As QPR prepare to renew hostilities with Everton this Sunday, LFW looks back at a memorable meeting between the two from the 1980s and a tale of unfilled potential from a Goodison Park academy graduate who headed south.

Recent Meetings

Rangers were circling the drain when Everton last came to Loftus Road in March. The R’s had lost five out of six at home over the Christmas period including damaging set backs against Norwich, Wolves and Fulham and were now facing a daunting run in that would see Arsenal, Spurs and Liverpool head to Shepherds Bush after Everton. When Paddy Kenny allowed a long distance strike from Royston Drenthe to squirm away from him and in for the opening goal the writing seemed to be on the wall, but the crowd was lifted late in the half by the bizarre antics of a squirrel on the pitch and amid the farce Bobby Zamora nodded in an equaliser. That’s the way the game finished, but Rangers won all five and a half home matches played after that squirrel turned up and ultimately survived on the final day of the season.

QPR: Kenny 6, Onuoha 7, Ferdinand 6, Hill 8, Traore 7, Derry 7, Barton 7, Wright-Phillips 6, Buzsaky 7, Taarabt 7 (Mackie 80, -), Zamora 7.

Subs Not Used: Cerny, Gabbidon, Bothroyd, Young, Smith, Taiwo

Booked: Derry (foul)

Goals: Zamora 36 (assisted Buzsaky)

Everton: Howard 7, Hibbert 6, Heitinga 7, Distin 7, Baines 7, Drenthe 7 (Osman 63, 6), Fellaini 8, Neville 6, Pienaar 7, Cahill 7 (Jelavic 63, 6), Stracqualursi 6 (Coleman 88, -)

Subs Not Used: Mucha, Jagielka, Gueye, Barkley

Booked: Drenthe (foul), Pienaar (dissent)

Goals: Drenthe 31 (assisted Pienaar)

Everton 0 QPR 1, Saturday August 20, 2011, Premier League

After a 4-0 opening day defeat at home to Bolton nobody gave QPR much of a prayer in their first away game of last season at Goodison Park. Because of the previous week’s riots that saw Everton’s opener against Spurs postponed this was actually the Toffees’ first match of the season but they were stunned by Neil Warnock’s QPR side that launched a trademark smash and grab raid on a ground that they have always enjoyed visiting in the Premiership era. Tommy Smith got the only goal of the game in the first half, finishing nicely after Akos Buzsaky found him in the area intelligently, and although Tim Cahill missed an absolute sitter and Leighton Baines hit the bar with a free kick the Londoners held on for their first win of the Premiership season.

Everton: Howard 6, Neville 6, Jagielka 6, Distin 6, Baines 7, Barkley 7, Heitinga 6 (Saha 74, 6), Rodwell 5 (Arteta 54, 5), Osman 6, Cahill 6, Beckford 4 (Fellaini 63, 5)

Subs Not Used: Mucha, Hibbert, Vellios, Anichebe

Booked: Osman (foul)

QPR: Kenny 8, Orr 7, Hall 7, Gabbidon 7, Connolly 7, Derry 8, Faurlin 7, Smith 7 (Ephraim 66, 7), Buzsaky 7, Taarabt 6, Agyemang 5 (Bothroyd 55, 8)

Subs Not Used: Murphy, Gorkss, Perone, Moen, Andrade

Booked: Hall (foul)

Goals: Smith 31 (assisted Buzsaky)

QPR 3 Everton 1, Monday April 8, 1996, Premier League

When these sides met for the final time in QPR’s previous Premier League stint it was an Easter Monday fixture in the 1995/96 season. QPR would finish that campaign in the bottom three having started a rally of results, particularly at home, just too late. Everton were one of three sides suddenly beaten with some ease by QPR in W12, Southampton and West Ham would follow, but it wasn’t enough to keep the R’s up. In this game Kevin Gallen, Mark Hateley and Andy Impey scored the goals for Rangers who won 3-1 despite not forcing a corner in the entire game. John Ebbrell scored for Everton, then managed by Joe Royle.

