirmed our less-than-stellar record v QPR. Can't wait to do 'Memries of Burton'...

 

[Silent Blade]

My first trip to Loftus Road was on 8th December, 1973 – a dreadful 0-0 draw.​

My first visit to Loftus Road too. Ken Furphy's first match as Blades manager (should have been the home game against Ipswich the previous week but it was called off due to the heavy snow). It was a strange feeling that John Harris was no longer our manager

 

[ThroughThinAndThinner]

I'm just concerned that we've conceded 245 goals at home and have only played 23 games. Some bogey team!

 

[speedymcgeady]

The last time I was at Loftus Road was in August 1992. A very good match, end to end stuff but we lost 3-2. Les Ferdinand opened the scoring with lovely skill, pace and great finishing. Alan Cork equalised, Simon Barker got QPR back into the lead with a good diving header after a cross by Andy Sinton (who gave Gage a hard time). Brian Deane equalised with a towering header. Dennis Bailey got the winner after a goalmouth header. Think it was the first time the Blades fans were singing "Alan Cork, he's got no hair but we dont care"

And John Greaves gave us tickets to get in.

 

[Silent Blade]

And John Greaves gave us tickets to get in.

Yes, John Allen (RIP) was with us too. I remember you sitting next to a glamorous looking lady and chatting with her. Think she was a friend of Dave Bassett's?

 

[grafikhaus]

I'm just concerned that we've conceded 245 goals at home and have only played 23 games. Some bogey team!

I noticed that and it was too late to edit. I was hoping that nobody would notice it, but there's always a clever bugger. It's not easy gathering all this info., you know.

Especially when pissed.

 

[sitwell]

My memory is I think our last league game with them ,it was moved back to a Monday night but we had already got pass outs for the weekend so it became a long one. Had a top weekend and then ,Micky Adams ,Peter Bogdanovic ,Abel Taarabt and Paddy Kenny fucked it all up. They hammered us ,Kenny took massive abuse but didn't concede ,Taarabt took the piss ,as did Bogdanovic and Adams in a different way. We lost 3-0. I was away for the next one when apparently JCR had a blinder.

 

[grafikhaus]

That'd be this one:



We also lost the home game on 14th August, 2010, 0-3.

 

[ThroughThinAndThinner]

My main memory of them is Blackwells last game in charge. Hate playing them, although 3-0 scoreline a seem to be common. 3-0 twice the season we went down? Billy Sharp hat trick 3-0 and then wasn't it 3-0 when JCR ran them ragged?

 

[Bert]

The Santos game, we arrived late as there was no tube from KX to Hammersmith for ages. Crouch got hammered all afternoon with ‘Freak’. Pretty sure he was subbed during the second half.
I also remember going for a night match when I lived in London, we had recently signed Ian Rush and he started for us and was rubbish.

Crouch was stood outside the ground before the game. Bert went up to him to see how tall he really was, Bert is over 6 feet tall but Crouch is a giant.

 

[Revolution]

Crouch was stood outside the ground before the game. Bert went up to him to see how tall he really was, Bert is over 6 feet tall but Crouch is a giant.

He's a short arse.

(I am half an inch taller than him)