Ahead of the visit of Sheffield Wednesday to Loftus Road on Tuesday night, LFW looks back at a meeting between the sides from 1994 when Kevin Gallen scored on his senior home debut.

Recent Meetings

Sheffield Wednesday 3 QPR 1, Tuesday March 18, 2014, Championship

QPR's worst performance of 2013/14 came at Hillsborough against Sheff Wed on a long Tuesday night for the travelling faithful. Sporting a long injury list, and harshly robbed of Richard Dunne for a professional foul in the first half, there were still few excuses for a shambolic performance and deserved thrashing from the mid-table Owls. Chris Maguire scored the penalty resulting from Dunne's foul and with Joey Barton on a one-man mission to get a red card of his own, second half goals from Leon Best and Lewis Buxton followed as the R's capitulated. The result was o0ne of several meek defeats through March and April as Rangers played out a number of essentially dead rubbers, with automatic promotion out of reach but a play-off spot secured.

Sheff Wed: Martinez N/A; Buxton 7, Helan 6, Loovens 7, Onyewu 7; Palmer 6, Lavery 7 (Prutton 84, -), Lee 6; Best 7 (Johnson 74, 6), Nuhiu 6, Maguire 7 (Afobe 84, -)

Subs not used: Davies, Coke, Mattock, Llera

Goals: Maguire 35 (penalty won Best), Best 51 (assisted Onyewu), Buxton 71 (unassisted)

Bookings: Buxton 28 (foul)

QPR: Murphy 5; Onuoha 4, Dunne 4, Hill 4, Hughes 3; Henry 4 (Kranjcar 45, 5), Barton 3; Hoilett 5 (Suk-Young 45, 4), Morrison 4, O’Neil 2 (Carroll 83, -); Zamora 2

Subs not used: Keane, Benayoun, Lennox, Maiga

Red Cards: Dunne 35 (professional foul, one match ban)

Queens Park Rangers 2 Sheffield Wednesday 1, Saturday August 3, 2014, Championship

Things didn’t look good for QPR 20 minutes into the first meeting between these sides that season either. After such a colossal turnover in personnel during the summer, and a Premier League season that brought just four paltry wins, nobody knew quite what to expect of the new look Rangers back in the second tier and when Wednesday’s debutant Albanian striker Atdhe Nuhiu lashed in from the edge of the box things did not look promising. The visitors had two very decent shouts for a penalty waved away by referee Scott Mathieson either side of half time as well but ultimately two quick fire first half goals won the points for Harry Redknapp’s side. Nedum Onuoha tapped home after a corner broke to him at the far post, then Andy Johnson volleyed in a fine second after keeper Chris Kirkland had saved an initial effort.

QPR: Green 6, Simpson 6, Onuoha 6, Hill 6, Traore 4, Barton 7 (Wright-Phillips 79, 6), Henry 6, Faurlin 6, Hoilett 7 (Jenas 87, -), Zamora 5 (Austin 68, 6), Johnson 7

Subs not used: Murphy, Dunne, Suk-Young, Derry

Goals: Onuoha 40 (assisted Hoilett), Johnson 43 (assisted Barton)

Bookings: Barton 56 (foul)

Sheff Wed: Kirkland 8, Zayatte 6, Gardner 6, Mattock 6 (Maghoma 37, 7), Palmer 6, Johnson 6, Prutton 6, Coke 6 (McCabe 69, 6), Antonio 5, Helan 6, Nuhiu 7 (Madine 76, 6)

Subs not used: Davies, Semedo, Taylor, Llera

Goals: Nuhiu 19 (unassisted)

Bookings: Palmer 19 (foul), Maghoma 57 (diving)

Queens Park Rangers 1 Sheffield Wednesday 1, Saturday April 3, 2010, Championship

