Ahead of the visit of Crystal Palace to Loftus Road on Sunday, LFW looks back to 1999 when QPR needed to win this fixture on the final day to stay in the First Division.

Recent Meetings

QPR shrugged off seven FA charges relating to the Ale Faurlin transfer, levelled against them in the build up to the home game with Crystal Palace, to keep their title charge on track with a hard-fought 2-1 win. Heidar Helguson, as he had been at Selhurst Park in the corresponding fixture, was the difference between the sides, scoring twice. The Icelandic striker tapped in the first, his fifth goal in six appearances, from close range midway through the first half after decent approach work from Adel Taarabt. That goal was cancelled out just before half time, however, when James Vaughan seized Darren Ambrose's through ball and finished cooly past Paddy Kenny. The warning signs had been there — Vaughan had a goal disallowed for offside just 30 seconds before his legitimate equaliser. But the game swung back in favour of Neil Warnock's side when Patrick McCarthy grew weary of being tormented by Taarabt and hacked through the back of the Moroccan as he accelerated into the penalty box. McCarthy was sent off, Helguson converted the spot kick.

QPR: Kenny 7, Orr 7, Hall 7, Gorkss 7, Hill 7, Faurlin 8, Derry 8, Smith 7 (Ephraim 86, -), Taarabt 8 (Buzsaky 89, -), Routledge 7, Helguson 8

Subs Not Used: Cerny, Connolly, Hulse, Miller, Chimbonda

Booked: Taarabt (kicking ball away)

Goals: Helguson 20 (assisted Taarabt), 54 (penalty won Taarabt)

Crystal Palace: Speroni 7, Clyne 6, McCarthy 5, Gardner 7, Moxey 6, Ambrose 7, Wright 6 (Zaha 75, 6), Dikgacoi 6, Danns 7, Iversen 6 (Davis 55, 6), Vaughan 7 (Easter 62, 6)

Subs Not Used: Price, Scannell, Counago, Agustien

Sent Off: McCarthy 53 (denying obvious goal scoring opportunity)

Booked: Vaughan (foul), Danns (foul), Dikgacoi (foul)

Goals: Vaughan 40 (assisted Ambrose)

Crystal Palace 1 QPR 2, Saturday October 2, 2010, Championship

QPR secured a last, gasp winner at Selhurst Park on Neil Warnock’s second return to his former club in October that season. Rangers took the lead just after half time when Edgar Davids played a blind back pass straight to Jamie Mackie and after he’d rounded the onrushing Speroni in goal he unselfishly set up Adel Taarabt for a simple tap in from a yard out. Rangers were pretty mean defensively at this stage of the season and one looked like it was going to be enough until the final few minutes off the game when Palace sub Kieron Cadogan slammed in an equaliser for the lowly Eagles. And that looked to be that until injury time when Heidar Helguson powered in a header at the back post after Speroni had rushed out to claim the cross and missed it altogether. Palace claimed for a hand ball, or a foul, but referee Kevin Friend rightly allowed the goal to stand and the away support went home in jubilant mood.

Crystal Palace: Speroni 7, Clyne 7, Marrow 6, McCarthy 6, Bennett 7, Davids 5 (Gardner 56, 6), Garvan 7, Dorman 6 (Andrew 79, 7), Djilali 7, Zahar 8, Counago 5 (Cadogan 46, 7)

Subs Not Used: Price, Holness, N'Diaye, O'Keefe

Booked: Dorman (foul), Speroni (dissent)

Goals: Cadogan 89 (assisted Zahar)

QPR: Kenny 7, Walker 8, Connolly 7, Gorkss 8, Hill 7, Buzsaky 6 (Leigertwood 83, -), Derry 7, Mackie 8, Taarabt 7 (Smith 72, 7), Ephraim 8, Helguson 8

Subs Not Used: Rowlands, Agyemang, Cerny, Borrowdale, German

Booked: Ephraim (foul), Hill (kicking ball away)

Goals: Taarabt 49 (assisted Mackie), Helguson 90 (assisted Smith)

Previous Results

2010/11 QPR 2 Palace 1 (Helguson 2)

