With Brentford at Loftus Road on Wednesday, we look back to that glorious period when Ian Holloway was first in charge of QPR and these two engaged in some tense battles in the third tier.

Memorable Match

QPR 1 Brentford 1, Saturday December 21, 2002, Second Division

Queens Park Rangers had been relegated from the First Division in 2001 in, frankly, a bit of a state. In administration after the disastrous Chris Wright era, linked with a merger with Wimbledon, and sporting a squad of just eight contracted players of which two (Clarke Carlisle and Richard Langley) were both ruled out for almost all of the following campaign with knee ligament injuries.

Ian Holloway set about a rebuilding job on a shoestring budget and a weird and wonderful collection of players started arriving on free transfers, loans, short term deals and various other begged, stolen and borrowed methods to keep the banks happy. Out of that came some hits (Chris Day, Steve Palmer, Terrell Forbes, Andy Thomson, Marcus Bignot), some pan flashes (Aziz Ben Askar, Leroy Griffiths, DouDou), some misses (Dave McEwen, Hamid Barr) and some nearly greats (Martin Bullock, Mamady Sidibe). Rangers were, understandably, all over the map in that first season but finished strongly, with only two defeats in the final dozen games and a four game winning run through April inspired by the loan of Jerome Thomas from Arsenal.

The summer of 2002 was a much more optimistic affair, with lifelong QPR fan Marc Bircham joining from Millwall to form a backbone of the side with Kevin Gallen who’d returned the previous winter, Gino Padula reuniting with Holloway having worked together at Bristol Rovers, and Paul Furlong coming back to the club he’d served as a junior and once previously during a brief loan spell. The new-look R’s started the season strongly with home wins against Chesterfield and Peterborough, a big 4-0 success on the road at Mansfield, and then four wins from five matches through September as the team really clicked into gear.

But the defeat in that run was a big game up at Crewe, when QPR packed the side stand against fellow promotion contenders but lost 2-0 in fairly hapless circumstances with Paul Furlong’s all-too-casual penalty attempt saved at the nadir of the afternoon. Although Blackpool were subsequently beaten in a TV game the following week — QPR, and Richard Langley in particular, used to torment Blackpool in those days for some reason — a long run of games without a win soon took hold.

It started innocuously enough with a draw at Cheltenham amidst some highly dubious refereeing and a red card for Clarke Carlisle. Bristol City knocked us out of the Football League Trophy on penalties, but Langley too saw red that night. Draws at Wigan and Port Vale weren’t bad results but they were sandwiched between home defeats to Oldham and Northampton, which were — the Cobblers had much the same Indian sign over us as we held over Blackpool. Soon it was seven without a win, and then things really went off the side of a cliff.

In one nightmare fortnight QPR scraped a 0-0 draw against Vauxhall Motors in an FA Cup first round game played at Chester City’s Deva Stadium. They then went to Luton, who went down to ten men after 14 minutes and nine after 50 but rarely looked troubled by a dire attack led by Callum Willock on loan from Fulham and Brett Angell on loan from the seventh circle of hell. That finished 0-0, and the nine men nearly pinched it at the end. Vauxhall Motors won the replayed fixture at Loftus Road on penalties, one of the club’s lowest ever moments, and a 3-0 shellacking at Notts County quickly followed with the away end in open revolt. Rangers weren’t too bad for the first half of a subsequent Friday night game with Cardiff, but a second half hat trick from Robert Earnshaw made it 4-0 to the visitors. Ian Holloway was now hanging on by a thread.

Olly’s two spells in charge at Loftus Road have been punctuated by these long runs of either very positive or unbelievably negative results. The losing stretches have almost always been broken by the arrival of a fresh face in the team — in 2001/02 it had been Kevin Gallen returning from an unhappy spell at Barnsley, more recently the introduction of Ryan Manning saved his bacon in late 2016. In 2002, it was the arrival of Lee Cook on loan from Watford.

