QPR

I was just wondering whether I was alone in following the fortunes of the Mighty R's. It's been a very positive few days; securing Championship status on Saturday after four wins out of five and then the terrific news today that John Gregory has decided to stay on for the next two years. I've an awful lot of time for Gregory, and trust him to build his own team now after the Gary Waddock debacle. The Championship is such a strange division that teams that nearly get relegated one year can come back the next and challenge for promotion, Derby and Watford are two prime examples in the past two years. There's a nucleus of a good team there - Damion Stewart and Danny Cullip formed a very solid CB partnership, Adam Bolder has been very good since he signed in January, Lee Cook is easily one of the top 10 most talented players in the division, 'our' man Martin Rowlands can hopefully return to his outstanding form of last season after being ravaged by injuries this term, buying Dexter Blackstock was Waddock's one moment of inspiration, he could form a great partnership with the much vaunted Ray Jones. Who knows, maybe a return to the glory days is just around the corner. Well, I can hope anyway!

So, er, any closet followers, or detractors either for that matter!, out there?

Whilst I'm a Sheffield Wednesday fan I've always had a liking for QPR, like Wednesday they've always tried to play football the right way, sadly that doesn't hold a lot of sway in a lot of Championship games! Happy that you lot will be in the Championship next year (especially as its increased Dirty Leeds chance of relegation!)

JohnD on the Limerick forum is a QPR fan and also from Kerry

You should start a club :)

Got a mate who use to live in Shepherds Bush when he was growing up and he would follow QPR to some extent so I'd always knda look out for their results.

Good to hear their safe from relegation

haha the english rangers!!.... great team hope they go down anyway!!

I've tended to keep an eye out for their results since years ago (no particular reason why).

As I'm living over in London now, I wandered out to Shepherds Bush on Saturday last for the game. £28 for a stand ticket! (though going down next year according to the programme). An alright game, better quality of football than at home, the prospect of terrace trouble (I was sitting in the corner where the QPR and Cardiff fans were closest), a good sized crowd and atmosphere helped.

I'm glad to see them staying up, and it is good to see an old alumni in charge.

Depressingly, I still found myself missing the RSC and the Blues, even at their worst in both cases.

QPR are in an extremely vulnerable position in English football.

Their stadium is on a very valuable plot in a good location in West London, they have been badly managed for years, have big debts, and always seem to be either in or on the verge of administration.

If I was to draw-up a list of 'endangered club's in senior English football, I'd put QPR right at the top. Be in no doubts that they face a very uncertain future....

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Originally Posted by jebus

Whilst I'm a Sheffield Wednesday fan I've always had a liking for QPR, like Wednesday they've always tried to play football the right way, sadly that doesn't hold a lot of sway in a lot of Championship games! Happy that you lot will be in the Championship next year (especially as its increased Dirty Leeds chance of relegation!)

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Well I'm a Leeds supporter and I've always kept an eye out for QPR too and am glad to see them safe from the drop. I had their school bag when I was seven and I still have their subbuteo team. :)

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Originally Posted by Lionel Ritchie

Well I'm a Leeds supporter and I've always kept an eye out for QPR too and am glad to see them safe from the drop. I had their school bag when I was seven and I still have their subbuteo team. :)

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Sorry to hijack a QPR thread for a bit, but what do you reckon Leeds chances are of survival this year Lionel? And what do you make of Wise in charge?

Personally I think Leeds will be in League One next year (and trust me its not as easy as you may think for a big club to get out of that cesspit) and Wise has been a disaster :)

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Originally Posted by gilberto_eire

haha the english rangers!!.... great team hope they go down anyway!!

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Good one. As a five year old, disillusioned my sense of nationalism was so weak, I took to trawling through league tables across the world trying to find a team that would antagonise the people I most wanted to be like. After a brief flirtation with New England Revolution I eventually plumped for the equally hostile Queens Park Rangers.:cool:

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Originally Posted by jebus

Sorry to hijack a QPR thread for a bit, but what do you reckon Leeds chances are of survival this year Lionel? And what do you make of Wise in charge?

