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I sometimes write about QPR, and the sub-editors are in the habit of putting "lifelong QPR fan" in the standfirst to describe me. I am not a lifelong QPR fan.
I was born in Manchester and moved south as a child in the 70s. I supported United, because that's where I was from. When my dad started taking me to football, Loftus Road was the first ground we went to (5-1 loss to Everton, Bob Latchford hat-trick, 1977), and the one we went to most often.
I went to university in Leeds, and there were people there who had gone to Old Trafford every week, rather than once a season and even then sitting in the main stand rather than standing in the away end. So I stopped saying I supported United. I started going to Elland Road every week, and saw most of the Wilkinson promotion season —Â every term time game — which was great.
When I moved back south in 1991, I wanted to carry on watching football every week — at one club — and a process of elimination based on a) ease of getting there b) how good the team was at the time and c) whether I had any pre-existing dislike of the club (which ruled out every other top-flight London team) led me to start coming to Loftus Road. I stood in the East Paddock, quietly shamed, as Rangers took apart the Leeds title-winning team.
But you know how it is: you start watching a team all the time, and before you know it, you support them.
On wider QPR things it's rude to admit … 1/ I don't think referees are biased against us 2/ I don't think the media is biased against us 3/ I never thought Trevor Sinclair was as good as everyone else did (*that* goal, and the first-time lob from the halfway line against City, notwithstanding) 4/ The first time I cried in front of my wife was when she came to the Coventry away game that in effect relegated us in 96 5/ I never thought Kevin Gallen was as a good as everyone else did, either 6/ Whereas I thought Danny Dichio was hugely underrated (years later, I bumped into him at Sunderland's training ground and said just that. He replied, "Yeah, they all say that now. Bet you were shouting how shit I was then, though." He really felt angry about how the fans scapegoated him) 7/ There are times when I wish we had a featureless concrete bowl that didn't make life so difficult for the visitor, rather than Loftus Road
I was there for all of Dichio's time with us. I mentioned him on here a few months back and was gobsmacked by the negativity towards him. While I didn't think he fulfilled his early potential (there was a time when he was 19 when he looked like an incredible prospect, properly challenging Les for his shirt at the start of Les's final season), I just thought he was a good player who lost his way a bit and went off and had a decent career with some good clubs. Had no memory of fans being that bad towards him.
Gallen is almost exactly my age, and it was the most exciting thing ever him coming through. His first season he scored a fair few, but his partnership with Les was outstanding - Les's best partner he had at QPR imo, because Kev just knew how to find his runs. Look at his two passes for Les in the first 90 secs of this clip from when we beat Newcastle 3-0 (!): Absolutely brilliant.
His injury really killed him, but when he came back and inspired an immediate 4-0 win up front with Doudou (!), he was a real leader and his partnership with Furs was a bit slow, but very effective. I'm not really sure what else he could have done for the club. These days his and my views differ wildly about any number of things, but as a player, he, with, what around 350 apps and 100 goals, should be an undisputed club legend by any metric.
FA cup game against Arsenal January 2001 they thrashed us 6-0 , used to have season tickets with my brothers in the west paddock, obviously close to the away support. Our dads family all come from Tottenham and therefore are spurs supporters,we bucked the trend, however when I think the 6th goal went in( think it was the 2nd own goal of the day) and the gunners fans were lording it over us I launched into the Spurs/ Chas and Dave song ‘Spurs are on their way to Wembley’. There were some very strange looks in my direction,to this day don’t know why I did it and am cringing writing about it.
I sometimes write about QPR, and the sub-editors are in the habit of putting "lifelong QPR fan" in the standfirst to describe me. I am not a lifelong QPR fan.
I was born in Manchester and moved south as a child in the 70s. I supported United, because that's where I was from. When my dad started taking me to football, Loftus Road was the first ground we went to (5-1 loss to Everton, Bob Latchford hat-trick, 1977), and the one we went to most often.