A QPR supporting left winger who Watford had picked up from Aylesbury, he was the sort of signing Rangers ought not to have been able to make given the financial constraints and Cook’s obvious ability, but the pull of his boyhood club got the deal over the line. He made his debut just before Christmas, in a home match with Brentford, hunting their first victory against Rangers in almost half a century. He didn’t take long to make an impact either, crossing beautifully from the byline in the twentieth minute to allow Bircham to steam in unmarked and thump a header home at the School End. Bircham, Cook, and Gallen, QPR fans together, celebrated in front of the away end.

Brentford had a very talented team of their own back then, with our future favourite Martin Rowlands on one wing and Stephen Hunt, who went on to have a successful Premier League stint with Reading, on the other. Rowan Vine, another who’d grace Loftus Road in Hoops, led their attack with Ibrahima Sonko at centre half also a little bit too good for that level. They equalised on the half hour through Kevin O’Connor and the game finished 1-1. Not a win, and the search to find one stretched into a third month and thirteenth game, but it felt like the rot had been stopped and Gallen got the winner against Wycombe in a 2-1 success on Boxing Day.

There was still a 3-0 hammering at Tranmere to come, and yet another red card, this time for the much maligned Paul Furlong. But his return to form and fitness in the New Year, plus the arrival of Cook, and the long overdue decision to start picking Padula as first choice left back, led a revival the likes of which I can scarcely recall. Rangers won four out of four through January and would lose only three more games in the entire second half of the season.

The goal everybody remembers from Marc Bircham against Brentford would come at Griffin Park that Easter, banged in right at the death to win the game 2-1 during another run of five consecutive wins as Rangers held off a play-off challenge from Tranmere. But it was arguably his first for the club, in the home fixture, that was more important to the future of the team and the manager. Although Rangers lost the play-off final to Cardiff, and Cook returned to Watford in March, it set the squad up for an automatic promotion push the following year with Gareth Ainsworth and Rowlands on either wing. Cook was waiting to sign on a permanent deal from the Hornets upon our arrival in the First Division. Happy times.

QPR: Culkin; Forbes, Carlisle, Palmer, Murphy; Langley, Bircham, Rose, Cook (Thomson 83); Gallen, Furlong

Subs not used: Daly, Day, Padula, Angell

Goals: Bircham 18

Brentford: P Smith; Dobson, Marshall, Sonko, Somner; Rowlands, Fullarton, Evans (McCammon 75), Hunt; O’Connor, Vine

Subs not used: Hughes, Williams, Julian, J Smith

Goals: O’Connor 30

Attendance — 15,559

Recent Meetings

Brentford 2 QPR 1, Friday November 27, 2020, Championship

QPR’s annual defeat away at Brentford came with a new storyline, and wasn’t as just and comprehensive as previous years, but was, nevertheless, still a defeat. Janelt’s first goal for the club, steered into the bottom corner from range with his left foot, started proceedings much as they’d gone before, but on their first visit to LegoLand Kew Rangers struck back immediately when bright Osayi-Samuel ripped down the right and delivered a low cross for a thumping Lyndon Dykes equaliser. Dykes missed a great chance for a second before half time, and Sorensen should have been sent off for bringing him down when clear through on goal, but half time adjustments by the hosts helped them gain control of the game and shambolic marking from a wide set piece allowed Ivan Toney in at the near post to win it.

Brentford: Raya 6; Dalsgaard 5 (Jansson 46, 7), Pinnock 6, Sorensen 5, Henry 8; Dasilva 5 (Jensen 46, 6), Janelt 6, Marcondes 6 (Forss 71, 7), Mbeumo 6 (Ghoddos 87, -), Fosu-Henry 6 (Canos 71, 6); Toney 8

Goals: Janelt 14 (assisted Henry), Toney 64 (assisted Marcondes)

Yellow Cards: Sorensen 39 (denying clear goalscoring opportunity), Canos 90+6 (foul)