QPR were in something of a mess the last time these sides met at Loftus Road back in April 2010. A promising start to the season under Jim Magilton had given way to a winter of complete chaos following his sacking. Brief spells in charge for first Paul Hart and then Mick Harford had seen Rangers drift from play off contenders into the relegation battle. Under fire owner Flavio Briatore had decided to take a back and seat and hand the day to day running of the club to Amit Bhatia and Neil Warnock had been poached from fellow financially crippled Crystal Palace. That arrested the side slightly, a run of seven defeats and two draws giving way to two consecutive wins following Warnock’s arrival but the R’s then found themselves drawing too many matches — this was thier fifth tie in six matches — which kept them dangerously close to the relegation places. It could easily have been a win — Ale Faurlin fired in his first goal for the club midway through the first half — but a dire second half saw Wednesday fight back and equalise through Tom Soares. A subsequent Easter mauling at Leicester had alarm bells ringing but Rangers subsequently won at Palace which meant late season victories over Barnsley and Watford cemented their place in the Championship. A year later, Warnock had them promoted as champions. Wednesday meanwhile were relegated on the final day when they failed to beat Palace at home, the side immediately above them.

QPR: C Ikeme, P Ramage, D Stewart, M Hill, K Gorkss, M Leigertwood, H Ephraim (L Cook, 81), A Taarabt yellow card, A Faurlin, T Priskin (R Vine, 89), J Simpson (A German, 73)

Subs not used: J Oastler, A Balanta, A Buzsaky, R Cerny

Goals: Faurlin 23

Sheff Wed: L Grant, D Purse, L Buxton, T Spurr, M Beevers, D Potter (L Clarke, 72), L Varney (J Johnson, 69), T Soares, E Nolan, J O'Connor, M Tudgay

Subs not used: R Hinds, M Gray, F Jeffers, R O'Donnell, F Simek

Goals: Soares 77

Attendance: 13,405

Sheffield Wednesday 1 Queens Park Rangers 2, Saturday November 7, 2009, Championship

Jim Magilton’s QPR side continued their play off push with a 2-1 victory against Sheffield Wednesday the last time these sides met at Hillsborough. Rangers had been in spectacular form leading up to the match, playing sumptuous football to sweep aside Barnsley (5-2) before embarking on a memorable seven day period where they beat Preston, Reading and Derby scoring 12 goals in the process — four in each. This was a much less fluent performance and although Arsenal loanee Jay Simpson finished across Lee Grant to give the visitors an early lead, Wednesday equalised immediately through Jermaine Johnson and were the better team for long periods. With the game apparently set for a draw, Rangers found a late winner thanks to an emphatic header from Latvian centre back Kaspars Gorkss who powered home a late Ale Faurlin corner in front of the travelling faithful behind the goal. Sadly a damaging defeat at Doncaster Rovers followed a week later and the season collapsed with subsequent thrashings by Watford and Middlesbrough leading to Magilton leaving the club under a cloud of controversy after an alleged dressing room attack on midfielder Akos Buzsaky.

Sheff Wed: Grant 6, Simek 6 (Richard Wood 72, 5), Buxton 7, Hinds 6, Spurr 6, Johnson 8 (Clarke 76, 5), Miller 7(McAllister 72, 6), Potter 6, O'Connor 7, Tudgay 5, Varney 6

Subs Not Used: O'Donnell, Sodje, Esajas, Beevers

Goals: Johnson 13 (assisted Potter)

QPR: Cerny 6, Leigertwood 4, Hall 4 (Connolly 27, 7), Gorkss 7, Ramage 5, Buzsaky 6 (Faurlin 68, 8), Mahon 6, Watson 6, Routledge 6,Taarabt 7 (Vine 88, -), Simpson 7

Subs Not Used: Heaton, Agyemang, Alberti, Ephraim

Goals: Simpson 10 (assisted Taarabt), Gorkss 82 (assisted Faurlin)

Attendance: 19,491

Previous Results

Head to Head >>> QPR wins 19 >>> Draws 14 >>> Sheff Wed wins 28

2013/14 Sheff Wed 3 QPR 0

2013/14 QPR 2 Sheff Wed 1 (Johnson, Onuoha)

2009/10 QPR 1 Sheff Wed 1 (Faurlin)

2009/10 Sheff Wed 1 QPR 2 (Simpson, Gorkss)

2008/09 QPR 3 Sheff Wed 2 (Mahon, Vine, Stewart)

2008/09 Sheff Wed 1 QPR 0

2007/08 Sheff Wed 2 QPR 1 (Delaney)

