On Friday night, under the lights at Loftus Road, Queens Park Rangers landed on their wheels, pulled over and asked what you were worried about.

To support Queens Park Rangers can feel like being locked into a never-ending search for a long-lost past.

There’s a brick wall that runs around the green on Batman Close that I used to sit on with my grandad. We’d be sent on our way from The Goldhawk a little after two to give his crumbling knee and ailing heart the time to walk up to the ground – difficult to tell who was really looking after who in this relationship. We’d sit on the wall and look back down through the crowd on Loftus Road waiting for my dad’s bald pate to appear above the throngs, eking out every last second and beer he could, and then with a trademark hand in the air, flick of the wrist, the signal was given to walk round to the turnstiles, climb the stairs and enter the Upper Loft. Once inside I could run on ahead, along the concourse, to the far end of the stand and our usual spot at the back of the P Block, eager not to miss the kick off. Tina Turner spilling down the stairwells as I weaved between the adults queueing for pies and pints. 1 Jan Stejskal, 2 David Bardsley, 3 Clive Wilson, 4 Ray Wilkins, 5 Darren Peacock, 6 Alan McDonald, 7 Andy Impey, 8 Ian Holloway, 9 Les Ferdinand, 10 Bradley Allen, 11 Andy Sinton. Let’s play ball.

You take these times and people for granted when they’re happening to you. You assume that it will always be like this, and they’ll be around forever, until it’s not, and they’re not. You’re complacent about it, it slips by in a heartbeat, and then you spend the rest of your life frantically clawing around trying to get scraps of it back. Travelling to Crewe, by yourself, to watch Steve Morrow and Karl Ready, your dreams turning to dust and sliding away between your fingers. Frequently lonely, often miserable.

So much of following QPR for so many of my generation, and the one before it, is about this constant reach back into the past, trying to grasp that illusive way it used to make you feel. Lucas Andersen, who seems to be falling in love with us almost as quickly as we’re becoming smitten with him, said something recently about QPR being a club where you’re a fan because the whole family are fans. You’re going to Loftus Road this weekend because dad would have been going to Loftus Road this weekend, or grandad, or mum, or brother, or sister. You remember those people, and want to feel that connection to them again. You’re going because you remember this club beating Man Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, because you remember Bowles, Thomas and Francis, or Ferdinand, Sinton and Wilkins. You remember how that all felt, and you want to feel like that again.

We tell ourselves the long barren years make the rare highs feel so much better, that you enjoy victories so much more because you sat through the midweek defeats at Stoke, that you have to go through the 6-1’s at Blackpool to truly draw the full hit of pleasure from the wins that eventually follow – sometimes many months later. We tell ourselves Man City fans must be bored. But those defeats hurt so much because they feel like a personal affront, because you know QPR can be so much better than this, because they’re moving you ever further away from the illusive feeling you know this life can provide if only this player or that would realise how much this matters and pull their bloody finger out.

The club itself, so desperate to please, frequently does this lazy, nostalgic reach as well. It re-signs Charlie Austin, Lee Cook or Jamie Mackie; it brings back Ian Holloway, Les Ferdinand or Gary Waddock; very, very frequently, it picks up the phone and calls Gerry Francis. Pacification from the Kerry Katona school of parenting. Oooh it's Gareth Ainsworth, look, you like Gareth Ainsworth don't you? Please stop crying. Blackburn come to Shepherd’s Bush and win 4-0. And that feeling, that euphoria, that pride remains just a couple more times over the horizon. Ever out of reach.

Then Leeds United turn up.

Every generation of QPR supporter has a Leeds United at Loftus Road story. Whether you’re a child of the 70s, crammed into the old Loft, trying to reach up and see over the heads if Stan Bowles’ shot had crept in to keep title hopes alive, or a 90s baby like myself who remembers oh so many Les Ferdinand goals and Andy Sinton giving Chris Whyte such a fright in the end he deliberately booted him up in the air for a red card he was relieved to receive. Even the newcomers have Luke Freeman’s emperor penguin routine, and Ebere Eze making Kalvin Phillips look like, well, like Kalvin Phillips. The much-revered Marcelo Bielsa lost three times in two years with Leeds here, the only away ground he’s been beaten three times on in his career.

