With Derby arriving in W12 this Saturday boasting a proud recent record at Loftus Road, LFW looks back at recent meetings between the two sides and the career of Dean Sturridge who served both clubs.
QPR 0 Derby County 0, Monday April 18, 2011, Championship
QPR were on the cusp of the Championship title when these sides last met at Lotus Road back in 2011. A win in front of the Sky cameras could have helped nudge the R’s over the line and the Derby goal led a charmed life at times but the visitors escaped with a point that kept their hosts sweating on not only on the pitch matters, but also the forthcoming Ale Faurlin FA hearing, a little while longer. Robbie Savage rejoiced in Tweeting after the match about his man marking job on Adel Taarabt but in truth the Moroccan had much the better of the first half and was unlucky not to score with a chipped effort cleared from the line.
QPR: Kenny 7, Orr 6, Gorkss 6, Connolly 6, Hill 6, Derry 7, Faurlin 6, Routledge 6 (Miller 83, -), Taarabt 6 (Agyemang 71, 5), Smith 7, Helguson 6 (Hulse 85, -)
Subs Not Used: Cerny, Buzsaky, Ephraim, Shittu
Booked: Routledge (dissent)
Derby: Jones 7, Brayford 6, Barker 7, Ayala 7, Roberts 6, Savage 6, Bailey 7, Pearson 7 (Anderson 89, -), Robinson 5, Ward 8, Steve Davies 6 (Leacock 90, -)
Subs Not Used: Atkins, Porter, Doyle, Bueno, Ben Davies
Booked: Savage (foul), Ayala (foul), Bailey (foul), Brayford (foul)
Derby County 2 QPR 2, Saturday August 28, 2010, Championship
Few games in the 2010/11 promotion season typified the spirit of Neil Warnock’s QPR side as the August trip to Derby County. Rangers scored twice in injury time at Pride Park to extend their unbeaten run on that ground to six matches. The Rams had seemed set for all three points when Kris Commons drilled home from close range just before half time and youngster James Bailey did likewise in the second half. But QPR got a goal back against the run of play when substitute Patrick Agyemang ran clear and cleverly rolled the ball home and when Paddy Kenny made a fine save in the fourth minute of added time to prevent Derby scoring a third there was still time to launch the ball down field and equalise through Jamie Mackie who peeled off his shirt and celebrated manically in front of the QPR fans.
Derby: Bywater 6, Brayford 6, Leacock 6, Barker 5, Roberts 6, Doyle 7 (Martin 57, 7), Green 7, Savage 8, Bailey 7, Commons 8 (Cywka 45, 8), Moxey 7 (Ball 90, -)
Subs Not Used: Deeney, Buxton, Pringle, O'Brien
Booked: Moxey (foul)
Goals: Commons 40 (assisted Moxey), Bailey 59 (assisted Cywka)
QPR: Kenny 7, Orr 6, Gorkss 6, Connolly 5, Hill 6, Derry 6 (Buzsaky 61, 6), Faurlin 5, Ephraim 6, Mackie 7, Helguson 5 (Agyemang 62, 6), Taarabt 6 (Clarke 69, 5)
Subs Not Used: Cerny, Leigertwood, Ramage, German
Booked: Hill (foul), Mackie (over celebrating)
Goals: Agyemang 90 +1 (assisted Clarke), Mackie 90+5 (unassisted
QPR 1 Derby County 1, Tuesday March 23, 2010, Championship
QPR and Derby shared the spoils in a dire encounter towards the end the previous at Loftus Road. Both sides were just about safe in the league, while still casting nervous glances over their respective shoulders, and in the end a draw was a more than fair result after a dour spectacle. QPR took the lead in first half injury time when Adel Taarabt escaped the clutches of his man marker Robbie Savage to set up Lee Cook for his one and only goal of the season. QPR were well below par though and Derby deserved their equaliser which came in the form of a fine individual goal by defender Shaun Barker just over 20 minutes from time.