I went to university in Leeds, and there were people there who had gone to Old Trafford every week, rather than once a season and even then sitting in the main stand rather than standing in the away end. So I stopped saying I supported United. I started going to Elland Road every week, and saw most of the Wilkinson promotion season —Â every term time game — which was great.
When I moved back south in 1991, I wanted to carry on watching football every week — at one club — and a process of elimination based on a) ease of getting there b) how good the team was at the time and c) whether I had any pre-existing dislike of the club (which ruled out every other top-flight London team) led me to start coming to Loftus Road. I stood in the East Paddock, quietly shamed, as Rangers took apart the Leeds title-winning team.
But you know how it is: you start watching a team all the time, and before you know it, you support them.
On wider QPR things it's rude to admit … 1/ I don't think referees are biased against us 2/ I don't think the media is biased against us 3/ I never thought Trevor Sinclair was as good as everyone else did (*that* goal, and the first-time lob from the halfway line against City, notwithstanding) 4/ The first time I cried in front of my wife was when she came to the Coventry away game that in effect relegated us in 96 5/ I never thought Kevin Gallen was as a good as everyone else did, either 6/ Whereas I thought Danny Dichio was hugely underrated (years later, I bumped into him at Sunderland's training ground and said just that. He replied, "Yeah, they all say that now. Bet you were shouting how shit I was then, though." He really felt angry about how the fans scapegoated him) 7/ There are times when I wish we had a featureless concrete bowl that didn't make life so difficult for the visitor, rather than Loftus Road
Mine would be recognising you from twitter at the bar at End of the Road festival, drunkenly giving you a "You Rs" and chewing your ear off about the League Cup second round for like 10 minutes. You reassured me later it was fine but I war mortified the rest of the weekend hahaha
When Aguero scored that goal, I was jumping up and down cheering like a lunatic!
In my defence, I had seen the Rangers bench all going mad about a minute before City equalised, so I knew we were safe. However, as a former resident of Manchester, I had an absolute hatred of United, and I also have a lot of City supporting chums who I was genuinely happy for.
I was watching it in a bar in Manila where I was living at the time, texting Rfosi and City fans throughout; the outcome suited us all: we stayed up; City won and United didn't.
All that being said, to the victor the spoils etc., I do find it annoying that we never get any credit for our part in that day.
[Post edited 12 Apr 2023 6:52]
We were all pretty delirious when that Aguero goal went in...... for pretty much the same reason- we'd seen the bench react to the other result so knew we were safe. That, and the fact that the City fans to the right were making clear that getting out the ground was going to be eventful. Cue the massive love-in when Aguero scored. You missed a great night in the Lass the night before Jon. Discounted beer to QPR fans only, much to the bemusement of some of the locals.
I was there for all of Dichio's time with us. I mentioned him on here a few months back and was gobsmacked by the negativity towards him. While I didn't think he fulfilled his early potential (there was a time when he was 19 when he looked like an incredible prospect, properly challenging Les for his shirt at the start of Les's final season), I just thought he was a good player who lost his way a bit and went off and had a decent career with some good clubs. Had no memory of fans being that bad towards him.
Gallen is almost exactly my age, and it was the most exciting thing ever him coming through. His first season he scored a fair few, but his partnership with Les was outstanding - Les's best partner he had at QPR imo, because Kev just knew how to find his runs. Look at his two passes for Les in the first 90 secs of this clip from when we beat Newcastle 3-0 (!): Absolutely brilliant.
His injury really killed him, but when he came back and inspired an immediate 4-0 win up front with Doudou (!), he was a real leader and his partnership with Furs was a bit slow, but very effective. I'm not really sure what else he could have done for the club. These days his and my views differ wildly about any number of things, but as a player, he, with, what around 350 apps and 100 goals, should be an undisputed club legend by any metric.
Don't dispute his love for the club and his service. He just wasn't as good as everyone thought he was going to be and often pretended he was. He broke all the youth scoring records because he had an adult body a year before anyone else. Unfortunately, then everyone else grew up and he was no longer the strongest and fastest. Just a pretty decent footballer.