Personally I think Leeds will be in League One next year (and trust me its not as easy as you may think for a big club to get out of that cesspit) and Wise has been a disaster :)

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Well due to Barnsley I think you're right. They were scripted to give up and accept their fate weeks ago and then the three-toed freaks go and win three or four in a row.

It could be all over this weekend as it's no certainty that we'll beat Ipswich and Hull are at Cardiff who have nothing to play for at this stage. Even if that goes right for us we then have to go to Derby on the last day with them needing a win to ensure/be in with a shout for automatic promotion while Hull entertain Frog Wards challengers for the coveted "worst traveller ever" title ...Plymouth Argyle. Canoeless in sh1ts creek I'd say.

I've a rising but still quite low degree of faith in Dennis Wise. That's all I can say of him for now. We are exactly where, last august, Kevin Blackwell said we'd be and told the board we'd be and was put on notice for doing so.

BACK OT

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Good one. As a five year old, disillusioned my sense of nationalism was so weak, I took to trawling through league tables across the world trying to find a team that would antagonise the people I most wanted to be like. After a brief flirtation with New England Revolution I eventually plumped for the equally hostile Queens Park Rangers.

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...as a seven year old going into second class in the big boys school my mam went shopping for school bags on september 1st (or thereabouts) 1980 (we'd gotten a good deal on a self-catering guesthouse in Kilkee for the last two weeks in august).

Having gotten the older bro's (royal blue and yellow) Leeds United bag and the younger bro's (scum red) Man United bag she was left with a dilema as all they'd left was a Nottingham Forest (current European Champions!!! ...but red) or a Queens Park Rangers (old second division ...navy). To avoid colour clashes she disregarded the claims of Cloughies hereos and got me the QPR one as she reckoned, correctly at the time, that I couldn't have cared two sh1ts about football anyway.

I followed them loyally for much of the eighties til my teenage slump -even weeping bitter, bitter tears in Gleesons sports store on Upper William street when the store assistant explained they didn't have much demand for QPR subbuteo teams but that he'd go to hell and back to get me one. About a month later he had my subbuteo team for me. Still have it.:cool:

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Originally Posted by Lionel Ritchie

Well due to Barnsley I think you're right. They were scripted to give up and accept their fate weeks ago and then the three-toed freaks go and win three or four in a row.

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If Barnsley folk are "three-toed freaks" then what does that make the population of the cosmpolitan, globally important city of Sunderland......?!? :eek:

And all this from a Limerick man. Priceless..... :D :p

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Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

QPR are in an extremely vulnerable position in English football.

Their stadium is on a very valuable plot in a good location in West London, they have been badly managed for years, have big debts, and always seem to be either in or on the verge of administration.

If I was to draw-up a list of 'endangered club's in senior English football, I'd put QPR right at the top. Be in no doubts that they face a very uncertain future....

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Been reading too many rags over in London methinks!

Yes the ground is valuable, apparently in the region of £24m. Could buy some good players with that, but then they'd have no where to play. Sam Hamman and Ron Noades were trying to stick their dirty noses in and arrange something, with a move to Oxford mooted. Of course the two of them are filthy thieving(insert expletive) so were unkindly told to go away. I would personally be outraged and depressed if Loftus Road was sold. It's such a lovely little ground with tremendous atmosphere at times. It's the kind of ground that makes you wish English football could be rewound 15 or so years and reinstated with its soul.

The 'funny' thing about the management is that Chris Wright (mega-rich Chrysalis founder) was the one who brought the club into administration. That was 2001 I think and since then things have been gradually improving, and certainly not on the verge of administration as you suggest. The loss of Carlos Dunga from the board of directors was regrettable, but every club has to bow to the Brazilian national team every so often! The problem with our loan is that some bright spark 'negotiated' a 10% interest rate with an unnamed off-shore bank which the club is actively trying to consolidate into one fixed monthly payment, sorry, I mean, trying to reduce the percentage rate. I don't know the exact monetary figure but I think it's the interest rate rather than the amount(to the extent the two can be delineated) that is the crippler.

