Ash takes his usual look back at a memorable match and players that have played for both clubs as QPR prepare to tackle high flying Preston at Loftus Road.

Rangers head back to HQ this weekend after a week where we finally scored that elusive away goal- but could not cling on for the win, and seen our coup of the summer head back to Spain after never really coming to terms with life in the Championship. With just a point from our last two games on the road a Parejo-less Rangers entertain Preston this Saturday hoping to get back to winning ways and keep up our credible home form this campaign. Preston are coming off the back off of 1-0 win over Birmingham last Saturday evening and currently sit three places above the R’s in the Championship table, we need to avoid defeat to Alan Irvine’s tough Preston side to avoid a bigger gap appearing between Rangers and the play-off places.

Preston first visited the Loft in 1949 in a game that ended in a goalless draw. Last year the R’s fought back from 2-0 down in the dying minutes to draw level. So lets take a walk down the blue and white hooped path of memory lane and remember a Dex survival special and two popular players who have played for both teams.

Memorable Match
Queens Park Rangers 1-0 Preston North End
3rd April 2007
Championship
None of the few meetings between these two sides have been more important than the game played in April 2007. With Rangers fighting a relegation battle their match with Preston was our game in hand that all the fans had been counting on to nab three vital points and get some breathing space away from the wrong end of the table. On a colder than usual April night down at the Loft, the fans were in good voice but you could sense that there were some nervous faces amongst the singing. A goalless first half and an glaring miss by David Nugent did anything but calm those nerves but five minutes into the second period Rangers got just the tonic we needed.

A long ball down field towards the school end from big Marco Van Nygaard was sublimely controlled on his chest by Dexter Blackstock and then matched by an unstoppable left foot volley that thundered into the top corner of the Preston net, giving Lonergan no chance.

The ground went into rapture’s and the crowd sang Blackstock’s name to the tune of Pigbag, the R’s top scorer had done it again. The last half an hour Rangers survived a barrage of North End attacks as they threw on Dichico and Agyemang in a four-pronged attack. But with the crowd acting as a twelfth man and some dogged Rangers defending the Superhoops clung onto a vital three points that went a low way in securing their status in the Championship. The fans stayed back after the game to salute their heroes, in one of those nights that only seem to happen at Loftus Road. A month later, Dexter’s stunning volley was voted QPR goal of the season by fans on the official website.

QPR: Camp, Mancienne (Kanyuka) Stewart, Cullip, Bignot, Ainsworth, Lomas, Bolder, Cook (Ricketts (Smith)) Blackstock, Nygaard

Preston: Lonergan, Alexander, Ledger, Chilvers, Hill (Wilson) Songo'o (Agyemang) Whaley (Dichio) Sedgwick, Pugh, Nugent, Ricketts

Postscript: QPR confirmed their Championship status for another season with a 1-0 win over Cardiff and eventually finished in 17th place. Preston missed out on the play-offs by one place and one point.

Player Connections
Gareth Ainsworth
Preston 1991-1995 & 2002
QPR 2003-Present
Wild Thing first spread his wings at Preston, beginning his career at Deepdale. Like at many of the clubs Ains has played for he was a big fans’ favourite at North End in two different spells at the club. After scoring fourteen goals in just under four seasons at Preston, Gareth moved to Lincoln where he was such a cult hero he came fourth in a poll to find the 100 best players to play for the Imps. Two seasons at Port Vale followed before Ains got his big move to the Premier League with a £2 million transfer to Wimbledon. Unfortunately injuries hampered his career with the Dons and found himself struggling for a first team place. Craig Brown brought him back to Preston on loan and it looked like a permanent transfer was on the horizon until Gareth chose Cardiff instead.

He only lasted one season in Wales and in 2003 signed for QPR and he got off to the perfect start with two goals in an opening day 5-0 romp against Blackpool. That was followed up a month later with two of the greatest goals to ever come off a QPR boot in the 3-3 draw with Rushden and Diamonds. Over the next five seasons Gareth would become one of the most popular players at Loftus Road and build a real bond with both the fans and the club.