2010/11 Palace 1 QPR 2 (Taarabt, Helguson)

2009/10 Palace 0 QPR 2 (Buzsaky, Gorkss)

2009/10 QPR 1 Palace 1 (Buzsaky pen)

2008/09 QPR 0 Palace 0

2008/09 Palace 0 QPR 0

2007/08 QPR 1 Palace 2 (Stewart)

2007/08 Palace 1 QPR 1 (Sinclair)

2006/07 Palace 3 QPR 0

2006/07 QPR 4 Palace 2 (Smith 2, Gallen, Lomas)

2005/06 Palace 2 QPR 1 (Furlong)

2005/06 QPR 1 Palace 3 (Ainsworth)

2000/01 QPR 1 Palace 1 (Crouch)

2000/01 Palace 1 QPR 1 (Carlisle)

1999/00 QPR 0 Palace 1

1999/00 Palace 3 QPR 0

1998/99 QPR 6 Palace 0 (Kiwomya 3, Kulscar, Scully, Breaker)

1998/99 Palace 1 QPR 1 (Steiner)

1996/97 QPR 0 Palace 1

1996/97 Palace 3 QPR 0

1994/95 QPR 0 Palace 1

1994/95 Palace 0 QPR 0

1992/93 Palace 1 QPR 1 (Allen)

1992/93 QPR 1 Palace 3 (Penrice)

1991/92 Palace 2 QPR 2 (Barker, Wegerle)

1991/92 QPR 2 Palace 3 (Wilkins, Bardsley)*

1991/92 QPR 1 Palace 0 (Humphreys og)

1990/91 Palace 0 QPR 0

1990/91 QPR 1 Palace 2 (Wegerle)

1989/90 Palace 0 QPR 3 (Sinton 2, Maddix)

1989/90 QPR 2 Palace 0 (Wright 2)

1982/83 Palace 0 QPR 3 (Allen 2, Hazell)

1982/83 QPR 0 Palace 0

1981/82 QPR 1 Palace 0** (Allen)

1981/82 Palace 0 QPR 0

1981/82 QPR 1 Palace 0 (Stainrod)

1967/68 QPR 2 Palace 1 (Wilks, Morgan)

1967/68 Palace 1 QPR 0

1963/64 Palace 1 QPR 0

1963/64 QPR 3 Palace 4 (Collins 2, Bedford)

1962/63 Palace 1 QPR 0

1962/63 QPR 4 Palace 1 (Bedford 2, Angell, Large)

1961/62 QPR 1 Palace 0 (Evans)

1961/62 QPR 5 Palace 2*** (Bedford 2, Francis 2, Angell)

1961/62 Palace 2 QPR 2 (Lazarus 2)

1957/58 QPR 4 Palace 2 (Kerrins, Longbottom, Locke, Cameron)

1957/58 Palace 2 QPR 3 (Kerrins, Longbottom, Locke)

1956/57 QPR 4 Palace 2 (Cameron 2, Kerrins 2)

1956/57 Palace 2 QPR 1 (Peacock)

1955/56 Palace 1 QPR 1 (Shepherd)

1955/56 QPR 0 Palace 3

1954/55 QPR 1 Palace 0 (Clark)

1954/55 Palace 2 QPR 1 (Clark)

1953/54 Palace 0 QPR 3 (Smith 2, Shepherd)

1953/54 QPR 1 Palace 1 (Shepherd)

1952/53 QPR 1 Palace 1 (Cameron)

1952/53 Palace 4 QPR 2 (Addinall, Ingham)

1947/48 Palace 0 QPR 1 (Hartburn)

1947/48 QPR 1 Palace 0 (Chapman)

1946/47 QPR 1 Palace 2 (Pattison)

1946/47 Palace 0 QPR 0

1945/46 QPR 1 Palace 0**

1945/46 QPR 0 Palace 0

1945/46 Palace 0 QPR 0

1938/39 Palace 0 QPR 1 (McEwan)

1938/39 QPR 3 Palace 0** (Cheetham 2, Bott)

1938/39 Palace 1 QPR 1** (Cheetham)

1938/39 QPR 1 Palace 2 (Fitzgerald)