Leeds Leeds Leeds. Yorkshire Yorkshire Yorkshire. They never stop banging on about the place, how massive the club is, how they’d absolutely have taken more than you did, and about how there’s some divine right to a place in the Premier League for a club of this size. How is a club this big outside the Premier League? A club this size should be in the Premier League. The Premier League needs a strong Leeds United. Leeds United are a Premier League club. That they’ve spent as much time in League One as the top flight in the last 20 years is for pub bores. Your recollections of all those visits to Elland Road with that upper tier empty and closed to supporters are incorrect. This is Leeds United we’re talking about here. Leeds Leeds Leeds. Yorkshire Yorkshire Yorkshire. And they turn up at little old Loftus Road, every single time, expecting insignificant, idiot scum like QPR to just roll over. Don Goodman's predicting a win. And Don Goodman is in for a shock.

On Friday night, Rangers weren’t having it. They weren’t having it at all. 90 points? 27 wins? Automatic promotion? Give a fuck mate. We’ve heard about your Blockbusters, and you’ll need more than that tonight. A strong start, on a high press, Chris Willock driving down Main Street, eschewing a shot at the end of the run when he surely would have unleased 18 months ago. Steve Cook’s ropey pass into midfield dealt with strongly by Sam Field. Jack Colback snapping and biting. And Willy Gnonto sat down because somebody poked him in the eye. The poor love.

QPR looked keen and at it. Leeds looked light of weight and low on concentration. It took seven minutes to tell in goals. Ilias Chair allowed to collect the ball in space, run towards the penalty area unchallenged, and then step inside onto his right foot for a shot. Had the visitors done any video prep work for this game at all, or just expected to turn up? This is QPR module 1.1. Chair, predictably, found the far bottom corner from range via a deflection of a pathetically half-arsed block attempt by The Joe Rodon Experience. We'll just leave him in 20 yards of open space I reckon, what harm can come?

Soon Rangers were playing out slickly from the back, crossing to the near post for Lyndon Dykes to head wide. Sam Byram’s nasty crack through Chair’s ankles was the thickest of thick yellow cards. And Gnonto was down on the floor again. We’ve got these. We’ve got these all ends up. Now here’s Jimmy Dunne, Chris Willock and Lucas Andersen working high and right triangles, twisting and turning, poking and probing for an opening. Keeping the ball, keeping possession, keeping the pressure on. Until a space opens up for Andersen to step inside and serve up a nice warm glass of shut the hell up into the far corner. A finish of extreme power and precision. Where’s that been while he’s been running his own miss of the season competition over the last few weeks? Frankly, at this moment, who cares? Loftus Road was starting to rock. Remember when Gordon Strachan got sent off here for dissent? Now that was funny.

Inevitably, Asmir Begovic would be required at some point – Leeds had scored 80 goals prior to kick off, almost exactly twice as many as their opponents. A shot from Piroe was just about stopped, fairly nervously, and he needed Kenneth Paal to swoop in diligently on the rebound and deny Summerville a tap in. Nothing nervous about the later stop from Summerville, and no further assistance required either. Gnonto, finally up and about after his earlier mortal wounds, crossing unchallenged to the back post for the division’s player of the season to stride onto and volley firmly towards goal first time. Begovic’s footwork uncharacteristically sharp, change of direction on point and instinctive save down low to his left exceptional. The goalkeeper has owed his team a big performance, and here it was. We’ll let him have his indecision ten before half time, because the imperious Jake Clarke-Salter dealt with the situation and bollocked him for us.

