After diving back into the 60s twice last week the Connections and Memories column reviews a much more recent fixture this weekend as QPR prepare to visit Bristol City.
Two wins in a week and a new cult hero in Emanuel La la la Ladeama and everything is rosy at Rangers as we head into Saturday’s clash with Bristol City. After the Sheffield United disaster Iain Dowie will be looking for a much better performance from his side in what will be a tough trip to the West Country. Many are predicting a play-off hangover for City this season but have started this season very well, and despite losing to Crewe in midweek are unbeaten in the league going into Saturday’s game. Discuss this story on the Message Board
We first travelled to Bristol in January 1914, coming away with a 2-0 win. Since then results have been shared quite evenly between the two sides and have enjoyed some memorable battles for promotion in recent seasons. So lets take a walk down the blue and white hooped path of memory lane…
Memorable Match
Bristol City 2-2 QPR
11 August 2007
Championship
I’ve come right back up to date with this week’s memorable match purely to see how much has changed in just one short year at Queens Park Rangers.
Twelve months ago the R’s went into the new season with manager John Gregory at the helm. Fresh off the back of steering the R’s away from relegation the previous year Gregory had high hopes going into his first full season in charge. Despite the severe lack of cash in the Loftus Road vault, Rangers had bought in Daniel Nardiello, John Curtis (cue groan), Chris Barker, Lee Camp and Simon Walton and hopes were high that Rangers could improve on last year’s campaign. Our opponents on the opening day Bristol City were enjoying their first season back at Championship level and a packed house was expected at Ashton Gate.
The sides had enjoyed some heated promotion battles from League One in recent seasons and it was City who drew first blood in this clash. Lee Camp in his first game as a permanent R somehow let Lee Johnson’s shot under his body and into the net to put the league’s new boys one up. However the joy was short lived as the R’s levelled almost immediately when Dexter Blackstock got on the end of a long ball from Adam Bolder and looped a strike over Basso to level the scores. Rangers had a good shout for a penalty turned down and Rowlands hit the woodwork three times before City looked like they had stolen the game late on.
Sub Scott Murray unleashed a superb long range effort in to the top corner with just minutes remaining on the clock. But Rangers refused to be beaten and when Marc Nygaard met a Rowlands cross deep into injury time, the result left Damion Stewart free to stab the ball home and send the travelling R’s faithful into raptures. A good start for Gregory’s men, surely it wouldn’t be long before their first victory of the campaign, would it?
Bristol City: Basso ( Henderson 46), Orr, Carey, Vasko (Fontaine 46), McAllister, Brian Wilson, Johnson, Elliott, McIndoe, Trundle ( Murray 79), Showunmi
Subs Not Used: Jevons, Russell
QPR: Camp, Rehman, Stewart, Mancienne, Curtis, Rowlands, Bolder, Bailey, Moore, Nardiello (Ephraim 59), Blackstock (Nygaard 69)
Subs Not Used: Cole, Bignot, Cullip
Postscript: You could right an essay on what happened to Rangers after the game. Billionaires Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone bought the club just a few weeks after this game and soon got rid of Gregory after a 5-1 drubbing by WBA that left us bottom of the league without a win. Mick Harford steadied the ship then Luigi Di Canio took over the reigns and along with a host of new signings in January helped Rangers pull away from trouble to finish in 14th place. City on the other hand surprised everyone by battling for promotion and only just missing out, losing to Hull in the play-off final.
Connections
Tommy Doherty
Bristol City 1996-2006
QPR 2005-2008
Born and bred in Bristol, the Doc made his debut for the red side of Bristol in September 1997 in a 3-0 win over Luton Town. Over the next nine seasons he would become an integral part of the City team constantly battling for promotion from League One, captaining the side in his last two seasons at the club. In all, the competitive midfielder played just over 200 games for City in his spell before Ian Holloway come calling in the summer of 2005. Rangers and Holloway had frequently been linked with Doherty, a player that wasn’t unlike Ollie back in his playing days for the club, and the R’s boss finally got his man for an undisclosed fee. Doc’s time at W12 didn’t get off to the best start as he was sent off in a pre-season game and there were constant complaints that he looked unfit and overweight. However Tommy started the season with a place in the R’s midfield and would go onto play the first seven games of the season. His sending off against Luton and then niggling injuries meant that the he struggled to get another run in the first-team and doubts were again raised over weight and fitness, apparently due to too many cigarettes and too much alcohol on his days off. When Gary Waddock was placed in charge Doc found himself out of the first-team picture altogether and was farmed out on loan to Yeovil Town for the remainder of the season. Tommy never played another game for the R’s after that joining Wycombe first on loan then permanently and was named their player of the year in 2007.