1937/38 Palace 4 QPR 0

1937/38 QPR 1 Palace 0 (McMahon)

1936/37 QPR 1 Palace 3 (McMahon)

1936/37 Palace 0 QPR 0

1935/36 Palace 0 QPR 2 (Cheetham, Crawford)

1935/36 QPR 3 Palace 0 (Cheetham 3)

1934/35 Palace 2 QPR 3 (Hammond, Blackman, Reed)

1934/35 QPR 3 Palace 3 (Blake, Crawford, Blackman)

1933/34 Palace 4 QPR 1 (Blackman)

1933/34 QPR 2 Palace 1 (Blackman, Blake)

1932/33 Palace 0 QPR 1 (Rounce)

1932/33 QPR 2 Palace 1 (Wiles, Blackman)

1931/32 QPR 2 Palace 2 (Blackman, Rounce)

1931/32 Palace 1 QPR 1 (Goddard)

1930/31 Palace 4 QPR 0

1930/31 QPR 4 Palace 0 (Rounce 3, Coward)

1929/30 QPR 4 Palace 1 (Rounce 2, Burns, Goddard)

1929/30 Palace 1 QPR 1 (Wiles)

1928/29 QPR 1 Palace 1 (Goddard)

1928/29 Palace 1 QPR 4 (Goddard 3, Coward)

1927/28 QPR 2 Palace 0 (Swan, Goddard)

1927/28 Palace 1 QPR 1 (Lofthouse)

1926/27 QPR 0 Palace 2

1926/27 Palace 2 QPR 1 (Varco)

1925/26 QPR 1 Palace 3 (Burgess)

1925/26 Palace 1 QPR 0

1922/23 QPR 1 Palace 0** (Gregory)

1920/21 Palace 0 QPR 0

1920/21 QPR 3 Palace 0 (Birch 2, Gregory)

*Zenith Data Systems Cup

** FA Cup

*** League Cup

Memorable Match

The Chris Wright era had turned sour. Thoughts of an immediate return to the Premier League and a glorious new moneyed ownership sweeping aside the miserly Thompson era had given way to dreadful financial planning, even worse managerial appointments, and such transfers as Steve Morrow from Arsenal for £1m, Matthew Rose from Arsenal for £600k, and the criminal swap deal that saw Iain Dowie and Keith Rowland “sweeten” a scandalous £1m paid for Trevor Sinclair — the club's last sellable asset.

Stuart Houston, whose reign was undermined by his own choice of assistant — Bruce Rioch — had given way and Ray Harford had arrived. Harford, who'd been streaking away at the top of the First Division with West Brom without ever signing a contract, was drawn to Loftus Road by its London location and strike force. “Give me Kevin Gallen, John Spencer and Mike Sheron and I'll get you promoted no problem at all,” he'd said.

Naturally, it didn't turn out that way. QPR also did a number of deals with agent Barry Silkman which saw the team populated with luminaries such bas Tony Scully and Ademole Bankole. It was the worst QPR team in living memory prior to 2012/13 and it was only the late loan signings of Neil Ruddock and Vinnie Jones which kept the R's up the previous season courtesy of a run of six draws at the end of the year culminating in the Jamie Pollock 2-2 at Maine Road which relegated Man City instead of Rangers.

Things didn't get a lot better in 1998/99. Spencer and Ruddock were long gone, followed shortly by Jones who deserted the club and pursued a Hollywood acting career, while still earning money from QPR, after he was overlooked as Harford's replacement. The manager inevitably sacked after a despicable 4-1 defeat at lowly Oxford — a result that left the R's nursing a record of one win from their first 13 matches.

Wright summoned club legend Gerry Francis and persuaded him to take on the impossible job. If the music mogul had hoped for new manager bounce, he was to be disappointed — Francis lost his first five matches in charge. The sixth came at home to Barnsley on a Wednesday night. The team so threadbare and low on confidence that Francis, seriously, told the groundsman to start watering the pitch to see if they could get the match called off. It went ahead. Francis plucked Richard Langley from the Rangers youth team for a full debut and he scored in a 2-1 win. That Saturday the R's beat Bolton 2-0 and followed it with a 2-0 win at Crewe and 3-0 success at Bradford. Gerry was back.