A Leeds goal there would have been something approaching a footballing travesty. QPR’s passing was purposeful and lively, their press high and suffocating. Marti Cifuentes’ tactical set up spot on, and the execution of it near note perfect. I thought the West Brom game was the best I’d seen Rangers play in many a year, this was a different league to that altogether. Rangers’ best in a decade, perhaps. Daniel Farke, dressed like a German Indiana Jones, talking like an American trying to do a German accent, with work to do. Gruev’s attempts at playing defensive midfield and protecting his defence were laughably bad. This was a man acting like he’d never even heard of Ilias Chair, let alone received any instruction on how to deal with him. The Moroccan ran absolute riot.

Two nil at half time then and we’d all probably have been quite happy to call the dogs off at that point. Got what we came for, Championship survival secured, nice win against a good team to finish, all back to the Crown for buckets of beer and Joe Hylton getting up on the table to sing. Then the Leeds fans, who you may recall recently stopped a game for two minutes so they could applaud the memory and anniversary of their own stabbing victims, decided to boo Mark Prince. Now, the Leeds United Supporters Trust would like you to buy into the story that this is because they couldn’t hear what was being said, and of course the natural reaction when you cannot hear what somebody is saying to you is to boo in their face. Mark Prince, a man you can hear from space. I found it interesting that they managed to make it through the majority of the speech untroubled by being unable to hear it, but when he got to the bit about kids being afraid to go out on the streets suddenly decided to object to the volume problem then. Whatever the truth of the matter, and let’s be honest here if you’re accepting the “we couldn’t hear him so we aggressively booed” line I’d take a friend with you when going to buy a used car, you boo Mark Prince and you’d better believe that’s a paddlin. I’m afraid you leave me little recourse.

There were scares to survive. Rutter in at the near post denied by a brilliant challenge from Steve Cook, later hooking wide with his left foot when he should have scored off Ampadu’s bobbled cross. Jimmy Dunne, superb, repelling all boarders, into the ear of team mates not helping as much as he’d have liked. Begovic another critical save, this time at the near post with his feet to deny substitute Joseph, referee Darren Bond a rare error in awarding a goal kick.

Every team has ten minutes, and your ten minutes are up. QPR, dressed in the Dulux colour chart, were ready to go through the gears again. Sometimes the only way to make yourself feel better is by making somebody else look bad, and I’m tired of making other people feel better.

Ilias Chair, once more being allowed to maraud infield unchecked, unleashed from range and saw the shot deflect wide rather than into the net. From that corner a loose ball dropped the way of Jack Colback whose shot was blocked. Pressure released, but not for long. Rattled Meslier kicked a ball straight into touch. Chair and Willock pressing Leeds almost back to the Green, a panicked clearance from Gray straight to Field, fed back into Chair for a spin and hit deflected over. Field revving the crowd up. You R’s in full voice. Hayden a word in Chair’s ear for a delivery knocked agonisingly out of Colback’s reach on the penalty spot. Leeds try to escape once and give it straight to Paul Smyth on from the bench, a second time and the pathway blocked by Steve Cook, a third and Jack Colback bastarded them straight into touch. Such energy about these Rangers. This was incessant stuff, ceaseless, and the crowd responded in kind. These are the good old days.

Field robbed Piroe. Dykes, his best performance for months, won a free kick from nothing. Smyth dancing around Firpo, Meslier forced from his line to take evasive action. Another corner, another Chair delivery, Dunne at the back post back into traffic, Firpo a wild hack, Field just unable to sort his feet, Dunne on the high win once more. Just constantly turning the torture rack ever tighter on a visiting team giving the very strong impression they’d rather be anywhere else. Out in deep water, at night; out of their depth, in the dark. Every visit down the right found Jimmy Dunne in thou shalt not pass mode. On the other side Kenneth Paal was always mentally two steps ahead, standing in every passing lane before Leeds even realised they wanted to use it. Field and Colback were permanent pests. And Jake Clarke-Salter could have played in a suit.