2007/08 QPR 0 Sheff Wed 0

2006/07 QPR 1 Sheff Wed 1 (Rowlands pen)

2006/07 Sheff Wed 3 QPR 2 (Blackstock 2)

2005/06 Sheff Wed 1 QPR 1 (Bircham)

2005/06 QPR 0 Sheff Wed 0

2003/04 Sheff Wed 1 QPR 3 (Gallen, Furlong, Carr og)

2003/04 QPR 3 Sheff Wed 0 (Palmer, Thorpe, McLeod)

2000/01 Sheff Wed 5 QPR 2 (Crouch 2)

2000/01 QPR 1 Sheff Wed 2 (Peacock pen)

1995/96 Sheff Wed 1 QPR 3 (Barker 2, Goodridge)

1995/96 QPR 0 Sheff Wed 3

1994/95 Sheff Wed 0 QPR 2 (Maddix, Ferdinand)

1994/95 QPR 3 Sheff Wed 2 (Ferdinand, Sinclair, Gallen)

1993/94 Sheff Wed 3 QPR 1 (White)

1993/94 QPR 1 Sheff Wed 2 (Ferdinand)

1993/94 QPR 1 Sheff Wed 2 (Meaker)*

1992/93 QPR 3 Sheff Wed 1 (Allen 2, Ferdinand)

1992/93 Sheff Wed 1 QPR 0

1992/93 Sheff Wed 4 QPR 0*

1991/92 QPR 1 Sheff Wed 1 (Wilkins)

1991/92 Sheff Wed 4 QPR 1 (Bailey)

1989/90 QPR 1 Sheff Wed 0 (Clarke)

1989/90 Sheff Wed 2 QPR 0

1988/89 Sheff Wed 0 QPR 2 (Falco, Allen)

1988/89 QPR 2 Sheff Wed 0 (T Francis 2 (1pen))

1987/88 QPR 1 Sheff Wed 1 (Coney)

1987/88 Sheff Wed 3 QPR 1 (Bannister)

1986/87 Sheff Wed 7 QPR 1 (Peacock)

1986/87 QPR 2 Sheff Wed 2 (Bannister, McDonald)

1985/86 Sheff Wed 0 QPR 0

1985/86 QPR 1 Sheff Wed 1 (James)

1984/85 Sheff Wed 3 QPR 1 (Fillery)

1984/85 QPR 0 Sheff Wed 0

1982/83 Sheff Wed 0 QPR 1 (Flanagan)

1982/83 QPR 0 Sheff Wed 2

1981/82 QPR 2 Sheff Wed 0 (Stainrod, Flanagan)

1981/82 Sheff Wed 1 QPR 3 (Stainrod 3)

1980/81 QPR 1 Sheff Wed 2 (Stainrod)

1980/81 Sheff Wed 1 QPR 0

1973/74 QPR 8 Sheff Wed 2* (Givens 2, Leach 2, Bowles, Francis, Mullen og, Cameron og)

1972/73 Sheff Wed 3 QPR 1 (Leach)

1972/73 QPR 4 Sheff Wed 2 (Francis, O’Rourke, Givens, Leach)

1971/72 Sheff Wed 0 QPR 0

1971/72 QPR 3 Sheff Wed 0 (Marsh 2 (1 pen), Francis)

1970/71 QPR 1 Sheff Wed 0 (Marsh)

1970/71 Sheff Wed 1 QPR 0

1968/69 Sheff Wed 4 QPR 0

1968/69 QPR 3 Sheff Wed 2 (Wilks, Bridges, leach)

1966/67 Sheff Wed 3 QPR 0**

1951/52 Sheff Wed 2 QPR 1 (Muir)

1951/52 QPR 2 Sheff Wed 2 (Addinall, Smith)

1949/50 QPR 0 Sheff Wed 0

1949/50 Sheff Wed 1 QPR 0

1948/49 QPR 1 Sheff Wed 3 (Heath)

1948/49 Sheff Wed 2 QPR 0

* - League Cup

** - FA Cup

Memorable Match

Queens Park Rangers 3 Sheffield Wednesday 2, Tuesday August 24, 1994, Premier League

Youth team protégé Kevin Gallen scored on his senior debut at Loftus Road to secure a late victory against Sheffield Wednesday back in August 1994.