But we also romanticise him because he returned. First time round, though, there were a lot of people who were disappointed. Remember the AKUTR cover headlined "Gallen considers new deal" with pictures of four KFC meal deal offers?
I do not like Kevin Gallen. Sure he may love the club but his drivel on twitter especially really grinds me. Also, his downplay on Uncs being a QPR fan didnt sit well with me. Good player though!
I, too, didn't really enjoy Wembley 2014, or that financially doped season. It felt so grubby. Best thing about it was the Charlie Charlie Niko Niko chant (despite above).
I thought Nasser El Khouyati was under rated.
That goal against Charlton, the way he rolled his foot over the ball before shooting is the stuff of football wet dreams…
Also, I use to sing his name to the tune of The Drums ‘let’s go surfing’.
Mad I know, but this is a QPR confessional thread.
All our kits look about the same and I can never understand the reactions (positive or negative)
Completely appreciate kits aren’t for everyone. Not sure why I feel strongly about them, perhaps it’s nostalgia? My wife thinks I might be on the ‘spectrum’. I never wear the kits, they’re all neatly folded in a draw. I have one I occasional wear running.
I will say, not all QPR shirts are created equally. I’ve binned off all the ones with that horrible badge apart from the league winning season.
Ps: I also have a sponsor less, long sleeve adidas Nottingham Forest shirt. I watched a Brian Clough documentary and ended up buying one off eBay. Mental, I know.
As long as we stay up at the end of it, it's been refreshing having a stake in something this late in the season for once. I've quite enjoyed it in a weird way.
[Post edited 11 Apr 2023 22:47]
I kinda of get where you're coming from but at the same time it's been absolutely awful When we got relegated away at the fakes, I wanted a mid-table finish. After Winning The Championship and Faulingate, staying up in such dramatic fashion, relegation, Wembley winner and then relegation, my heart had enough of all the drama, I just wasn't used to it. I preferred The Plastic to grass and I thought the iconic Dave Thomas The Fanzine Editor was Dave Thomas The Footballer were the same person.
Very early January 2013 me and my daughter were having a pre-match meal off the Kings Road and we agreed that we would leave once North Battersea had scored their fifth goal………. Oh what a fûcking great night that turned out to be. Didn’t leave that cesspit until 10 minutes after the final whistle.
Very early January 2013 me and my daughter were having a pre-match meal off the Kings Road and we agreed that we would leave once North Battersea had scored their fifth goal………. Oh what a fûcking great night that turned out to be. Didn’t leave that cesspit until 10 minutes after the final whistle.
I am saying nothing , I made one emotionally charged comment last week concerning our DOF an hour after another defeat and got pelters for 3 hours solid ...
Watching the aguero game at home and after MACKIEEEE scored rang friend who was watching at the home of his boss and was understandably mystified at two middle aged young men literally orgasming in the moment in unison via phone to phone !!
We both ever since have had a slightly concerning hero worship for the great man which I won't go any further with, for fear of repercussions !!
But Mackie dancing in a pink ballerina outfit on tik tok with his young children to entertain the masses during lockdown.
Live near this wonderful iconic area of Great Britain and have a friend who always rings me and ends every conversation with I hope QPR get totally mullered next game and he is a fan of this detestable team !!!
There were several occasions early noughties when we either got to the ground just after half time, or didn't even bother to leave the pub at all. Once, just because it was raining.
In more recent times I've gone the other way (ooo-err) and it drives me nuts when my mates are dawdling in the pub 20 minutes before kick off. It's nice to actually be there before KO!
Visiting a Temple in Tokyo, there was a wish tree where you could write a wish. There were lots of lovely and touching messages wishing for world peace and an end to hunger and poverty. Sadly I lowered the tone by wishing that QPR get promoted. But at least it worked, we beat Derby in the play offs a month later.
I don't suppose you could pop back and wish for us to avoid relegation?
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