QPR: Dieng 6; Kane 6, Dickie 7, Barbet 7, Hämäläinen 5 (Bonne 85, -); Ball 6 (Adomah 80, 5), Carroll 7; Osayi-Samuel 7, Chair 6, Willock 6 (Thomas 71, 5); Dykes 7

Subs not used: Wallace, Masterson, Kakay, Kelly, Bettache, Kelman

Goals: Dykes 26 (assisted Osayi-Samuel)

Red Cards: Kane 83 (two yellows)

Yellow Cards: Hämäläinen 29 (foul), Kane 65 (foul), Ball 74 (dissent), Kane 83 (foul)

Brentford 3 QPR 1, Saturday January 11, 2020, Championship

The annual shellacking at Griffin Park played out in much the same way as it usually does when QPR visited the old ground for the final time a year ago. Although Nahki Wells nearly caught David Raya pisballing about on his own line with the score at 0-0, the R’s were soon caught in a blitz as Benrahma, Mbeumo and Watkins all bagged in less than 15 first half minutes. Wells did pull one back in the second half as part of a prolific January that won him a move to Bristol City, but it was another comprehensive defeat for Rangers at their near neighbours.

Brentford: Raya 7; Dalsgaard 7, Jansson 7, Pinnock 8, Henry 8; Jensen 7 (Mokotjo 75, 6), Norgaard 7, Dasilva 8 (Marcondes 87, -); Mbeumo 8 (Castillo 81, -), Watkins 8, Benrahma 8

Subs not used: Thompson, Jeanvier, Daniels, Zamburek

Goals: Benrahma, 19 (assisted Jensen), Mbeumo 23, Watkins 33 (assisted Pinnock)

QPR: Lumley 3; Kane 4, Cameron 5, Hall 4, Manning 5; Ball 4 (Masterson 46, 6), Amos 5; Osayi-Samuel 6, Chair 5 (Shodipo 81, -), Eze 5; Wells 5 (Hugill 71, 5)

Subs not used: Wallace, Pugh, Scowen, Kelly

Goals: Wells 61 (assisted Osayi-Samuel)

Bookings: Hall 46 (foul), Kane 56 (foul), Cameron 71 (foul), Osayi-Samuel 90 (unsporting), Manning 90+4 (foul)

QPR 1 Brentford 3, Monday October 28, 2019, Championship

QPR did lots of what they usually do against Brentford when they met at Loftus Road in October 2019. There was the obligatory soft early goal conceded from a cross — Ollie Watkins the beneficiary. A Grant Hall headed goal from a corner at the start of the second half returned the demon hope, only for the latest nonsense decision against the R’s from persistent foe Andy Woolmer to hand the Bees a penalty despite an obvious dive from Bryan Mbuemo. Benrahma scored that but in truth there was little controversy about a final result of 3-1, secured in stoppage time by another Watkins goal on the break — Brentford by far the better team, QPR distinctly second best.

QPR: Kelly 6; Rangel 6, Leistner 5, Hall 6, Manning 6; Cameron 5 (Mlakar 72, 5), Scowen 5, Osayi-Samuel 6, Eze 6, Chair 6; Wells 5

Subs not used: Lumley, Kane, Wallace, Pugh, Amos, Ball

Goals: Hall 48 (assisted Eze)

Brentford: Raya 6; Dalsgaard 6, Jansson 6, Jeanvier 6, Henry 6; Mokotjo 7, Norgaard 7, DaSilva 8 (Jensen 81, -); Mbeumo 7 (Castillo 75, 6), Watkins 8, Benrahma 7

Subs not used: Thompson, Pinnock, Daniels, Zamburek, Rasmussen

Goals: Watkins 23 (assisted Mbeumo), 90+4 (assisted Jensen), Benrahma 60 (penalty, won Mbeumo)

Bookings: Norgaard 46 (foul), Henry 57 (foul), Watkins 90+4 (excessive celebration)

Brentford 3 QPR 0, Saturday March 2, 2019, Championship

More of everything we’ve come to expect from recent QPR trips to Griffin Park when these sides met in Hounslow in March 2019. That Rangers held it to nil nil at half time was mainly thanks to Joe Lumley, but Keith Stroud intervened early in the second half with a generous penalty award which Neal Maupay converted but the keeper should have saved. Lumley made a string of saves thereafter but eventually erred by charging out of his goal to try and stop his team getting overwhelmed by a counter attack and the ball was squared for Benrahma to stick in the empty net. Canos finished it off with a third into the top corner in the fifth minute of injury time.