But this was still an exercise in turd polishing. QPR were dreadful and although Francis was able to bring in veteran goalkeeper Ludek Miklosko on Christmas Day, spending some of his own money to push it through, and discover former Arsenal and Ipswich striker Chris Kiwomya kicking around on a free transfer, this was always going to be a season of struggle. Rangers followed the Bradford win with a 3-2 victory against Port Vale and a 2-0 Boxing Day win at home to Norwich. They then won one of the next 12. Desperate, desperate times.

Victories against Swindon and West Brom at Loftus Road seemed to have eased relegation fears but Francis' side lost five consecutive matches right at the end of the season including a 2-0 set back at Port Vale on the penultimate weekend in front of several thousand travelling Londoners which seemed like the final nail in the coffin.

It all came down to the final day against Crystal Palace at Loftus Road. Bury on 44 points and Port Vale on 47 played each other, Oxford on 41 hosted Stockport. QPR, on 44, had to win to be sure. And to be honest, having sat here for an hour on Christmas Eve, and watched the season back again, with Tony Incenzo's dubbed on commentary bemoaning perceived refereeing injustices and unfortunate near misses while Ludek Miklosko drops balls into his own net, Karl Ready keeps getting sent off, goals keep bobbling in pathetically after shambolic defending, and Gavin Peacock keeps popping up as a talking head saying “might have got a point at Grimsby on another night” and “bit unlucky against Crewe” and so on so forth... I have absolutely no idea how what happened next happened. I thought it was bloody dodgy at the time, and looking back on it now on the season video it's positively crooked. This was a horrible, horrible QPR team, almost completely devoid of any ability whatsoever, and nursing 14 first team injuries going into the game.

Crystal Palace were slap bang in the middle of the table. Safe, with no promotion chance, but in the midst of the Mark Goldberg meltdown following Terry Venables ill-fated return to the club as manager at the start of the campaign.

The game kicked off in front of a capacity crowd, with the pitch covered in black balloons from a Palace protest behind the goal. Referee Paul Rejer decided to start the game anyway, resulting in a farcical opening eight minutes after which the first goal was scored. Palace cleared a cross from Keith Rowland out to the edge of the area where George Kulscar took a characteristically awful first touch and then, when it eventually dropped out of the sky, volleyed home from 20 yards. Kulscar had never done anything like it before, and has never repeated the act since. Goalkeeper Kevin Miller watched the ball from the moment it left Kulscar's boot, and continued to watch it — standing absolutely motionless — as it flew into the net a yard or so to his right. He saw it all the way.

That rather set the tone. Rangers would end up with six while Palace had two men sent off.

Two minutes before half time Palace allowed a long goal kick from Miklosko to bounce gently into their penalty box where Chris Kiwomya flicked it past Miller with his head, collected the rebound off the post and scored into the open goal.

The first red card went the way of Chinese international Fan Zhiyi who, taking exception to referee Rejer juggling the ball when Palace wanted to get on with their throw in, shoved the referee out the way and was sent from the field. It was 3-0 within six minutes — Miller rushing from his line to flap down a chipped free kick from Tony Scully straight into the path of Kiwomya who hooked home.

Things got really silly when Scully drew his boot back 15 minutes from time and lashed home an unstoppable volley, and the ten became nine when David Woozley was dismissed for pulling Scully back as he attempted to tap in Steve Slade's low cross. Kiwomya missed the resulting penalty, Tim Breaker scored the rebound from half a yard out.

Kiwomya sealed his hat trick with four minutes to go. Scully crossed, Kiwomya headed straight at Miller. Then he headed straight at Miller again. And finally he bundled the ball in from a yard out as the season video commentator screamed “what a goal”.

Gerry Francis said: “I was relaxed for the last minute when we were 5-0 up. Having had 17 years here, been captain for our highest ever league place, been manager here for the second highest finish, I did not want to be the manager that took them down. I dreaded that. To stay up was very important to the club and the supporters but no more important than it was for me.

“Results don't lie, certainly not for two seasons. The team and the squad isn't good enough. We have to get better within our financial situation.”