Since the administration the fans have become extremely active to make sure there is no repeat situation. There are regular support trust type meetings with the board, on all matters from financial to painting the seats (a sign of the love for the club would be the offer of fans to volunteer to do so!). I would imagine there must be plenty of latent City-working QPR supporters that might come in as financial 'angels' to help out.

I can't really comment on the state of other clubs but I'd venture that QPR don't deserve the dubious honour of topping the 'endangered' table.

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Originally Posted by kingdom hoop

Been reading too many rags over in London methinks!

Yes the ground is valuable, apparently in the region of £24m. Could buy some good players with that, but then they'd have no where to play. Sam Hamman and Ron Noades were trying to stick their dirty noses in and arrange something, with a move to Oxford mooted. Of course the two of them are filthy thieving(insert expletive) so were unkindly told to go away. I would personally be outraged and depressed if Loftus Road was sold. It's such a lovely little ground with tremendous atmosphere at times. It's the kind of ground that makes you wish English football could be rewound 15 or so years and reinstated with its soul.

The 'funny' thing about the management is that Chris Wright (mega-rich Chrysalis founder) was the one who brought the club into administration. That was 2001 I think and since then things have been gradually improving, and certainly not on the verge of administration as you suggest. The loss of Carlos Dunga from the board of directors was regrettable, but every club has to bow to the Brazilian national team every so often! The problem with our loan is that some bright spark 'negotiated' a 10% interest rate with an unnamed off-shore bank which the club is actively trying to consolidate into one fixed monthly payment, sorry, I mean, trying to reduce the percentage rate. I don't know the exact monetary figure but I think it's the interest rate rather than the amount(to the extent the two can be delineated) that is the crippler.

Since the administration the fans have become extremely active to make sure there is no repeat situation. There are regular support trust type meetings with the board, on all matters from financial to painting the seats (a sign of the love for the club would be the offer of fans to volunteer to do so!). I would imagine there must be plenty of latent City-working QPR supporters that might come in as financial 'angels' to help out.

I can't really comment on the state of other clubs but I'd venture that QPR don't deserve the dubious honour of topping the 'endangered' table.

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Certainly not an issue of reading too many rags, I can assure you. More one of insider information, and coincidentally having worked for a large American company that was secretly hovering over QPR like an angel of death only 4 years ago. But hey - I only hear things in "rags"...

We'l just have to agree to differ on this. I personally don't give a sh!t about QPR, so don't care if I'm right or wrong on this. I suspect you care a lot more, so could do worse than not dismiss things out of hand. After all, that's what Shelborune fans did for years - and they were at least successful at the time.....

P.S. Loftus Road would be worth more than £24m, and I can say that without even knowing the exact size of the plot. And don'rt assume that any buyer of the club woudl really care that developing the stadium would leave you with nowhere to play. When you're in financial schtuck, you can't afford to argue. And besides - I'm sure a developer would happily point you towards Griffin Park up the road anyway, or a ground-share with Fulham !

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Originally Posted by Lionel Ritchie

...as a seven year old going into second class in the big boys school my mam went shopping for school bags on september 1st (or thereabouts) 1980 (we'd gotten a good deal on a self-catering guesthouse in Kilkee for the last two weeks in august).

Having gotten the older bro's (royal blue and yellow) Leeds United bag and the younger bro's (scum red) Man United bag she was left with a dilema as all they'd left was a Nottingham Forest (current European Champions!!! ...but red) or a Queens Park Rangers (old second division ...navy). To avoid colour clashes she disregarded the claims of Cloughies hereos and got me the QPR one as she reckoned, correctly at the time, that I couldn't have cared two sh1ts about football anyway.