The midfield domination was total – Field and Colback versus Gruev and Gray, Alton Towers to their LegoLand. Too strong, too experienced. Summerville, pressed by Field into going backwards. Ampadu, hassled by Dykes into a back pass to keeper and shrug. Rodon, all over the place, remonstrating with everybody but himself. Gnonto beaten twice by Paal who simply wanted it more. Will you piss off and leave me alone for a minute? Willock’s cross towards Dykes hacked behind. Leeds starting to bend, starting to creak, starting to crack. You can hear it from here. It’s coming. A Chair corner, because of course. Dykes reading the sign and manoeuvring Joseph out the way before a dart to the near post right on cue for the low delivery which he glanced goalwards. Towards Meslier, through Meslier, and into Meslier’s net. From none in 16 to two in two. Scotland boss Steve Clarke watching on. Three nil now, and the Crown & Sceptre put on amber alert. I don’t care, change the bulb. Summerville sauntered off – don’t worry about it mate, no rush. And the Leeds fans were marching out together.

There was more to come. There was an Albert Adomah farewell tour to come; 525 Championship appearances a divisional record. And there was a fourth goal to come. QPR have scored more than two goals in a game once in 78 goes. Here they were about to score a fourth. A fourth. They didn't need it, but then who needs anything? It was in want territory, and I wanted it.

Gruev’s horrible personal evening concluding with a needless foul on Smyth allowing Chair another free chance to cross into a box populated big bigger, taller, stronger, more committed QPR players. Sam Field putting down his shield and picking up his sword. Meslier should have saved it in his sleep. Do we care? Ask that Lower Loft, dissolving before your eyes. Sinton with the shot, and Brian Moore talking about QPR going comfortably, triumphantly, into a 4-0 lead. Leeds. Are. Rocking.

It has been all Shawshank and no Redemption for Queens Park Rangers for a long time now. Two years of tunnelling through shit with no escape. All we’ve had to cling to, and reference, and write about, is tired nostalgia. Roy Wegerle dancing around Tony Adams, and somewhere in the middle of all that is Kenny Sansom. Every week in the Crown & Sceptre I’ve seen the tired, drawn faces of those who’ve seen such riches and can’t live with this QPR now they’re old. Of the parents who take their kids, desperate for them to experience some of that magic that got them hooked in the first place. Daughters looking up at dads, sort of quizzically, as they stand and stare at a long dormant volcano – just give it another ten minutes, I’m telling you it’s going to go off. And we pass the time by drinking and talking about that Les Ferdinand goal, that Gary Bannister hat trick against Chelsea, that walk to Wembley Stadium.

It's time to make some new memories now, not constantly looking back mournfully. The crowds are coming back, the atmosphere is building, there are young people following QPR again and Loftus Road is all abuzz once more. With a kinder FFP cycle, with big earners coming off the wage bill, and with a potential Eze sell on to come, there could be quite a handy warchest to build on what’s happening here. Of course, the last time we had one of those, we declared war on ourselves. That must not happen again. With this manager, there’s reason for genuine optimism it won’t.

Tearing Leeds United a new arse is a staple of the good times In W12. It’s a great place to start, and that’s exactly what this needs to be for this club, manager and team. A start. The end of the beginning.

Links >>> Photo Gallery >>> Ratings and Reports >>> Message Board Match Thread

QPR: Begovic 8; Dunne 8, Cook 8, Clarke-Salter 8 (Fox 81, -), Paal 8; Colback 8 (Hayden 81, -), Field 8; Willock 8 (Adomah 87, -), Andersen 8 (Smyth 57, 7), Chair 9; Dykes 8 (Armstrong 87, -)

Subs Not Used: Dixon-Bonner, Cannon, Larkeche, Walsh

Goals: Chair 8 (assisted Clarke-Salter), Andersen 22 (assisted Willock), Dykes 73 (assisted Chair), Field 86 (assisted Chair)

Yellow Cards: Colback 64 (kicking ball away)

Leeds: Meslier 3; Byram 4 (Joseph 63, 4), Rodon 4, Ampadu 4, Firpo 3; Gray 5, Gruev 2 (Kamara 88, -); Gnonto 3 (Shackleton 88, -), Rutter 4 (Gelhardt 80, -), Summerville 3 (Anthony 80, -); Piroe 4