Francis' new look Rangers finished tenth the year after.

QPR: L Miklosko, T Breacker, I Baraclough, G Kulcsar, A Linighan, D Maddix, A Scully, G Peacock, K Rowland (P Murray, 86), S Slade, C Kiwomya (K Gallen, 86)

Subs not used: Plummer

Goals: Kulscar 8, Kiwomya 43, 56, 85, Scully 76, Breaker 82

Bookings: Slade

Palace: K Miller, A Frampton, D Woozley, D Austin, S Thomson, C Foster (S Burton, 55), Fan Zhiyi, A Martin (W Carlisle, 52), C Morrison, H Mullins

Red Cards: Zhiyi 48, Woozley 82

Bookings: Austin

Connections

Nearly everyone of the Allen footballing family has had a spell down a Loftus Road over the years and all are remembered fondly by Rangers fans, but perhaps none more so then Clive.

The son of former R’s player and manager Les, Allen continued the family dynasty by joining Rangers as a youngster and making his debut for the club in 1978. And what a debut it was, with the striker scoring a hat-trick in a 5-1 romp of Coventry City but he couldn’t prevent Rangers being relegated that season.

In the R’s quest for an instant top-flight return Allen became Tommy Docherty’s first choice striker, scoring 28 goals that season but unfortunately not enough to help Rangers promoted. This led to Arsenal swooping for the front man that summer, paying £1.25 million for his services-which was big money at the time especially as Allen was still a teenager. What followed though was a bizarre turn of events that saw Allen fail to make a single appearance for the Gunners and was sold on to Crystal Palace just two months after joining. There were rumours at the time that Arsenal just acted as a go between so they could sign Kenny Sansom from Palace. In a season at Selhurst Park, Allen scored eight goals for the Eagles but the team were relegated and Allen decided to move back to Rangers and get his career back on track.

QPR were still in the Second Division but now under one of the many other connections between the R’s and the Eagles Terry Venables and the combination of him and Allen helped Rangers enjoy some of the clubs most memorable moments of the decade. In his first season back at Loftus Road, Rangers just missed on promotion once again but did make their first ever FA Cup Final, with Allen scoring the all important goals against his old club Palace in the quarter final and West Brom in the semi. It was Tottenham who Rangers faced at Wembley but it didn’t go well for Clive as he picked up an injury and was taken off in the second half as the game ended 1-1. The injury meant he missed the replay which Rangers lost to a disputed Glenn Hoddle penalty.

Over the next two seasons Allen scored 27 goals for the R’s, helping them finally win promotion and consolidate their place in the top flight. He also won his first of five England caps in a 2-0 win against Brazil. In 1984 Allen left Rangers and joined his father’s other former club Tottenham and would go on to enjoy a successful spell, winning the PFA and Football Writers Player of the Year award in 1988 thanks to his 49 goals that season. Allen went on to appear for six more clubs including Chelsea and Bordeaux (and a spell with American Football side London Monarchs) before moving into coaching at Tottenham where he has had a number of different roles.