Brentford: Bentley 6; Barbet 7, Konsa 7, Jeanvier 7; Dalsgaard 8, Mokotojo 8, Sawyers 8, Odubajo 7; Watkins 7 (Marcondes 81, -), Maupay 8, Benrahma 8 (Canos 82, -)

Subs not used: McEachran, Gunnarsson, Da Silva, Ogbene

Goals: Maupay 50 (penalty, won Watkins), Benrahma 71 (assisted Maupay), Canos 90+5 (assisted Mokotjo)

Bookings: Dalsgaard 67 (foul), Sawyers 77 (kicking ball away)

QPR: Lumley 7; Furlong 5, Hall 5, Leistner 5, Bidwell 5; Luongo 6, Cousins 5; Freeman 5, Eze 5 (Osayi-Samuel 63, 5), Wszolek 6 (Smith 77, 5); Wells 5 (Hemed 73, 4)

Subs not used: Ingram, Scowen, Manning, Lynch

Bookings: Hall 49 (foul), Osayi-Samuel 64 (foul)

QPR 3 Brentford 2, Saturday November 10, 2018, Championship

QPR recovered from one goal down at half time to win 3-2 in a thrilling second half at Loftus Road in November that season. Brentford’s top scorer Neal Maupay made the most of an error from Joe Lumley to nod in the opener midway through the half but was stretchered out of the game before half time. But Rangers blitzed their visitors out of the game at the start of the second half as Mass Luongo and Joel Lynch scored from close range and then Nahki Wells swept in a third as Pawel Wszolek got going down the right hand side. A late goal from Dalsgaard ensured a nervy finish but QPR ran out deserved winners.

QPR: Lumley 6; Rangel 7, Leistner 7, Lynch 7, Bidwell 7; Cameron 6, Luongo 6; Wszolek 8, Eze 6, Freeman 7; Wells 7 (Cousins 86, -)

Subs not used: Ingram, Furlong, Hall, Scowen, Smith, Osayi-Samuel

Goals: Luongo 50 (assisted Freeman), Lynch 58 (assisted Freeman/Leistner), Wells 60 (assisted Wszolek)

Bookings: Freeman 18 (foul), Wells 65 (yellow)

Brentford: Bentley 5; Dalsgaard 6, Mepham 6, Konsa 6, Odubajo 5; McEachran 6 (Da Silva 76, 7), Yennaris 6; Canos 6, Sawyers 6, Benrahama 8 (Clarke 84, -); Maupay 7 (Judge 45+6, 7)

Subs not used: Marcondes, Daniels, Barbet, Oksanen

Goals: Maupay 22 (assisted Benrahma), Dalsgaard 81 (assisted Sawyers)

Bookings: Sawyers 59 (dissent)

Brentford 2 QPR 1, Saturday April 21, 2018, Championship

QPR lost at Griffin Park yet again when these sides met in April 2018 as Brentford attempted to mount a play-off charge and Rangers’ season began to peter out. It all felt very familiar as Canos smacked in from close range after a corner was headed into his path on 15 minutes and then Matt Ingram conceded a penalty for a second before half time. Despiute suffering concussion in the incident, Ingram saved Watkins’ spot kick and Rangers then equalised immediately through Idrissa Sylla. A fine finish into the top corner from Jozefzoon, who’s since left for Derby, finished the game in the Bees’ favour.