Subs not used: Cresswell, Cooper, Darlow, Crew

Yellow Cards: Byram 16 (foul), Gnonto 40 (foul)

QPR Star Man – Ilias Chair 9 You could genuinely have picked any one of the whole team. Even the much-maligned Begovic made crucial saves at big moments in this game – no less than the brilliant leg stop from Joseph just moments before Dykes scored his goal, from 2-1 and nervous to 3-0 and done. The back four were note perfect, with Paal giving his best performance for months. Field and Colback absolutely monstered Leeds’ lightweight midfield. Dykes showed he can do it. But you cannot argue with all of that plus a goal and two assists, which is what Chair provided and why he’s the top man this week. Leeds’ approach to dealing with him as bad as anything we’ve seen from any opponent all season long.

Referee – Darren Bond (Lancashire) 8 Excellent.

Attendance – 16, 677 (2,000 Leeds approx.) One of those nights, under the lights, at Loftus Road.

If you enjoy LoftforWords, please consider supporting the site through a subscription to our Patreon or tip us via our PayPal account loftforwords@yahoo.co.uk.

Pictures — Ian Randall Photography

The Twitter @loftforwords

Pictures - Ian Randall Photography

sinceApril66 added 13:11 - Apr 28 This so poignantly and intensely captures so much of my life’s experience. Can’t wait to read it with my now grownup son when he gets up! Who instinctively knew this was his best night ever @ Loftus Road. And I even had the curse/overwhelming thrill of winning the League Cup and shaking hands with Rodnee as my first season going to watch football IRL. When do Season Tickets go onsale? I let mine lapse last year, although ended-up hardly missing a game under Marti, but not now.

6

royinaus added 13:14 - Apr 28 Outstanding Clive You brought back memories of when my uncle used to throw his season ticket over the stairs balustrade to my dad once in the ground 50 years ago!
3

rkk76 added 13:42 - Apr 28 Never ever seen a match report with ratings that high, ever!
2

queensparker added 14:14 - Apr 28 The language about the next generation chimes hard. I stopped bringing my seven year old son after three abject defeats in a row - his first three games. He sat down in Ellerslie Road after the Southampton 1-0 in tears and shouted “why do we always lose!” Feels like time for a return
7

BlackCrowe added 14:50 - Apr 28 Lush
1

T_Block added 15:00 - Apr 28 True,all true.Yes Chair great player and big shout for Begovic.As fans we all let our love of the club and the desire for it to do well get the better of us.My criticism of Dykes at games i now feel embarrassed by.He was great on Friday night.'His team mates had his back' aimed straight at me. I forget sometimes they are young men trying their best.I thank the west Indian chap infant of me for reminding me that. Also Les Ferdinand-I think you did well for a lot of your time.Training ground getting the right type of manager.Alot of us understood your decision after Gareth Ainsworth was appointed.Poor Gareth. I heard that the coaching is split between attack and defence.I cannot remember the defensive coaches name, but a thank you to him and his team Again thanks to Marti Cifuentes.I am getting on now, but my grandfather first went to Loftus road in 1921.Clive is right this bastard of a club really can get to you so you really have no idea what you have done and have made our lives so much better with now even dreams possible.I know it is just a football club, kicking a leather ball around a bit of grass; grown men shouting and screaming at the sides-really ? but somehow it is so much more it is about giving a sense of belongings sense that one day this club can win something, like Leicester did, and my Grandfather would be cheering arms raised fist clenched. So please please stay as long as you can.We know it will be very difficult, we know you have to do it the hard way. We trust you

6

HastingsRanger added 15:47 - Apr 28 Clive, I think it was prophetic in your preview with references to all the great performances against least in the past. From my experience, I seem to remember more memorable games v Leeds than any other team. And this was yet another. From the off, the team were alert and hungry. Once with the ball, in the back or going forward, few wasted passes. And even when the tempo dropped off a bit (as to be expected), they defended well. Up front, more set pieces again. An outstanding performance, always the more satisfying when playing a very decent opposition. My personal high spot was the Andersen goal .... a real throwback to the Bowles making space, accelerating into space and shooting left footed into the corner. If no one has offered, I'll pay for his shower plughole to be kept clean! Thanks for keeping going through such grim times, how lovely to post a report so positive.