I followed them loyally for much of the eighties til my teenage slump -even weeping bitter, bitter tears in Gleesons sports store on Upper William street when the store assistant explained they didn't have much demand for QPR subbuteo teams but that he'd go to hell and back to get me one. About a month later he had my subbuteo team for me. Still have it.

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I hereby propose a Lovely Story Of The Month competition with Lionel Ritchie as the inaugural champion!

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Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

If Barnsley folk are "three-toed freaks" then what does that make the population of the cosmpolitan, globally important city of Sunderland......?!?

And all this from a Limerick man. Priceless.....

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Not really my business but two of these coming right up :confused: :confused:

I'd be pretty sure he was talking about the football team and not the populace of the town. Then again, maybe tykes do only have three toes, but if they did then they'd be called trykes so probably not

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Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

Certainly not an issue of reading too many rags, I can assure you. More one of insider information, and coincidentally having worked for a large American company that was secretly hovering over QPR like an angel of death only 4 years ago. But hey - I only hear things in "rags"...

We'l just have to agree to differ on this. I personally don't give a sh!t about QPR, so don't care if I'm right or wrong on this. I suspect you care a lot more, so could do worse than not dismiss things out of hand. After all, that's what Shelborune fans did for years - and they were at least successful at the time.....

P.S. Loftus Road would be worth more than £24m, and I can say that without even knowing the exact size of the plot. And don'rt assume that any buyer of the club woudl really care that developing the stadium would leave you with nowhere to play. When you're in financial schtuck, you can't afford to argue. And besides - I'm sure a developer would happily point you towards Griffin Park up the road anyway, or a ground-share with Fulham !

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What folderol.

You say QPR are on the verge of administration or endangered, and support such a bold aspersion with what? Please reveal more, or are you sworn to secrecy? Hit me with some logic and I'll listen but until then I won't be agreeing to differ with you, and frankly your attitude sickens me.

Think about what you've said from the point of view of an investor. Why would you want to buy a club on the verge of administration? Taking on a club in such a risky financial position, which you would alleviate with the sale of the stadium doesn't sound like a good idea, you'd have no club, well one without fans anyway and would be subjected to death threats - you killed my club so I'll kill you sounds pretty unfair, so I'll kill your family too as well. Whoever would do something like that would have to be a Chelsea or Fulham fan though at least their mental retardation would lessen the sentence for clubicide.

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Originally Posted by kingdom hoop

What folderol.

You say QPR are on the verge of administration or endangered, and support such a bold aspersion with what? Please reveal more, or are you sworn to secrecy? Hit me with some logic and I'll listen but until then I won't be agreeing to differ with you, and frankly your attitude sickens me.

Think about what you've said from the point of view of an investor. Why would you want to buy a club on the verge of administration? Taking on a club in such a risky financial position, which you would alleviate with the sale of the stadium doesn't sound like a good idea, you'd have no club, well one without fans anyway and would be subjected to death threats - you killed my club so I'll kill you sounds pretty unfair, so I'll kill your family too as well. Whoever would do something like that would have to be a Chelsea or Fulham fan though at least their mental retardation would lessen the sentence for clubicide.

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I didn't say QPR are on the verge of admninistration. i said the club always seems to be - tehere is a difference. And given your previous history of administration and current levels of debt, I don't think imy statement is unfair.

You want to know who would want to buy a club in Administration ?? How's about anyone who wanted to pick up an asset on the cheap. Ooooh - say, maybe a football stadium ? Someone who really doesn't give a sh!t about the football club who plays there, as for them its all business. Or someone who wants to keep a football team, but will use them for their own business purposes and doesn't really care about moving them to a different stadium. Your extremely naive if you think that a club in Administration that owns a valuable asset would be unappealing to the busienss world. It's precisely at such times when they are appealing - as the Administrtaors call the shots from a very narrow business perspective. Emotion doesn't come into the actions of a Administraters. Non League clubs in London are losing their grounds at an alarming rate precisely because they are being targetted by certain developers. It would be naive to think that senior clubs with ongoing financial difficulties are untouchable in this regard.