Brentford: Bentley 7; Dalsgaard 6, Egan 7, Mepham 8, Barbet 6; Woods 8, Sawyers 7; Jozefzoon 7, Macleod 6 (Mokotjo 65, 6), Canos 7 (yennaris 81, -); Watkins 8 (Maupay 45, 7)

Subs not used: Bjelland, Mceachran, Clarke, Daniels

Goals: Canos 15 (assisted Barbet), Jozefzoon 69 (assisted Mokotjo)

Bookings: Woods 26 (foul), Watkins 33 (foul)

QPR: Ingram 7 (Smithies 45+5, 7); Kakay 7, Furlong 7, Baptiste 5, Bidwell 6 (Manning 74, 6); Scowen 5; Smyth 6 (Smith 72, 6), Wszolek 5, Luongo 6, Freeman 5; Sylla 6

Subs not used: Cousins, Perch, Eze, Osayi-Samuel

Goals: Sylla 45+2 (assisted Luongo)

Bookings: Ingram 42 (foul), Bidwell 50 (foul), Scowen 52 (foul)

QPR 2 Brentford 2, Monday November 27, 2017, Championship

QPR staged a remarkable late comeback when these sides met at Loftus Road in a live Sky game on a Monday night at the end of November 2017. A poor performance looked like ending in another defeat when Lasse Vibe made it 2-0 to the visitors with nine minutes to go. The majority of the home crowd left while Brentford fan sites started Tweeting “thanks to the Brentford family for making this such a wonderful night”. Manager Dean Smith continued throwing attacking players on, rather than shutting up shop, such was their dominance. But the Bees collapsed deep into stoppage time, conceding first from Matt Smith and then, quickly, a close range strike from Luke Freeman. Ian Holloway exploded in a typical mad rant on the TV afterwards, telling fans who’d left early not to bother coming back. Which was helpful.

QPR: Smithies 8; Cousins 5 (Wszolek 74, 5), Baptiste 5, Robinson 7, Bidwell 6; Freeman 6, Luongo 6, Scowen 6, Mackie 5 (LuaLua 74, 4); Washington 5, Sylla 6 (Smith 58, 8)

Subs not used: Chair, Lumley, Wheeler, Goss

Goals: Smith 90+2 (assisted Freeman/Bidwell), Freeman 90+4 (assisted Smith)

Bookings: Freeman 15 (foul), Mackie 27 (foul)

Brentford: Bentley 5; Clarke 6, Egan 5, Bjelland 5, Barbet 7; Mokotjo 7, Woods 7; Yennaris 7, Jozefzoon 6 (Watkins 29, 6), Canos 8 (Sawyers 73, 5); Vibe 8 (Maupay 82, 4)

Subs not used: MacLeod, McEachran, Daniels, Mepham

Goals: Vibe 52 (assisted Yennaris), 81 (assisted Sawyers)

Bookings: Vibe 63 (foul), Maupay 90+6 (foul/dissent)

Queens Park Rangers 1 Brentford 4, Tuesday August 22, 2017, Championship

QPR put out their usual nonsense starting 11, and suffered the standard humiliation as a result, as their catalogue of cup failures garnered another entry with a 4-1 thrashing by Brentford back in August. Steven Caulker, fresh from the pub, put in a wild tackle that allowed Romanie Sawyer to advance and force an own goal from Ariel Borysiuk in the tenth minute. Further goals from Egan and Maupay made it 3-0 before half time and although Darnell Furlong scored late in the first half and Rangers rallied after the break a fourth from Clarke added gloss to the scoreline late on.

QPR: Ingram 7; Furlong 7, Caulker 4 (Smith 75,6), Baptise 4, Robinson 5; Wszolek 5 (Mackie 69,6), Chair 6, Borysiuk 5, Manning 6 (Freeman 51, 6); Sylla 6, Ngbakoto 6

Subs not used: Lumley, Onuoha, Petrasso, Washington,

Goals: Furlong 43 (assisted Ngbakoto)

Brentford: Daniels, Clarke, Colin, Egan, Bjelland, Jozefzoon, Yennaris, Mokotjo (Woods 69), Sawyers, Chatzitheodoridis (Dalsgaard 77), Maupay (Shaibu 69).