8

NewYorkRanger added 15:58 - Apr 28 Great report Clive - I really enjoyed reading that. It’s so true what you say about the generations of fans going to QPR. My daughter is 4th generation after my Dad grew up in Shepherd’s Bush and used to go to games with his dad. They’ve both long since passed but I do feel a great connection every time we go to a game. Let’s face it, there’s no other reason really to follow Rangers! Wouldn’t have it any other way though. The support has been remarkable given the dross that’s been served up until Marti arrived. Dare we dream? Could we be allowed nice things?

6

AgedR added 16:43 - Apr 28 My best memories of Leeds are the most comprehensive 1.0 I have ever witnessed for the Venables 1983 champions, the joyous, couldn’t give a fxck defeat after the excruciating Faurlin week of doubt and of course Friday. I enticed an old mate back for the Stan game v West Brom and he said, “I really like this lot”. I think he’s back for a season ticket again next season. My Fulham supporting son asked me if I’d take him to a couple of games next season. The old lady that is Loftus Rd was simply magnificent. Families and youngsters rattling the metal anachronism that is our home. They can march where they want but it was us who were together!

2

Esox_Lucius added 17:59 - Apr 28 As Keith Brymer Jones is wont to say, with a tear or two in his eyes, "Brilliant! bloody Brilliant!" A match report for the ages to go with the game for the ages. For all the Jordan Cousins standing back to admire Voldemort's dictating the midfield games there are these Loftus Rd under the floodlights and the whole place rocking games to make you forget it ever happened. The fact I was still nervous in the 95th minute and 4-0 up are merely symptoms of nightmarish memories and over 59 years of rarely knowing which QPR will turn up. Friday night was the turn of the Blue & White Champions of Europe to dismantle the Pink garbed, self proclaimed WACCOE entitled gobshites. God I was buzzing outside the ground after the extended celebrations inside. One thing... no mention of the outrageous outside of the foot, over his head pass to Paal/ Chair by Dykes early in the first half? It was a sign of what sort of game he was going to have and ha me wondering if he might do a better job as an ACM as I don't think prolific goalscorer and Dykes will ever appear in the same sentence unfortunately but his workrate, defensive abilities and heading ability make him far better than comments about him being a non league shit player. Great report Clive!

6

Royboy48 added 18:02 - Apr 28 A la recherche du temps perdu is the QPR burden we carry with only the occasional Madeleine to reignite the appetite. As with each of the few reaffirming lifetime QPR moments it takes a couple of days to sink in, then there’s the realisation that Friday is right up there in the pantheon of those oh, so few but precious moments. It wasn’t just the win It wasn’t just the four goals. It wasn’t just the clean sheet. It wasn’t just because it was Leeds It wasn’t just a performance against a likely Premier League team It wasn’t just because it was under the lights It was because when it really mattered, they finished the job “ in the QPR way” (Cifuentes™️) The superstitious Gerry Francis always attributed the 1999 6-0 Palace escape act to the reappearance of the real life Jude the cat who had been missing during our terrible run in to that point. I swear I saw him lurking around FL block on Friday… This time, I don’t think it will simply be a stay of execution No more Ashes, let’s Embrace the new era.

6

barrow1975 added 18:27 - Apr 28 Thank you, Clive, for #LoftForWords throughout this season, which keeps our sanity at times, with our beloved QPR. Who would have expected Friday night? Under the lights at Loftus Road. There is no better. Other perilous times spring to mind and memories of a past end of season 6.0 against Palace. Thankfully no visit to Coventry with our destiny out of our hands. Dire memories of April 1996 at Highfield Road. Look further back to 1980/81 and the arrival of Terry Venables. In Marti, do we trust and may he be the catalyst to take the R's back to better times. We have taken the highs and lows over a lifetime but that is the joy of QPR. Come on u Rs.