Did you know? Tommy has won nine caps for Northern Ireland since 2003
Sieb Dijkstra
QPR 1994-96
Bristol City 1994 (Loan)
Over the years we’ve had many goalkeepers who could provide flashes of brilliance along with critical lapses of concentration. Tony Roberts, Jurgeon Sommer and Lee Harper are just a few we’ve had in between the sticks at Loftus Road, and one that always sticks out for me is Sieb Dijkstra. In truth Sieb never got enough games to prove if he was either one of the other but he’s more remembered for his comedic appeal then his goalkeeping prowess at Loftus Road. After starting his career in his native Holland, Sieb joined Scottish side Motherwell in 1991, where he caught the eye of Rangers manager Gerry Francis with some solid displays. So much so he splashed out £250,000 to bring him to Loftus Road to replace Jan Stejskal. But despite looking like Gary Penrice’s twin brother, Sieb never reproduced the form from Scotland and struggled to get into the first team. A ten game loan spell at Bristol City followed to get his confidence up but when he returned to Rangers he again failed to nab the number one jersey. After two seasons and just eleven appearances Sieb moved back to Scotland with Dundee Utd before returning to play his football back in Holland. He is now goalkeeper coach for Ducth second division side MVV.
Did you know? Sieb’s full name is Sybrandus Johamnes Andreas Dijkstra
Others:
Gregory Goodbridge QPR 1995-96, Bristol City 1996-2001. Now back in Barbados and owns a beach hut selling hats!
Sean Thomas QPR 2006-08, 2006 (Loan). Now without a club.
Danny Boxshall QPR 1946-48 Bristol City 1948-50. Now unknown.
Aaron Brown Bristol City 1998-2004, QPR 2004-05. Now with Gillingham.
Mick Harford Bristol City 1981-82, QPR (Ass Manager) 2007. Now manager at Luton.
Tony Thorpe Bristol City 1998-2002, QPR 2003-05. Now training with Luton Town.
Fans’ Memories
Walking down "sniper alley" (the disused railway line) to get to Gashton Gate (and braving a few post-match beers in one of their local pubs). Their "promotion calculator" from a couple of seasons ago and the announcer/scoreboard from Hillsborough. - Real Loftus
There was of course Christian Roberts celebrating in front of us and them all thinking that the 1-0 win was enough to take them up instead of us. The hassle and fights before during and afterwards. Them going 2-0 up on the last day. And the smug satisfaction of beating them to it. - Northernr
Last seasons opening game for me was an absolute cracker. Boiling hot day, two thousand Rangers fans packed into the away end and a great atmosphere. All the ingredients were there for a brilliant away day. Never forget the celebrations in the away end after Stewart headed in the equalizer seconds after city had taken the lead right at the death. It was just carnage, bodies everywhere, hugging strangers, falling over! A truly memorable goal celebration - the faces of the chavs to the right of us were priceless. - Rblock_Ranger
Had a nice pasty and we lost. Their fans singing to Thorpe: "There's only one Greedy Bastard". Bloody hostile place though- Metallica
Stan breaking his leg - QPR1882
Remember a few years back having a drink in town. Quite a few R's in the pub. My Bruv's mate was down from Glasgow who supports Glasgow Rangers. Supping beers etc. Few of their chav's walk in. They look over to us and one remarks 'Any of you f****** Rangers and want it?' My Bruv's mate turned around and said, in a strong Glaswegian accent: "Aye, am f****** Rangers, Glasgow Rangers!!!!" The chavs were somewhat confused, we burst out laughing and they left. Idiots. I also remember a painful nil nil on a Friday night. Not the nicest of places. Loved it when they 'POPPED' all those years back. You do get a good atmosphere down there though and plenty of chavs to the left. Wonder how many will be doing throat slitting?! Last seasons deserved last minute equaliser was both painful and joyous! I nearly passed out! - charlie
80/81, we were at the old open away end, opposite to the current one. Waddock volleyed in a winner at the far end. A fair few QPR there that day. As already mentioned, the promotion run in game (0 1) the 1 3 win (Connelly) and the Stewart equaliser last season - mayhem! - walnut
Remember Roberts and Tinnion celebrating in front of us in the promotion season ...never liked Bristol City since then ...both got showered with coins, pies, programmes whatever people could get their hands on ...Thorpe missed a sitter in the last minute ...the local filth outside weren't to pleasant either pushing women and kids to get them out of the ground. - EghamR
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