QPR: Sommer, Bardsley, McDonald, Yates, Brevett, Impey, Holloway, Wilkins, Sinclair, Gallen, Hateley

Subs not used: Ready, Brazier, Dichio

Goals: Gallen, Hateley, Impey

Everton: Southall, Unsworth (Short 63), Watson, Horne (Grant 73), Parkinson, Holcrft, Ebbrell, Kanchelskis, Ferguson, Limpar (Branch 46), Hottinger

Goals: Ebbrell

Previous Results

2011/12 QPR 1 Everton 1 (Zamora)

2011/12 Everton 0 QPR 1 (Smith)

1995/96 QPR 3 Everton 1 (Gallen, Hateley, Impey)

1995/96 Everton 2 QPR 0

1994/95 QPR 2 Everton 3 (Gallen, Ferdinand)

1994/95 Everton 2 QPR 2 (Ferdinand 2)

1993/94 QPR 2 Everton 1 (White, Ferdinand)

1993/94 Everton 0 QPR 3 (Allen 3)

1992/93 Everton 3 QPR 5 (Ferdinand 3, Impey, Bardsley)

1992/93 QPR 4 Everton 2 (Sinton 3, Penrice)

1991/92 Everton 0 QPR 0

1991/92 QPR 3 Everton 1 (Barker 2, Bailey)

1990/91 QPR 1 Everton 1 (Wegerle)

1990/91 Everton 3 QPR 0

1989/90 Everton 1 QPR 0

1989/90 QPR 1 Everton 0 (Sinton)

1988/89 Everton 4 QPR 1 (Falco)

1988/89 QPR 0 Everton 0

1987/88 Everton 2 QPR 0

1987/88 QPR 1 Everton 0 (M Allen)

1986/87 QPR 0 Everton 1

1986/87 Everton 0 QPR 0

1985/86 Everton 4 QPR 3 (Bannister 2, Byrne)

1985/86 QPR 3 Everton 0 (Bannister 2, Byrne)

1984/85 Everton 2 QPR 0

1984/85 QPR 0 Everton 0

1983/84 Everton 3 QPR 1 (Mickelwhite)

1983/84 QPR 2 Everton 0 (Charles 2)

1978/79 Everton 2 QPR 1 (Goddard)

1978/79 QPR 1 Everton 1 (Gillard)

1977/78 Everton 3 QPR 3 (Shanks, Hollins, Howe)

1977/78 QPR 1 Everton 5 (Eastoe)

1976/77 Everton 1 QPR 3 (Leach, Masson, Bowles)

1976/77 QPR 0 Everton 4

1975/76 Everton 0 QPR 2 (Bowles, Leach)

1975/76 QPR 5 Everton 0 (Francis 2, Givens, Masson, Thomas)

1974/75 Everton 2 QPR 1 (Givens)

1974/75 QPR 2 Everton 2 (Givens, Busby)

1973/74 QPR 1 Everton 0 (Givens)

1973/74 Everton 1 QPR 0

1968/69 QPR 0 Everton 1

1968/69 Everton 4 QPR 0

1951/52 Everton 3 QPR 0

1951/52 QPR 4 Everton 4 (Shepherd 2, Waugh, Gilberg)

1949/50 QPR 0 Everton 2*

1914/15 QPR 1 Everton 2* (Birch)

* - FA Cup

Memorable Match

QPR 3 Everton 0, Saturday September 7, 1985, First Division

In form league champions Everton were given a shock to their system on the infamous plastic pitch at Loftus Road early in the 1985/86 season.

The Toffees boasted a team of eight internationals, led by England striker Gary Linekar who had five goals in his previous two appearances, and had begun the defence of the First Division crown in fine style with a 5-1 victory at Sheffield Wednesday during the week. QPR meanwhile had lost to Arsenal in W12 following a 3-1 defeat at Newcastle the week before.

Everton, roared on by more than 3,000 travelling fans, through they’d opened the scoring after 12 minutes when Trevor Stevens found the net but he was flagged offside. That let off stirred QPR into life and Neville Southall had to be at his best to keep out a free kick from Terry Fenwick a short time later.

But the Welsh international stopper could do nothing to prevent Jim Smith’s men going into the lead on the half hour when Wayne Fereday slipped Gary Bannister through the visiting defence and he calmly rounded Southall before sliding the ball into the empty net from a tricky angle. That was his one hundredth goal in competitive football.

The lead was doubled three minutes before half time. Fereday was at the heart of the move again, crossing to the far post for Martin Allen to volley right across the face of goal and John Byrne was waiting to stab home from close range when the ball seemed to have passed everybody by.

The change of ends and half time team talks did little to life the Toffees’ and they fell three behind ten minutes after the break when Fereday, again, crossed for Bannister to thump home a header at the Loft End and seal the victory at 3-0.

Despite his brace, and the presence of England manager Bobby Robson who was bombarded with “Bannister for England” chants throughout, there was to be no call up for QPR’s leading scorer for that Wednesday night’s friendly game against Romania at Wembley.