2

Geoff78 added 19:06 - Apr 28 Terrific evening and terrific report. Memories are made of this, to add to the other (sometimes too few) memories. Illy was terrific as was the whole team, but I didn't realise Clive's keyboard had a '9' on it.
2

qprninja added 19:13 - Apr 28 My sons haven't experienced a proper Loftus Rd atmosphere yet. Brought them up a few times but all i can say to them after yet another disappointment is that the good times are around the corner. I think they really are now.
2

Marshy added 19:29 - Apr 28 We knew this team had it in them to produce outstanding football. Sadly we only witnessed it a few times this season, but when we really needed them to step up, they finally gave us and the “mighty Leeds” a Masterclass in how to play the game! It was spectacular, stupendous and gloriously magnificent. A night that will live long in the memory, and one to look back on with relish that “I was there” to witness it. This personally is a huge weight off my mind, as quite frankly the thought of playing in League 1 filled me with complete dread, but I know this will be the same for pretty much everyone. I would like to say a big thank you to Marti Cifuentes, for what he has achieved since he joined the club. Without Marti we definitely wouldn’t be playing Championship football again next season!

4

BlackCrowe added 19:57 - Apr 28 "Sam Field putting down his shield and picking up his sword." So good.
2

ozexile added 22:44 - Apr 28 Thank you Clive. Bought a tear to my eye. You're so right.
0

Oxfordhoop added 22:53 - Apr 28 Thanks Clive. I had tears in my eyes on Friday night and your brilliant writing brought them back again. Loftus Road is a truly magical place and I’ve been under its spell for over 50 years. Unable to be there on Friday but watched on TV. My roars for each of the goals was as loud as if I were standing on the terraces! Had to go round to the student house next door to apologise for the noise. 🥹

0

extratimeR added 23:25 - Apr 28 Brilliant match report Clive, and really gathered the memories, years, and matches together, (er, covering most of my life). We were magnificent, and so were the crowd, I really didn't expect this. Thanks Clive!
2

snanker added 01:41 - Apr 29 Wonderful report Clive thanks for the 5 decade wonder wander back down memory lane holding back the H2O and into that stupendous penultimate cop that Leeds Friday night triumph. Just couldn't have scripted that outcome any better. GA did a great job last season to keep us up and Marti repeated the dose this year but with much much more hope and purpose for 24/25 !? There is just nothing like Loftus Road in full rock 'n roll roar when the side is humming and I am looking forward to heading back from Oz next year and cutting through the off Uxbridge Rd backstreets for a match or five.

1

SouthAfricanRanger added 12:15 - Apr 29 Thank you Clive
0

billericaydicky added 12:45 - Apr 29 A great report Clive, much appreciated. One of those magical nights. I did laugh at Willy Gnonto rolling around on the floor. In a pink kit. Billy Bremner will be spinning. See you in August.
0

Ad99 added 14:05 - Apr 29 Majestic.
0

stainrodnee added 15:32 - Apr 29 After all the pain you’ve endured and had to write about this season Clive, I’m really pleased we’ve all had the chance to read such a joyous report by you. Summed it all up perfectly. It was my 65th birthday on Friday, couldn’t ask for a better present, especially under the lights and on Sky.
1

GonzoITFC added 06:57 - Apr 30 Clive Ipswich Town fan here, but been reading your match reports all season simply because they are hugely entertaining, a great read and the type of report any true football fan enjoys capturing all the highs and lows we all experience. Felt compelled to write a comment as being an Ipswich fan since 1975, my first years supporting them were in the glory years of Sir Bobby and like you wrote earlier which resonated with me ‘you take these times and people for granted’ and we did the same thinking it’s always like this! Anyway hopefully like us you are turning the corner and enjoy it, because we know it doesn’t last. Continue the great work and look forward to reading more next season.

2

Blogs 31 bloggers

Colchester United Polls