Last year under Gigi De Canio, he became a vital voice on the touchline between the manger and players which was rewarded and the start of this campaign when he was named player/coach as Iain Dowie was installed as manager. Fifteen games later Ainsworth found himself in complete control of the R’s in a caretaker basis as Dowie was sacked. He was in charge of Rangers for five games including a hard-fought point at Reading and beating promotion chasing Birmingham at Loftus Road with just ten men. Now very much part of Paulo Sousa’s backroom staff and Rangers longest-serving player. There really is only one Gareth Ainsworth.
Magic R’s moment: Last season Rangers were 2-0 down to Preston (ironically) when Gareth came off the bench with a goal and assist in injury time to draw R’s level. So typical Wild Thing.

Danny Dichio
QPR 1993-1997
Preston 2005-2007
I can still see Danny whacking that incredible volley into the back of the net against Wolves back in 1996, a goal which probably got him his move to Italy! It’s still one of my favourite Rangers goals. Dichio rose through the ranks at QPR, and built up a lethal strike partnership with Kevin Gallen at reserve level, which saw them make their first team breakthrough the same season. Danny’s made his debut for the R’s in a 4-2 defeat to Norwich in October 1994 and went on to score just over 20 goals in nearly 85 appearances, with a good majority coming in the top-flight. After a season with Rangers in the First Division Danny somehow signed for Italia side Sampdoria! However his spell in Italy was brief and only made the odd cup appearance with Sampdoria and was farmed out on loan to Lecce. Danny soon moved back to England first with Sunderland, and then WBA where he enjoyed promotion back to the Premier League at both clubs before moving onto Mill wall and then two seasons at Deepdale. Now successfully plying his trade in the MLS with Toronto FC.
Magic R’s moment: That Wolves goal-pure class!

Others:
Michael Robinson Preston 1975-79, QPR 1984-86. Now the Spanish Gary Lineker
Paul McGee QPR 1977-79, Preston 1979-82. Was assistant manager at Cork until August
Marlon Broomes QPR (loan) 2000, Preston 2002-05. Now at Blackpool
Brett Angell Preston (loan) 2000, QPR 2002-03. Now a local radio pundit
Chris Day QPR 2001-05, Preston (loan) 2005. Now at Stevenage
Patrick Agyemang Preston 2004-08, QPR 2008-present
Jason Jarrett Preston 2006-present, QPR (loan) 2007. Now on loan at Oldham

Fans’ Memories
It was one of those rarefied nights when Loftus Road literally rocked. We were the twelfth man, on a bitterly cold night. It took ages to get out afterwards too because no-one wanted to leave. Those vital three points almost certainly saved us from the drop and it was a time to savour. Of all the Northern Clubs, PNE I have respect for, a proper old world football club, unassuming and quiet, amongst there grotesque and flash neighbours. Qualities sadly lacking these days. Unfortunate to not have made the Prem in recent times too, so after Saturday I wish them well as ever - BrightonHoop

The big thing about that match was it was our game in hand on all the sides around us, was meant to be played on a Saturday earlier in the season but Preston had FA Cup commitments. I remember the second half being a real backs to the wall effort with several of the QPR players playing injured and Preston coming at us with a front four of Nugent, Agyemang, Dichio and Ricketts. I don't think we actually went out of our penalty area for nearly half an hour, then right at the end Blackstock should have made it two when Smith broke away. Nerve jangling stuff, great atmosphere, everybody was standing up by the end because we just couldn't stand to sit any more - Northernr

Typically, I'll go back a long way to 1967/8 when we played Preston in the cup. Top of the division, we looked certain to win but a certain Archie Gemmell scored a wonder goal against us and we lost, I think, 2-0. He later went on to international fame scoring a similar goal for Scotland against Holland in 1978 (?) World Cup – Old Nick

We’ve hardly played Preston since then in 67 apart from the past three or four seasons. This was in my first season following QPR. We played them in the cup then the following Saturday at home again in the league. We won the first but lost the second from memory - Enfieldargh

To add your memories post on the message board, use the commenting facility below or e-mail us at loftforwords@yahoo.co.uk.

Photo: Action Images

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