QPR: Ikeme 7, Ramage 7, Stewart 7, Gorkss 8, Connolly 8 (Hill 33, 6), Faurlin 5, Leigertwood 5, Cook 6 (German 59, 7), Taarabt 7, Vine 6, Simpson 6 (Ephraim 78, -)
Subs Not Used: Cerny, Buzsaky, Balanta, Priskin
Booked: Faurlin (foul)
Goals: Cook 45+2 (assisted Taarabt)
Derby: Bywater, Anderson, Barker, Hunt (Davies 61), McEveley,Tonge, Pearson, Savage, Green, Sunu (Leacock 46),Porter (Hulse 82)
Subs Not Used: David Martin, Teale, Moxey, Dave Martin
Booked: Leacock (time wasting)
Goals: Barker 67 (unassisted)
Head to Head >>> QPR wins 12 >>> Draws 18 >>> Derby wins 16
2010/11 QPR 0 Derby 0
2010/11 Derby 2 QPR 2 (Agyemang, Mackie)
2009/10 QPR 1 Derby 1 (Cook)
2009/10 Derby 2 QPR 4 (Taarabt, Mahon, Simpson, Buzsaky pen)
2008/09 Derby 0 QPR 2 (Routledge, Leigertwood)
2008/09 QPR 0 Derby 2
2006/07 Derby 1 QPR 1 (Rowlands)
2006/07 QPR 1 Derby 2 (Smith)
2005/06 QPR 1 Derby 1 (Nygaard)
2005/06 Derby 1 QPR 2 (Ainsworth, Gallen)
2004/05 Derby 0 QPR 0
2004/05 QPR 0 Derby 2
1990/91 Derby 1 QPR 1 (Wegerle)
1990/91 QPR 1 Derby 1 (Wegerle)
1989/90 Derby 2 QPR 0
1989/90 QPR 0 Derby 1
1988/89 QPR 0 Derby 1
1988/89 Derby 0 QPR 1 (Stein)
1987/88 Derby 0 QPR 2 (Allen, Fereday)
1987/88 QPR 1 Derby 1 (Bannister)
1982/83 Derby 2 QPR 0
1982/83 QPR 4 Derby 1 (Stainrod 2 Gregory, Fenwick pen)
1981/82 QPR 3 Derby 0 (Hazell, Fenwick, Flanagan)
1981/82 Derby 3 QPR 1 (Gregory)
1980/81 QPR 3 Derby 1 (Francis 2, Flanagan)
1980/81 QPR 0 Derby 0* (QPR won 5-3 on pens)
1980/81 Derby 3 QPR 3 (King 2, Langley)
1980/81 Derby 0 QPR 0*
1978/79 QPR 2 Derby 2 (Goddard, Walsh)
1978/79 Derby 2 QPR 1 (Howe)
1977/78 Derby 2 QPR 0
1977/78 QPR 0 Derby 0
1976/77 Derby 2 QPR 0
1976/77 QPR 1 Derby 1 (Givens)
1975/76 QPR 1 Derby 1 (Nutt)
1975/76 Derby 1 QPR 5 (Bowles 3, Thomas, Clement)
1974/75 QPR 4 Derby 1 (Givens 3, Thomas)
1974/75 Derby 5 QPR 2 (Leach, Bowles)
1973/74 QPR 0 Derby 0
1973/74 Derby 1 QPR 2 (Francis, Bowles)
1972/73 Derby 4 QPR 2** (Leach, Givens)
1969/70 QPR 1 Derby 0** (Mackay og)
1967/68 Derby 4 QPR 0
1967/68 QPR 0 Derby 1
1947/48 Derby 5 QPR 0
1947/48 QPR 1 Derby 1 (Hartburn)
Dean Sturridge >>> Derby County 1991-2001 >>> QPR 2005-2006
Ian Holloway did many good things as manager of QPR but the signing of Dean Sturridge will not go down as one of his finest moments.
Born in Birmingham, Sturridge signed pro forms at Derby County in 1991 and made his debut a year later in a 1-0 defeat to Southend United. Still only a young man, Sturridge had to bide his time to get a run in the County team, so spent time on loan at Torquay in 1994 - scoring five goals in just ten outings for the Gulls. Back at Derby he looked a more confident player and became the Rams first choice striker for the 1995-96 season. His twenty goals that year helped Derby to second place in the First Division and promotion to the Premier League for the first time.