Subs not used: Bentley, Watkins, Archibald, Mepham.

Goals: Borysiuk 10 (OG), Egan 19 (assisted Bjelland), Maupay 32 (assisted Sawyers), Clarke 83 (assisted Shaibu).

Brentford 3 Queens Park Rangers 1, Saturday April 28, 2017, Championship

QPR’s second run of six successive defeats last season was completed at Brentford at the end of April, with the hosts tearing Rangers apart from the off. Although Conor Washington volleyed wide early doors, the hosts deserved the lead handed them by Barbet’s header from a corner on the half hour. With Jota running riot against Jake Bidwell and Joel Lynch in atrocious form, it only got worse from there as the Spanish winger won a penalty from Lynch and converted it himself before humiliating Bidwell and scoring a third in open play. Lynch, somehow, got himself on the scoresheet, heading in from Freeman’s free kick, but the scoreline flattered the visitors and their bizarre team selection.

Brentford: Bentley 7; Colin 6 (Clarke 71, 6), Dean 7, Barbet 6, Henry 7; Woods 8, Yennaris 6; Jota 9, Sawyers 8, Canos 8 (Jozefzoon 71, 6); Vibe 8 (Shaibu 87, -)

Subs not used: Bonham, Hofmann, Egan, Kerschbaumer

Goals: Barbet 31 (assisted Jota), Jota 60 (penalty won Colin), 64 (assisted Yennaris)

Bookings: Jota 62 (over celebrating)

QPR: Smithies 6; Perch 4, Onuoha 5, Lynch 2, Bidwell 3; Mackie 5 (Sylla 67, 6), Goss 6 (Lua Lua 46, 6), Luongo 6, Freeman 6; Washington 6 (Ngbakoto 68, 5), Smith 6

Subs not used: Ingram, Wszolek, Manning, Furlong

Goals: Lynch 62 (assisted Freeman)

Bookings: Freeman 42 (foul), Perch 47 (foul), Lynch 60 (foul)

Queens Park Rangers 2 Brentford 0, Friday October 28, 2016, Championship

Brentford beat QPR with something to spare in the first meeting between the clubs this season. Alex Smithies had already saved from Sawyer and Hogan had curled a good chance wide when Josh Clarke opened the scoring before half time and although there was a suggestion of handball from Clarke in the build up to the second goal Sawyer’s finish was emphatic and the lead richly deserved. A late header from Idrissa Sylla, cleared off the line after dipping over keeper Bentley, was all QPR had to show for their meek efforts.

QPR: Smithies 6; Perch 5, Onuoha 5, Caulker 5, Robinson 5 (Wszolek 61, 6); Cousins 5, Borysiuk 5 (Gladwin 81, -), Luongo 5; Washington 5 (Polter 69, 4), Chery 4, Sylla 4

Subs not used: Hamalainen, Ingram, Hall, Henry

Bookings: Borysiuk 16 (foul), Chery 67 (dissent)

Brentford: Bentley 6; Colin 7, Dean 8, Egan 8, Bjellend 7; Woods 8; Yennaris 7, Clarke 8 (Kerschbaumerat 90+1), -, McEachran 7 (MacLeod 71, - (Kaikai 87, -)), Sawyers 7; Hogan 7

Subs not used: Hofmann, Bonham, Barbet, Onariase

Goals: Clarke 42 (assisted McEachran), Sawyers 74 (assisted Colin)

Bookings: Dean 6 (foul)

Queens Park Rangers 3 Brentford 0, Saturday March 12, 2016, Championship

QPR snapped a 16-match run of London derbies without a victory, and avenged a defeat at Brentford earlier in the season, by comprehensively beating the Bees 3-0 at Loftus Road in March last year. Junior Hoilett got things underway with the club's Goal of the Season from 25 yards and although the visitors threatened from range before half time, nerves were settled after the break when Chery played in Polter for a simple second. Chery iced the cake himself, taking the ball on the run from Ale Faurlin and finishing into the far corner 20 minutes from time.