Wednesday had something of an Indian sign over QPR around this time. Rangers had won only one of the previous eight meetings, losing six of them including a harrowing afternoon at Hillsborough where Carlton Palmer of all people had bagged a hat trick in a 4-1 win. Rangers lost twice at Hillsborough in league and cup in 1992/93 despite finishing fifth in the inaugural Premier League and in 1993/94 they’d lost twice to the northern team in the league and once at home in the League Cup.

So an opening day trip to Old Trafford — where Rangers had Clive Wilson sent off with the time still in single figures and went on to lose 2-0 — followed by a home game against Wednesday represented a tough start for Gerry Francis’ men. They’d finished ninth in the league the season before while the Owls, then managed by former QPR man Trevor Francis, had been seventh.

Things started well for the home team in front of Loftus Road’s first ever all seated attendance. Trevor Sinclair, who QPR had bought from Blackpool a year previously to replace Andy Sinton when he moved to Hillsborough, burst through on goal after 22 minutes following a defensive error but was denied one on one by keeper Kevin Pressman. That merely delayed the inevitable though and from the resulting corner a loose ball in the penalty box was stabbed home at close range by Les Ferdinand after a near post flick on by Steve Yates.

But Rangers, as the often seemed to do against these opponents, then rather mastered their own downfall. Simon Barker sprayed a pass to the right flank without looking only to find that full back David Bardsley had advanced to join the attack. It left Wednesday winger Ryan Taylor in possession of the ball and with the entire QPR half to run into unopposed. Rangers funnelled back as best they could but Taylor found David Hirst in the area and his smart turn and cross created a simple chance for John Sheridan to head home from close range at the Loft End of the ground.

That’s how it stayed until half time but the second half was to pan out in much the same way. Again QPR started the brighter of the two teams and scored an early goal when Ian Holloway’s deep corner was partly cleared and Trevor Sinclair seized on the loose ball on the edge of the area and drilled a low shot through a crowd of players and into the bottom corner. Pressman may have been peering through traffic and seen the ball late, but he’ll still have been disappointed to be beaten from that range at his near post with a daisy cutter.

And again Wednesday made the most of slack defending to roar back and equalise. Sheridan received his own corner back from a clearing header and crossed for a second time allowing Graham Hyde to steel in completely unmarked and head home from the edge of the six yard box. Wednesday no doubt fancied their chances of going onto win the game at this point.

But they’d reckoned without a fairytale ending for Gallen. Acton-born, raised a QPR fan and the name on everybody’s lips after extraordinary scoring feats in the youth set up, Gallen had been made to wait longer than he probably should have been by Francis for a first team chance. He’d broken Jimmy Greaves’ scoring records in the South East Counties youth leagues and helped Rangers lift the League Cup at junior level playing alongside another future first teamer Danny Dichio. He’d had a goal ruled out for offside at Old Trafford on day one but wasn’t in the mood to be denied a second time and with the game petering out into a draw he stepped forward to decide it in the R’s favour.

David Bardsley hung a ball up to the edge of the penalty box which Les Ferdinand rose to meet in typically powerful style and guided down for Ian Holloway arriving from deep. Holloway moved to the byline and cut the ball back, Ferdinand dummied over it at the near post and that left Kevin Gallen totally free and unmarked to scuff a shot into the bottom corner from eight yards out with Pressman helpless to do anything about it. The ground erupted, Gallen was given a standing ovation, and Rangers were off the mark for the season.

Rangers went on to finish eighth that season and Wednesday thirteenth. Garry Francis left midway through the campaign to be replaced by Ray Wilkins. Gallen finished his first senior season with 12 goals and went on to score 104 for the R’s in all competitions across two separate spells. Including one against Sheff Wed at Hillsborough in 2004 that helped seal QPR’s promotion from the Second Division.