Sturridge and Derby made a strong Premier League debut the following campaign, with the Ram’s finishing a creditable twelfth and Sturridge netting 11 goals and impressing so much he was linked with a big money move to Arsenal. He stayed with the Rams in the top-flight for another five seasons, scoring 53 goals in all for Derby before manager Jim Smith left in 2001 and Dean found himself out of the first-team picture.
He joined Leicester City in a £350,000 deal however he couldn’t capture the same kind of goal scoring form at Filbert Street, dropping behind heavyweights Trevor Benjamin and Ade Akinbyi in the pecking order. Injuries meant he left after just ten months to join Wolves on initial loan deal. His four goals in just two outings led to a permanent move on Christmas Eve 2001.
Two successful seasons followed, where his goals helped the club to reach the play-offs in both campaigns, wining promotion the second time around with a 3-0 win over Sheffield United. The striker didn’t enjoy much of Wolves’ season in the top-flight though as injury and new signings limited him to just five appearances and he spent time on loan at Sheffield United. Sturridge never regained his place at Molineux and in March 2005 joined QPR on a free transfer.
Despite these years of injury problems Rangers manager Ian Holloway believed he had picked up a bargain who, if he got fit, could be a secret weapon in his team’s Championship campaign when he signed him in 2006. Chairman at the time Gianni Paladini admitted to LFW that Jim Smith had strongly advised giving Sturridge a contract longer than six months, but offered 18 months just the same and paid a heavy price as Sturridge took the best part of £200,000 from the club in wages, signing on fees and relocation allowances for no return whatsoever.
He spent almost his entire time with Rangers in the treatment room, playing just 11 games for the club without scoring before his contact was terminated — not before time. A subsequent interview by LFW with Paladini revealed that the medical tests done when Sturridge first joined the club were less than strenuous and essentially they’d relied on a recommendation from the physio at selling club Wolves.
A short spell at Kidderminster followed before he retired to become a pundit on BBC Radio. Now working on his coaching badges.
Others >>> Steve McClaren Derby (manager) 2013-present, QPR (coach) 2013 >>> Rob Hulse QPR 2010-present, Derby 2008-2010 >>> Tommy Smith, QPR 2010-2012, Derby 2004-2006 >>> Tamas Priskin, Derby (loan) 2010-2011, QPR (loan) 2010 >>> Bob Malcolm, QPR 2007-2008, Derby 2006-2008 >>> Inigo Idiakez QPR 2007, Derby 2003-2004 >>> Adam Bolder, QPR 2007-2009, Derby 2000-2007 >>> Lee Camp, Derby 2002-2007, QPR (loan) 2004, (loan) 2007, 2007-2009 >>> Dexter Blackstock QPR 2006-2009, Derby (loan) 2005 >>> Ian Evatt, QPR 2005-2007, Derby 1999-2003 >>> Warren Barton, QPR 2003-2004, Derby 2002-2003 >>> Paul Peschisolido, Derby 2004-2007, QPR (loan) 2000 >>> Kevin Lisbie Derby (loan) 2006, QPR (loan) 2000-2001 >>> Mikkel Beck QPR (loan) 2000, Derby 1999 >>> Danny Dichio, Derby (loan) 2003, QPR 1993-1997 >>> John Gregory, QPR (manager) 2006-2007, 1981-1985, Derby 1985-1988, (manager) 2002-2003 >>> Jim Smith Derby 1995-2001, QPR 1985-1988 >>> Paul Goddard, Derby 1988-1989, QPR 1977-1980 >>> Leighton James, QPR 1977-1978, Derby 1975-1977 >>> Steve Wicks, QPR 1981-1986, 1979-1981, Derby 1978-1979 >>> Gary Micklewhite Derby 1985-1993, QPR 1979-1985 >>> Don Masson, Derby 1977-1978, QPR 1974-1977 >>> Gordon Hill, QPR 1979-1981, Derby 1978-1979 >>> Dave Webb, Derby 1978-1980, QPR 1974-1977
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Pictures — Action Images