QPR: Smithies 6; Onuoha 7, Angella 6, Hill 7, Perch 7; Faurlin 6, Henry 8 (El Khayati 82, -); Phillips 6, Chery 8 (Luongo 74, 6), Hoilett 8; Polter 8 (Mackie 85, -)

Subs not used: Washington, Tozser, Ingram, Kpekawa

Goals: Hoilett 38 (unassisted), Polter 66 (assisted Chery), Chery 71 (assisted Faurlin)

Bookings: Polter 45 (repetitive fouling), Henry 48 (foul), Hoilett 49 (foul), Luongo 90+1 (foul)

Brentford: Button 5; Yennaris 5, Dean 5, Barbet 5, Bidwell 5; McCormack 4; Canos 6 (Vibe 64, 5) McEachran 5 (Kerschbaumer 76, 5), Woods 7, Swift 5 (Saunders 76, 5), Judge 6

Subs not used: Djuricin, Bonham, O’Connell, Clarke

Bookings: Canos 32 (foul), Woods 48 (retaliation)

Brentford 1 Queens Park Rangers 0, Friday October 30, 2015, Championship

Brentford beat QPR in a competitive fixture for the first time in 50 years when these sides met at Griffin Park towards the end of Chris Ramsey's unhappy spell as Rangers boss. Massimo Luongo led a one-man mission to prevent the loss in the first half, heading against the bar with one effort and then curling another against the inside of the far post. But the game was won when Alan Judge raced in behind Nedum Onuoha and crossed for Djuricin to slam in from close range.

Brentford: Button 6; Yennaris 6, Dean 7, Tarkowski 6, Bidwell 6; McCormack 6 (Vibe 82, -), Diagouraga 7; Woods 6, Swift 6, Judge 7 (Kerschbaumer 77, 6); Djuricin 7 (Hoffman 90, -)

Subs not used: Bonham, O’Connell, Gogia, Canos

Goals: Djuricin 56 (assisted Judge)

Bookings: McCormack 20 (ungentlemanly), Djuricin 86 (time wasting)

QPR: Green 6; Onuoha 5, Hall 7, Hill 6 (Perch 76, 6), Konchesky 5; Henry 6, Tozser 5; Phillips 5, Luongo 6 (Hoilett 67, 5), Chery 5 (Austin 63, 5), Emmanuel Thomas 4

Subs not used: Doughty, Faurlin, Smithies, Polter

Booked: Hill 20 (ungentlemanly), Tozser 24 (foul), Phillips 80 (foul)

Scores and Scorers

Head to Head >>> QPR wins 23 >>> Draws 25 >>> Brentford wins 30

2020/21 Brentford 2 QPR 1 (Dykes)

2019/20 Brentford 3 QPR 1 (Wells)

2019/20 QPR 1 Brentford 3 (Hall)

2018/19 Brentford 3 QPR 0

2018/19 QPR 3 Brentford 2 (Luongo, Lynch, Wells)

2017/18 Brentford 2 QPR 1 (Sylla)

2017/18 QPR 2 Brentford 2 (Smith, Freeman)

2017/18 QPR 1 Brentford 4** (Furlong)

2016/17 Brentford 3 QPR 1 (Lynch)

2016/17 QPR 0 Brentford 2

2015/16 QPR 3 Brentford 0 (Hoilett, Chery, Polter)

2015/16 Brentford 1 QPR 0

2003/04 Brentford 1 QPR 1 (Furlong)

2003/04 QPR 1 Brentford 0 (Thorpe)

2002/03 Brentford 1 QPR 2 (Shittu, Bircham)

2002/03 QPR 1 Brentford 1 (Bircham)