QPR: Roberts, Bardsley, McDonald, Yates, Wilson, Impey, Holloway, Barker, Sinclair, Ferdinand, Gallen (Maddix 88)

Subs not used: Dykstra, Penrice

Goals: Ferdinand 22, Sinclair 57, Gallen 78

Bookings: McDonald 7

Sheff Wed: Pressman, Atherton, Nolan, Walker, Petrescu, Taylor, Sheridan, Hyde (Bart-Williams 87), Sinton (Jones 30), Hirst, Watson

Sub not used: Key

Goals: Sheridan 39, Hyde 75

Attendance 12, 788

Connections

Simon Stainrod >>> QPR 1980-1985 >>> Stoke 1987-1988

Simon Stainrod was the QPR number ten during the club’s revival in the early 1980s, led by manager Terry Venables.

He was also one of those rare players who turned out for both Sheffield clubs. Having been born in the Steel City he came through the ranks at Bramall Lane initially, signing professional terms in 1975 and scoring 14 goals in almost 67 appearances through to 1979 when he embarked on a spell on the other side of the Pennines with Oldham Athletic.

His time at United didn’t start well — his debut came in a 5-0 defeat at Spurs which sealed the Blades’ relegation to the Second Division. Given that they lost 14 and drew one of their first 16 league matches that season the demotion wasn’t a great surprise. Stainrod scored on his second appearance against Norwich a week later though — that 3-1 win was their first away maximum of the season just five games before the end of the campaign, and only their third win in total. Bizarrely the Blades actually won four and drew one of their last six.

Despite forging a good striking partnership with Keith Edwards during the following seasons Stainrod was sold to Oldham for a club record fee of £60,000 in March 1979. His debut for the Latics was somewhat better than his Sheffield United bow as he scored the second goal in a 2-0 home win against Blackburn. He was the top scorer for Oldham in the 1979/80 season with 11 goals but is better remembered by some for his antics in a game against Sheffield Wednesday where his play acting saw the Owls legend Terry Curran sent off and violent clashes on the terrace as a result.

Nevertheless, Venables spent £270,000 on him in November 1980. The former QPR midfielder didn’t get much wrong during his managerial reign in W12 and Stainrod proved to be an inspired signing as well, becoming the top scorer and focal point of the attack as the R’s reached the FA Cup final as a Second Division team in the 1981/82 campaign. Stainrod played in every round as Rangers fought through replays with Blackpool and Middlesbrough, then beat Grimsby and Crystal Palace, and finally defeated West Brom 1-0 at Highbury in the semi-final thanks to a goal from Clive Allen at the North Bank end. Stainrod played both the final and the replay against Spurs at Wembley — Rangers were of course eventually beaten 1-0 having drawn the first game 1-1.

Prior to the final Stainrod gave a bullish interview in the press about his side’s chances. Transcribed by Steve Russell on Indy R’s, Stainrod said: “Over the last few weeks we’ve proved that we have the players capable of winning the trophy. Some of our performances have been fantastic. We’ve annihilated some teams as we’ve tried for the Cup and promotion double. This is the best footballing side I’ve ever had the privilege of playing for. We combine hard work and determination with skill. As well as myself and Clive Allen, the team has so many other players who can score goals and turn the game on their own.

“I’ve always had confidence in my own ability and I know that I’m good enough to play at the top level. Wembley gives me the chance to prove to people I’m right. But I’m not going out there to show the world how good I am. I’ll just be doing my very best to win the game for Queen’s Park Rangers. I want to play a good game for the team. If I get a chance to shine then all well and good. At the end of the day the most important thing is victory.

“Many people are surprised to see us at Wembley, but I had a sneaking feeling that we’d reach the final. During all the controversy about the synthetic pitch at Loftus Road and rumours that we wouldn’t be allowed to play an FA Cup-tie at home, I said to the lads that we’d win the cup this year. It’s just the sort of ironic thing that happens in life.”
In the league he scored 24 times in 29 appearances as the R’s finished fifth — that included a hat trick against his home town club Sheffield Wednesday at Loftus Road in November to help the R’s to a 3-1 win.

A year later Venables led QPR to promotion and Stainrod made 33 appearances. He found goals a little harder to come by than the previous campaign, despite bagging two in an early 4-1 win at Derby and another a week later against Fulham. He missed nine matches midseason and finished the campaign with nine goals.