Others >>> Andy Johnson, Palace 2014-present, 2002-2006, QPR 2012-2014 >>> Jason Puncheon, Palace 2013-present, QPR (loan) 2011 >>> Damien Delaney, Palace 2012-present, QPR 2008-2009 >>> Jerome Thomas, Palace 2013-present, QPR (loan) 2002 >>> Danny Gabbidon, Palace 2012-2014, QPR 2011-2012 >>> Clint Hill, QPR 2010-present, Palace 2008-2010 >>> Shaun Derry, QPR 2010-2013, Palace 2007-2010, 2002-2005 >>> Wayne Routledge, QPR 2009-2010, (loan) 2011, Palace 2001-2005 >>> Neil Warnock, (manager) 2014-present, 2007-2010, QPR (manager) 2010-2012 >>> Marcus Bent, QPR (loan) 2010, Palace 1998-1999 >>> Ben Watson, QPR (loan) 2009, Palace 2003-2009 >>> Mikele Leigertwood, QPR 2007-2011, Palace 2004-2006 >>> Peter Ramage, Palace 2011-2012, QPR 2008-2012 >>> Gavin Mahon, Palace (loan) 2011, QPR 2008-2011 >>> Fitz Hall, QPR 2008-2012, Palace 2004-2006 >>> Scott Sinclair, Palace (loan) 2008, QPR (loan) 2007 >>> Gary Borrowdale, QPR 2009-2013, Palace 2002-2007 >>> Andrew Davies, Palace (loan) 2011, QPR (loan) 2005 >>> Fraser Digby, QPR 2001-2003, Palace 1998-2000 >>> Fernando De Ornelas, QPR 2001, Palace 1999 >>> Chris Day, QPR 2001-2005, Palace 1996-1997 >>> Andy Linighan, QPR (loan) 1999, Palace 1997-2000 >>> Tony Scully, QPR 1998-2001, Palace 1993-1997 >>> Iain Dowie, QPR (manager) 2008, Palace (manager) 2003-2006, QPR 1998-2001, Palace 1995 >>> Neil Ruddock, Palace 2000-2001, QPR (loan) 1998 >>> Darren Ward, Palace 2005-2007, QPR (loan) 1999-2000 >>> Simon Osborn, QPR 1995, Palace 1988-1994 >>> Mark Kennedy, Palace 2006-2008, QPR (loan) 1998 >>> Dougie Freedman, Palace (manager) 2011-2012, 2000-2008, 1995-1997, QPR 1992-1994 >>> Trevor Francis, Palace (manager) 2001-2003, QPR (player/manager) 1988-1990 >>> Ray Wilkins, QPR (manager) 1994-1996, 1989-1994, Palace 1994 >>> Dennis Bailey, QPR 1991-1995, Palace 1987-1989 >>> Garry Thompson, QPR 1991-1993, Palace 1990-1991 >>> Tony Witter, QPR 1991-1993, Palace 1990-1991 >>> Andy Gray, Palace 1989-1992, 1984-1987, QPR 1989 >>> Mark Dennis, Palace 1989-1990, QPR 1987-1988 >>> Paul Barron, QPR 1985-1988, Palace 1980-1982 >>> Kenny Sansom, QPR 1989-1991, Palace 1975-1980 >>> Terry Fenwick, QPR 1980-1987, Palace 1976-1980 >>> Jimmy Carter, QPR 1985-1987, Palace 1983-1985 >>> Barry Silkman, QPR 1980-1981, Palace 1976-1978 >>> Steve Wicks, QPR 1981-1986, 1979-1981, Palace 1981 >>> Mike Flanagan QPR 1980-1982, Palace 1979-1980 >>> Tommy Langley, Palace 1981-1983, QPR 1980-1981 >>> Tony Sealy, QPR 1981-1983, Palace 1979-1981 >>> Rachid Harkouk, QPR 1978-1980, Palace 1976-1978 >>> Ian Evans, Palace 1974-1979, QPR 1970-1974 >>> John Burridge, QPR 1980-1982, Palace 1978-1980 >>> Don Rogers, QPR 1974-1976, Palace 1972-1974 >>> Alan Mullery, QPR (manager) 1984, Palace (manager) 1982-1984 >>> Terry Venables, Palace (manager) 1998-1999, (manager) 1976-1980, 1974-1976, QPR (manager) 1980-1984, 1969-1974 >>> Gerry Francis, QPR (manager) 1998-2001, (manager) 1991-1994, 1981-1982, 1968-1979, Palace 1979-1981 >>> Dave Sexton, QPR (manager) 1974-1977, Palace 1959 >>> Tony Hazell, Palace 1978-1979, QPR 1964-1974 >>> Mark Lazarus, Palace 1967-1969, QPR 1966-1967, 1962-1964, 1960-1961 >>> Bert Addinall, Palace 1953-1954, QPR 1943-1953

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TacticalR added 13:10 - Dec 27 Thanks for your recap of a very grim season (1998/99).
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double_m added 10:37 - Dec 28 Oh? For all these years I'd thought the ref was Rob Styles, and that he somehow blamed us for his poor officiating that day, resulting in what seemed like a personal vendetta against us every game we had him. Christ, what could've been the real reason he seemed to hate us so much?
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