Listen Kingdom Hoop - I can't tell you what I know because it involves a mate of mine and I have no interest in blowing his career. You can dismiss this as nonesense if you want, but I don't give a fig about QPR so really don't care. All I will say is this. I used to work for a large American company who was hovering over your club only 4 years ago, with a view to getting its hands on your stadium for redevelopment. Whether you believe me on this or not, them's the facts. I also have a friend I used to work with who, in his new company, has currently been actioned with picking-up a football club in London. That is a fact. I run a property consultancy business - providing advise, projects etc to property developers. My friend, who has never lived in London, approached me for a run-down on the area around Loftus Rd. I doubt it was because he was looking to move there himself.

If you want to suggest I'm a fool or a lier, then that's your choice. Any sensible objective judgement would highlight that an under-achieving club on a very valuable plot of land in West London that has ongoing financial problems will always be vulnerable for as long as those financial troubles continue. If you want to believe all is well in the QPR garden then fine. Just don't be surprised if things don't work out that way.

I've said all I will on this. Up to you if you want to dismiss it.

:ball:

Don Givens, Stan Bowles, Trevor Francis, Gary Waddock, Paul Parker, Terry Mancini: just a few names that spring to mind when I think of QPR as well as an easy 3 points for the Owls :p

Living in the shadows of giants. You have to be a real optimistic to support them and good luck to you. Didn't they get to a League CUp Final and finish runners up in the League some years back?

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Originally Posted by OwlsFan

Don Givens, Stan Bowles, Trevor Francis, Gary Waddock, Paul Parker, Terry Mancini: just a few names that spring to mind when I think of QPR as well as an easy 3 points for the Owls :p

Living in the shadows of giants. You have to be a real optimistic to support them and good luck to you. Didn't they get to a League CUp Final and finish runners up in the League some years back?

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You forgot Ski McGee :D

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Originally Posted by OwlsFan

Don Givens, Stan Bowles, Trevor Francis, Gary Waddock, Paul Parker, Terry Mancini: just a few names that spring to mind when I think of QPR as well as an easy 3 points for the Owls :p

Living in the shadows of giants. You have to be a real optimistic to support them and good luck to you. Didn't they get to a League CUp Final and finish runners up in the League some years back?

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The only honour was the 1967 League Cup, becoming the first (and probably only?) side from the third tier to win it. Other achievements would be losing the FA Cup final to Spurs in a replay to a Glenn Hoddle penalty in 1982. While the greatest near miss was losing the league on the last day of the season to Liverpool by a solitary point in 76ish after they scored a late goal to beat Wolves. That team featured legends Stan Bowles and Gerry Francis.

Finished in the top 10 of the Premiership in its first four years, but disaster struck after Les Ferdinand was sold to Newcastle, to be replaced by Mark Hateley:mad: Then Chris Wright took control of the club and showed why you'er better off with a football man at the helm, as he abysmally failed to incorporate the Wasps rugby team and QPR into one great business model. Times have been pretty lean since with a relegation to the Second Division for two years but under Ian Holloway's tremendous stewardship promotion was secured in 2004. Now with John Gregory at the helm there is a positive air returning, though the club is constantly getting bad press in London because there are so many spiteful people in the world (dcfc steve - thats why I made the rag comment)

I don't know if its coincidence or what OwlsFan but I actually am a very optimistic person, nothing bad has ever happened to me! so I guess QPR was made for me! I've only been to Loftus Road three times (financial constraints) but every time I've been struck by the spirit at the club (pause to wipe tear).Everyone was really welcoming and friendly, as well as surprised no doubt! Probably has something to do with the ground being so intimate as well as the fact that there definitely haven't been any bandwagoners coming on board, just good solid football people. For me at any rate QPR is the archetypal club that makes you wish money hasn't become king in the English game. How I would dearly love to see a return to the Premiership at this stage, entertaining Chelsea in a Wednesday night game in front of a hopping Loft makes the heart flutter, with Martin Rowlands scoring a last minute winner!:p

I appreciate the kind words.

