QPR v Doncaster Rovers Connections and Memories
Thursday, 21st Aug 2008 22:27

QPR return to Loftus Road on Saturday to face newly promoted Doncaster Rovers - Ash takes his usual look back at a memorable match, players that have played for both clubs and fans' recollections of past encounters.

The R’s came crashing back down to earth with a bump last weekend, after a pretty poor showing and a 3-0 defeat to the hands of Sheffield United. Grumblings about the manager, the attack and mainly the defence have been going all week on the message board as we look to get back on track on Saturday when Doncaster visit Loftus Road .

Rovers have made a surprisingly good start to the season, causing a shock on the opening day by beating Derby County and following that up with a decent point at home to Cardiff that could so easily have been all three. Sean O’Driscoll’s men play some nice football and Rangers can not underestimate Rovers because if they do Dowie will already have some real problems ahead of him.

Doncaster first travelled to London in 1950 and pulled off a 2-1 victory. Since then there has only been three more meetings between the two sides at Loftus Road and only eight times overall l- as you’ll find out in this very short part of the blue and white hooped path of memory lane…

Memorable Match
Queens Park Rangers 6-0 Doncaster Rovers
September 17, 1966
Division 3
Having only played Donny on four occasions at Loftus Road this comfortable win in the summer after England’s World Cup glory was easily the most memorable of them all. Rangers went into the season as one of the favourites for promotion (sounds familiar) and after opening with a 1-1 draw with Shrewsbury, Rangers were proving to be formidable opposition at Loftus Road with wins over Swindon and Middlesbrough in the league and a 5-0 thrashing of Colchester in the League Cup. Doncaster turned up at HQ having just lost 4-0 at home to Darlington and gained only two points from their first two away games, Loftus Road really was the last place that Donny wanted to be. Thus proved as Rangers run riot on their opponents in a result true to the form book. A brace each from Mike Keen and Roger Morgan plus goals from Keith Sanderson and Rodney Marsh saw the R’s run out 6-0 winners and continue their good start to the season, and move within two points of leaders Oldham Athletic. Of course this would turn out to be quite a memorable season for the R’s.

QPR: Springett, Hazell, Langley, Keen, Hunt, Sibley, Lazarus, Sanderson, Allen, Marsh, Morgan R

Postscript: While Doncaster struggled all season and eventually finished just one place off the bottom of Division 3, Rangers celebrated double success. They finished the season top of the pile and won promotion to the second division as well as celebrating our finest hour by beating top flight WBA in the League Cup Final; QPR’s only ever major honour - happy days.

Player Connections
Rufus Brevett
Doncaster 1988-1991
QPR 1991-1998
Born in Derby in 1969, Brevett joined Doncaster as a youngster and rose up through the ranks at Rovers before making his debut in 1988. In a three year spell at Belle Vue the left-back became a huge fans favourite and is still regarded as one of the best ever players to come out of the Rovers youth team. It wasn’t long however before scouts were being spotted watching the talented defender and it Don Howe who signed Brevett in March 1991. The £250,000 fee that the R’s paid was a record transfer received for a Donny, a record that still stands today. Rufus made his debut for the R’s in a 0-0 draw with Spurs and would go on to help Rangers finish in 12th place. Two seasons later Brevett was part of the R’s squad that finished in fifth place and as top London club in the inaugural season of the Premier League. When Clive Wilson left for Tottenham in 1995, he became Rangers first choice left back but was unable to prevent their relegation a year later. Brevett played 153 games for the R’s scoring one goal, and even that looked suspiciously like a Benali OG, before dropping a division to join the Kevin Keegan revolution at Fulham. At the time Keegan allegedly told Rufus “to leave the little club up the road and join the bigger one” and although we were disgruntled at the time, Brevett’s decision was proved to be a good as he made the Premier League with Fulham while we are still waiting to return. He later played for West Ham where he again suffered another relegation, before spells at Plymouth and Oxford. Brevett retired last May and is currently doing his coaching badges.
Did you know? Rufus owns a tanning shop in Egham called Tan Tropic.

Gareth Taylor
QPR 2000 (Loan)
Doncaster 2008-present
Not only is Gareth a classic example of a journeyman, but in the mould of Chris Sutton and Paul Warhurst he is one of those players who can play as a defender and a striker. Despite starting his career at Southampton, Gareth left the Dell without ever making an appearance and made his professional debut for Bristol Rovers. In three seasons with Rovers, he scored 18 goals partnering Marcus Stewart before a big money move to Crystal Palace. Things never really worked out for Gareth at Selhurst Park and after just a season he was once again on the move this time to Sheffield United. A much more impressive spell in two seasons at United saw him score 24 goals before securing arguably the biggest move of his career when he signed for Manchester City for £400,000 in 1998. Unfortunately once again he struggled and was found himself out on loan at QPR. Gerry Francis had come in at Loftus Road for a second time and was looking for a more aerial threat in front of goal so looked to Taylor on a short-term basis. In six appearances for the R’s Taylor scored one goal in a defeat at Charlton but didn’t impress enough to earn a further loan or secure a permanent transfer. It was at his next loan stint where he would impress more and go on to sign for Burnley on a permanent basis in what is to date the best time of his career. He became a fan favourite in his time at Turfmoor before going on to appear for Nottingham Forest, Crewe and Tranmere. Taylor signed for Donny in Jauaury and will give them so vital experience in the first season in the Championship.
Did you know? Taylor has played for Wales 14 times scoring once against Scotland in 2004.

Others:
Marvin Bryan QPR 1992-95, Doncaster 1994 (loan), now unknown
Keith Pritchett Doncaster 1973-75, QPR 1976, now a journalist

Fans’ Memories:
FACup 84/85, our first season post Venables. I think Mullery had not long been sacked so we were under Frank Sibley. A "Football Special" load of QPR fans filled the open terrace along with a dozen Leeds fans who were "persuaded" to move along. Doncaster were third tier, we (from memory) were toward the bottom of the top division recovering from the Mullery era. We absolutely battered Donny for 80 mins but couldn't score. Typically, they stuck one in late on & we lost 0 1. Celebrating Donny fans waved our double Decker busses back to the station -Walnut

Against the form book they beat us one nil at their place in the cup, back in the eighties. When we came out their were loads of Leeds waiting for us in the car park, it was an eventful exit to say the least. -Kingo

I remember the name of the bloke that scored Harle. What about the open goal Robinson missed in the last minute. There was a few of 'em in our end, One huge bloke I recall going 'C'mon I'm from South Yorkshire', cue hot coffee straight in the mooey and he got arrested as well. -Norfolt

I remember that big bloke and his hot beverage. We had a very cold journey home after they put a brick through the side window of Tom's motor. We only had about 60 of them surrounding the car !!I think a few of them had sore toes as we went through the middle of them at speed. -Kingo

Haven't won anything since the reign of Antoninus Pius, good racecourse, the inventor of the flushing toilet Thomas Crapper came from there. Sums it all up. -The Blob

To add your memories either post on the message board thread, use the commenting facility below or e-mail us at loftforwords@yahoo.co.uk