Stainrod appeared 60 times in the top flight for Rangers, scoring 16 goals in 45 appearances in the first year after promotion. The R’s finished fifth and qualified for the UEFA Cup, but Venables left to manage Barcelona and was replaced by Alan Mullery who turned out to be a disaster for the club. Stainrod scored one of the six goals the R’s managed in a home tie against Partizan Belgrade — actually played at Highbury because of the plastic pitch at Loftus Road — but they were beaten 4-0 in the away leg and went out on away goals.

John Byrne arrived from York City after he’d impressed against Rangers in the League Cup and as he struck up a partnership with Gary Bannister, Stainrod was deemed surplus to requirements. In December 1984, shortly after Byrne’s arrival Rangers sold Stainrod for £250,000.

Oddly, he moved to Sheffield Wednesday, who he claimed to have supported his whole life despite starting with Sheffield United, scoring freely against the Owls when in hoops, and putting in that less than savoury performance against them back in his Oldham days. The Wednesday fans doubted his credentials, needless to say. He finished his QPR career with 62 goals in 143 starts and two sub appearances.

His stay at Hillsborough was short and bitter, lasting just 15 matches before a fall out with manager Howard Wilkinson sent him on his way to Aston Villa for £370,000. Although he scored four times on his debut, in a League Cup tie with Exeter, Stainrod’s time at Villa Park was also unhappy and ended when they were relegated. Villa cashed in by selling him to Second Division Stoke City.

His time at the Victoria Ground was not a particularly successful one either as he’d started to suffer with injuries by this stage

He then played for Strasbourg and Rouen in France before returning to these shores as player manager of Falkirk where he won the First Division and later Dundee and Ayr — famously scoring a goal directly from the kick off for Falkirk against St Johnstone in the SPL.

He had been working as a football agent based in France and was part of the deal that brought Hatem Ben Arfa to Newcastle but had his license suspended by the FA in May last year for failing to provide documents when requested.

Others >>> Jay Bothroyd QPR 2011-2013, Sheff Wed (loan) 2012 >>> Leon Clarke, QPR 2006 (loan), 2010-2011, Sheff Wed 2007-2010 >>> Giles Coke, QPR 2003-2005, Sheff Wed 2010-present >>> Adam Bolder, QPR 2007-2009, Sheff Wed (loan) 2008 >>> Ben Sahar, QPR (loan) 2007, Sheff Wed (loan) 2008 >>> Jimmy Smith, QPR (loan) 2006-2007, Sheff Wed (loan) 2008-2009 >>> Leon Knight, QPR (loan) 2001, Sheff Wed (loan) 2002-2003 >>> Frankie Simek, QPR (loan) 2004, Sheff Wed 2005-2010 >>> Marlon Broomesm QPR (loan) 2000, Sheff Wed 2001-2002 >>> Danny Maddix, QPR 1987-2001, Sheff Wed 2001-2003 >>> Andy Sinton, QPR 1989-1993, Sheff Wed 1993-1996 >>> Trevor Francis, QPR 1988-1990, Sheff Wed 1990-1995 >>> Gary Bannister, Sheff Wed 1981-1984, QPR 1984-1988 >>> Chris Woods, 1979-1981, Sheff Wed 1991-1996 >>> Andy McCulloch, QPR 1970-1972, Sheff Wed 1979-1983 >>> Vic Mobley, Sheff Wed 1961-1969, QPR 1969-1971 >>>Steve Burtenshaw, Sheff Wed (manager) 1971-1974, QPR (manager) 1978-1979 >>> >>> Peter Springett, QPR 1963-1967, Sheff Wed 1967-1975 >>> Ron Springett, QPR 1953-1958, 1967-1969 >>> Mike Pinner, Sheff Wed 1957-1959, QPR 1959-1960 >>> Peter Baker, Sheff Wed 1957-1960, QPR 1960-1963

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Pictures — Action Images

Photo: Action Images

TacticalR added 19:53 - Oct 21 Great stuff. Strange to think that at the time of Gallen's debut the idea of decent players coming through the ranks was nothing remarkable.
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