Steve - I'll deal with your post anon, I'm in too good a mood at the moment

need a little help for a bet
QPR player in the 80s early 90s,Dennis something i cant remember was that his surname or 1st name.he was involved in a stabbing incident one time,any clues?

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Originally Posted by see's it

need a little help for a bet
QPR player in the 80s early 90s,Dennis something i cant remember was that his surname or 1st name.he was involved in a stabbing incident one time,any clues?

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I'll PM you the answer if you give me half the winnings:p

nah, it's the one the only Dennis Bailey. Scorer of a hat-trick:ball: in one of the most memorable days in QPR's history in a 4-1 victory at Old Trafford in 1992. :)

I can't remember any stabbing incident, except his second goal was a neat stab home from eight yards!

i lost the bet hoop there saying the answer was mark dennis

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Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

If Barnsley folk are "three-toed freaks" then what does that make the population of the cosmpolitan, globally important city of Sunderland......?!? :eek:

And all this from a Limerick man. Priceless..... :D :p

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never mind me ...spending too much time on waccoe is all.

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Originally Posted by see's it

i lost the bet hoop there saying the answer was mark dennis

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Sh!t sorry.

Just checked out Mark Dennis, apparently it was decompartmentalisation (blood clot in his leg for the non-doctors) he suffered from and not a stabbing so maybe pull them up on a technicality! He left in the late eighties which was 2/3 years too early for me, apologies.

Anyway, getting back to the other Dennis. I wikied Mr.Bailey and it turns out that it is he who still holds the honour of the last league hat-trick in Old Trafford. Maybe get your own back with that little gem:)

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Originally Posted by kingdom hoop

Anyway, getting back to the other Dennis. I wikied Mr.Bailey and it turns out that it is he who still holds the honour of the last league hat-trick in Old Trafford. Maybe get your own back with that little gem:)

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Cracking game that was and all, New Year's Day if I recall correctly, live on ITV's The Match - Elton Welsby's heyday.

Fans forum was on last night. Basically an open session with the chairman, manager, captain. One or two things to note;

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Gregory likes to do pre season in England. He doesn't like a tour as you have to baby sit players, as they get bored. Prefer to do pre season at home so they can go home to their families after work then come back in after work. Would like the idea of a weekend of games in Ireland as we have a big fan base in Ireland but the timing has to be right. Pre season is so important if you have a good pre season you normally have a good season.

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:eek: By big he must have meant 100. Funnily enough they came over at the end of one season about four years ago. I was having a very nice Friday night out in Dublin with a few of the lads, about two o'clock walking up Grafton Street, and who did I happen upon only two ex-club captains; Kevin Gallen and Marc Bircham (lunatic, had his hair died blue and white at the time!) Needless to say the two of them were well on it but I introduced myself, explained my penchant and had a good bit of banter. I walked them up Grafton Street and escorted them onto one of those horse thingys. In hindsight I probably should have taken a bit more advantage of their stupor, but my own inebriety didn't help either. The word serendipity was invented for such occasions I believe. Happy memories.

DCFC steve you may wish to alert your friend;

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The final question was on the refinancing of the ABC loan. Gianni said there was very little to update on, they are working on refinancing the loan every day but it's not easy. They hope something will be done by the start of next season and they also expect to have a new investor on board who can take the club forward but understandably couldn't offer any more details.

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And to end an a lighthearted note; John Gregory reckons if Stuart Downing (England's LM) was right-footed he'd be playing in League One!

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Originally Posted by kingdom hoop

DCFC steve you may wish to alert your friend;

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How do you know his company isn't the secret new investor.......?

:)

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Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

How do you know his company isn't the secret new investor.......?