Everton went on to finish runners up to local rivals Liverpool that season, missing out on the title by two points. Rangers finished thirteenth.

QPR: Hucker, Chivers, Dawes, McDonald, Fenwick, Waddock, M Allen, Gregory, Fereday, Bannister, Byrne

Sub: Rosenior

Everton: Southall, Stevens, Van Den Hauwe, Ratcliffe, Mountfield, Reid, Steven, Bracewell, Heath, Linekar, Sharp

Sub: Marshall

Highlights >>> Everton 0 QPR 3, 93/94 >>> Everton 3 QPR 5, 92/93 >>> QPR 4 Everton 2, 92/93 >>> QPR 1 Everton 0, 87/88 >>> Everton 2 QPR 0, 84/85 >>> QPR 0 Everton 0, 84/85 >>> QPR 1 Everton 5, 77/78 >>> QPR 5 Everton 0, 75/76 >>> Everton 0 QPR 2, 75/76

Connections

Kevin McLeod >>> Everton 2000-2003 >>> QPR 2003-2005

There are certainly no shortage of stories about players at QPR who wasted their potential down the years, but I certainly think Kevin McLeod is worthy of mention in that category.

He’d grown up in Everton’s cup and league winning youth team that produced Wayne Rooney and others. Despite having a pair of feet so tiny it was hard to see how he could stand up McLeod boasted not only decent ball control and speed down the flank, but also a deceptive ability in the air that meant he was often utilised as a second striker while with the Toffees, and on occasions at QPR including one night at Preston when the bookie in the away end found a flurry of money coming his way when he quoted a 33/1 first goal price for Rangers’ centre forward that evening. He had the last laugh needless to say.

With first team opportunities limited to substitute appearances in cup competitions McLeod headed to Rangers, initially on loan, as Ian Holloway’s men qualified for the Second Division play off final in 2003. He replaced Lee Cook on the left wing, a popular loanee from Watford who had unfortunately used up his full three month quota before the end of the campaign and was therefore forced to return to Vicarage Road before the end of the season. Some feared the impact of Cook’s departure given that his initial arrival had turned around a dreadful run of form that included the infamous cup exit to Vauxhall Motors but McLeod proved to be a more than able deputy, looking particularly impressive in his first away match as the R’s won 3-1 up at Blackpool.

Two matches later, after he’d played a part in a memorable 2-1 win at Cardiff, he bagged both goals in a home win against Luton Town and it seemed as if Rangers had a player on their hands. He was unfortunate not open the scoring in the first minute of the play off semi final second leg at Loftus Road against Oldham as well but saw his shot saved by Pogliacomi in the Oldham goal.

Another loan spell followed the next season before QPR used money from the sale of Richard Langley to secure McLeod’s signature permanently from Goodison Park. In the 2003/04 promotion season he played 39 times and scored four goals but after moving up a division Rangers splashed out to bring Lee Cook back to Loftus Road permanently. Two into one simply didn’t go and after a pretty even tussle for places initially – McLeod helped seal a famous win over title chasing Wigan with a superb run and cross for Paul Furlong’s last minute winner while Cook scored a flying header in a memorable 3-2 home victory against Leicester – it was the former Watford man who claimed the place on a regular basis.

That seemed somewhat harsh on McLeod who’d done little wrong, and he seemed to fnd his feet again at Swansea City under Kenny Jackett who’d been the assistant to Holloway at Rangers when Mcleod first moved there. He scored seven goals in the opening six games of Swansea’s 2005/06 season but he was transfer listed in March that year for repeated breaches of club discipline relating to alcohol. Amid tales of him enjoying the London life with his old mate Francis Jeffers a little too much his career has since nosedived through Colchester, Brighton (where he was hampered by injury and weight issues) and Wycombe clocking up barely 70 appearances in total. Trials with Aldershot, Port Vale and St Mirren failed to yield deals so he then moved into non-league with Braintree, Redbridge, Thurrock and more recently Chelmsford.

Cook of course went on to achieve cult hero status at QPR and a £2.5m move to Premier League side Fulham just before his knee fell apart. Strange how two careers can take such different paths based on the decision of one manager about which of them should play more regularly.