:)

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Ok, tell him my friend would be delighted to get to know them a bit better then. ;)

But;

Tell him that it is a long-term commitment and that once they move in together there will be no moving house until they've filled that house:)

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Originally Posted by kingdom hoop

Ok, tell him my friend would be delighted to get to know them a bit better then. ;)

But;

Tell him that it is a long-term commitment and that once they move in together there will be no moving house until they've filled that house:)

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I wouldn't want my friend's company involved with QPR. And given that I don't care about the club, it's safe to assume that you wouldn't want them around either..... :eek:

Until your club's financial issues are sorted, you'll always be exposed to some degree. Not getting relegated may have helped keep some wolves from the door for the immediate future though - but they'll inevitably be back if the ship doesn't steady.

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Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

I wouldn't want my friend's company involved with QPR. And given that I don't care about the club, it's safe to assume that you wouldn't want them around either..... :eek:

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I'm sure they'll find service station/car park/next Carlos Tevez to invest in so.

The club is day-to-day self-sufficient, and has learned from the mistakes of succumbing to administration. I can't see a repeat situation, and it is only if the club is actually, not near, administration that an investment with ulterior motives would be sanctioned. The chairman has invested a lot of emotional interest in the fans/club and is a football man, any investment would be under the clubs terms. In that if the stadium is to be sold the club will stay in the relative vicinity, maybe a new 25000ish stadium to be shared with Fulham and most certainly will not be a Wimbledonesque teleport.

Ironically it is the stadium's small size with no room for extension that is a deterrent for possible suitors. Staying up has given certainty and with a half decent team, but more importantly a good manager, things are fine. But stuck between being attractive for the investors you don't want and not quite attractive enough to the one's you do is a perennial problem in football as well as night versions of a club.

Ye may remember a fight there a few months ago - if you need refreshing here's the BBC report of the incident - http://youtube.com/watch?v=hDkUr4p3ctY

Found this pretty amusing;

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Chinese need more beef to play and fight with Westerners
BEIJING, March 6 (Reuters) - Chinese footballers need to eat beef and drink milk if they are to play, and fight, with Westerners on a level playing field, according to a member of the advisory body to China's parliament.:eek:
Last month's brawl between China's under-21 team and English club Queens Park Rangers proved that Chinese athletes did not have enough brawn, according to Zhang Xinshi, a biology researcher from the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
"You can't just say you aren't used to eating beef and drinking milk and leave it at that," Zhang said during a discussion of Chinese agriculture at this week's meeting of the advisory body CPPCC.
"Our football can't reach a higher level. We are only good at skilful sports. Running for two 45 minute halves on such a large pitch at speeds like 100m, how can (our) bodies do that?
"We all saw the recent fight in England and they (the players) were beaten to a pulp.
"Sounds tragic? But if you are as strong as a buffalo how can they beat you up? Therefore I don't think we should advocate the Chinese grain-eating tradition."
Chinese defender Zheng Tao was taken to hospital with a fractured jaw after the 30-man fight during an ill-tempered friendly at QPR's training ground, which provoked a media storm in China.

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After a traumatic week at the club following Ray Jones' death, the fans now have major reason for cheer with the long-term future of the club seemingly secured with the imminent takeover of the club by Formula 1 supremo, and holder of a fortune of £2.2b, Bernie Ecclestone and his mate, Flavio Briatore - Renault team manager and highly successful Benneton manager. This is The Times' story from today, I love the headline I must say; 'Ecclestone chooses QPR over Arsenal' !! :)http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/spo...cle2351331.ece

This should mean the clubs debts will be cleared, will be astutely managed, even if it might be a bit hands-off, by top businessmen, and a deep reservoir of cash to fund transfers, as well as bringing a bit of glamour back to club as a return to the halcyon days of the 70s may not be too far away! Overall, it's just great to hear good news for a club that has had to endure the tragic deaths of its two most promising youngsters and numerous reports as to its demise over the past year. :):)