Others >>> Kevin McLeod, Everton 2000-2003, QPR 2003-2005 >>> John Spencer, QPR 1996-1998, Everton 1998-1999 >>> Matt Jackson, Everton 1991-1996, QPR (loan) 1996 >>> Kenny Sansom, QPR 1989-1991, Everton 1993 >>> Peter Reid, Everton 1982-1989, QPR 1989-1990 >>> Andy King, Everton 1976-1980, QPR 1980-1981 >>>Dave Thomas, QPR 1972-1977, Everton 1977- 1979 >>> Peter Eastoe, QPR 1976-1979, Everton 1979-1982 >>> Mickey Walsh, Everton 1978, QPR 1978-1981

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Pictures – Action Images

Photo: Action Images

R_in_Sweden added 07:56 - Oct 18 The missing piece in Hughes jigsaw: The Squirrel
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QPRski added 07:59 - Oct 18 I very well remember watching the series of extreme home results in old 1st Div in late 70's. I was treated by my elder cousin, who was an Everton fan, to sit in the stands which was It was quite an event as I normally fought for a good view in the Loft. in 75-76 we won 5-0 which was great, then the next two seasons we lost 0-4 and 1-5 respectively. I recall the latter matches as really traumatic events and never ever took up and more offers of tickets.

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Irish_Hoop added 08:07 - Oct 18 It was 76-77 my friend. We were unbeaten at home in 75-76
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Irish_Hoop added 08:08 - Oct 18 Sorry ignore me -I've now read your post properly!
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QPRski added 09:59 - Oct 18 Irish - I remember 75-76 too well. That is why the very "hard landing" was in the next season was painful. It is something you get accustomed too after a while and pssiibly enjoy? No never.
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R_in_Sweden added 10:17 - Oct 18 Irish_Hoop and QPRski I was also at the 5-0 game 75/76 as a kid, straining for a view above the surrounding adults in the loft. And then the 0-4 drubbing at home, the first game of following season after we'd almost won the league, hopes were high but were soon dashed by a reality check. This all sounds a bit familiar...
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probbo added 12:09 - Oct 18 I was at that opening day 0-4 rout on the opening day of the 76/77 season, clearly not the only one here bearing that mental scar from childhood! Bob Latchford hat-trick I think? It was a grim afternoon in the SA Road stand. My Dad told me it was just one of those 'freak results' but as we subsequently found out, the 75/6 season marked the peak for that great R's team.
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DWQPR added 13:12 - Oct 18 I too remember those three games very well. Standing on the concrete support of the bottom of the floodlight pylon on the corner of the SAR and School End, where as a nine year old you could get a great view of the game. 76-77 was the start of the 'adidas' era, and the big problem of that season was the absence of Gerry Francis who had suffered a trapped nerve in his back. Jim Gregory's mistake that he never gave Dave Sexton the same financial backing that he gave Gordon Jago, if he had then the team would have had a much more successful season, and despite this still played some great football, and not forgetting that more or less the same 11-15 players competed in 59 games that season with great cup runs in the League Cup and UEFA Cup, many of those games on quagmires compared to the pitches of today. But against, Everton, the 'freak results' never seemed to stop, or 'freak occurences, such as the hat-trick of hat-tricks in the early '90's, SInton, Ferdinand and Bradley Allen helping themselves in successive games. Will also say, that last seasons away game was without doubt the most enjoyable for me, not only the first back in the PL, but the friendliness of the home support, the congratulations of the home support after the final whistle and even the antiquatedness of the Bullens stand, which made any of the LR stands look 21st century!

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QPunkR added 13:24 - Oct 18 With respect to their loan careers at QPR, at the time I thought McLeod looked far better than Cookie - more powerful, direct and dangerous. Shame he wasted after leaving, I had no idea he fell that far down the ladder! Just unlucky for him that we had Cookie in the form of his life at the same time
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DesertBoot added 16:06 - Oct 18 I'll never forget that goal against Wigan. It was almost slow motion the way Furlong leapt to head that one home. It was a peach of a cross too. I remember Wigan fans singing to "Yellow Submarine" - "We're going up, you're staying down" accompanied by some bizarre arms gesture. It was such a pity what happened to McLeod as he really looked a bit special until his private life took over his career.

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hamptonhillhoop added 19:48 - Oct 18 I'm beginning to think I imagined the two sendings off in the 85-86 season home game. No one responded to my post about it in the everton memories thread and now it's not been mentioned in the match report!
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ThaiHoop added 11:12 - Oct 19 I remember Wigan murdered us in that game and we stole it at the end, said to my mate if we played like that again we'd get stuffed by someone and the next weekend Leeds put 6 past us!! I remember them having two sent off (including Southall) in a game I was at in the early 90's and I'm pretty sure Sinton got a hatrick that day?
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