2001/02 Brentford 0 QPR 0

2001/02 QPR 0 Brentford 0

1965/66 QPR 1 Brentford 0 (R Morgan)

1965/66 Brentford 6 QPR 1 (R Morgan)

1964/65 Brentford 5 QPR 2 (I Morgan, Keen)

1964/65 QPR 1 Brentford 3 (Keen)

1963/64 QPR 2 Brentford 2 (Bedford 2)

1963/64 Brentford 2 QPR 2 (Bedford 2)

1961/62 Brentford 1 QPR 4 (Bedford 2, McCelland, Reeves og)

1961/62 QPR 3 Brentford 0 (Towers, Bedford, Evans)

1960/61 Brentford 2 QPR 0

1960/61 QPR 0 Brentford 0

1959/60 Brentford 1 QPR 1 (Golding)

1959/60 QPR 2 Brentford 4 (Bedford 2)

1958/59 Brentford 1 QPR 0

1958/59 QPR 1 Brentford 2 (Kerrins)

1957/58 Brentford 1 QPR 1 (Cameron)

1957/58 QPR 1 Brentford 0 (Petchey)

1956/57 QPR 2 Brentford 2 (Longbottom, Bargie og)

1956/57 Brentford 2 QPR 0

1955/56 Brentford 2 QPR 0

1955/56 QPR 1 Brentford 1 (Cameron)

1954/55 Brentford 1 QPR 1 (Clark)

1954/55 QPR 1 Brentford 1 (Clark)

1951/52 Brentford 0 QPR 0

1951/52 Brentford 3 QPR 1* (Shepherd)

1951/52 QPR 3 Brentford 1 (Gilberg, Shepherd, Smith)

1950/51 QPR 1 Brentford 1 (Davies)

1950/51 Brentford 2 QPR 1 (Addinall)

1949/50 Brentford 0 QPR 2 (Hatton, Wardle)

1949/50 QPR 3 Brentford 3 (Pattison 2, Pointon)

1948/49 Brentford 0 QPR 3 (Hudson, Pointon, Duggan)

1948/49 QPR 2 Brentford 0 (Hartburn, Hudson)

1945/46 Brentford 0 QPR 0*

1945/46 QPR 1 Brentford 3* (Pattison)

1932/33 Brentford 2 QPR 0

1932/33 QPR 2 Brentford 3 (Goddard, Brown)

1931/32 QPR 1 Brentford 2 (Cribb)

1931/32 Brentford 1 QPR 0

1930/31 QPR 3 Brentford 1 (Goddard 2, Howe)

1930/31 Brentford 5 QPR 3 (Coward, Wiles, Nixon)

1929/30 Brentford 3 QPR 0

1929/30 QPR 2 Brentford 1 (Rounce, Goddard)

1928/29 QPR 2 Brentford 2 (Coward, Herod)

1928/29 Brentford 1 QPR 1 (Smith)

1927/28 Brentford 0 QPR 3 (Goddard 2, Burns)

1927/28 QPR 2 Brentford 3 (Lofthouse 2)

1926/27 QPR 1 Brentford 1 (Hawley)

1926/27 Brentford 4 QPR 2 (Patterson, Goddard)

1925/26 QPR 1 Brentford 1 (Burgess)

1925/26 Brentford 1 QPR 2 (Johnson, Birch)

1924/25 QPR 1 Brentford 1 (Brown)

1924/25 Brentford 0 QPR 1 (Brown)

1923/24 Brentford 0 QPR 1 (Birch)

1923/24 QPR 1 Brentford 0 (Parker)

1922/23 QPR 1 Brentford 1 (Marsden)

1922/23 Brentford 1 QPR 3 (Parker 2, Birch)

1921/22 QPR 1 Brentford 1 (Smith)

1921/22 Brentford 5 QPR 1 (Birch)

1920/21 QPR 1 Brentford 0 (Birch)

1920/21 Brentford 0 QPR 2 (Smith 2)

* - FA Cup
** - League Cup

Connections

Mark Lazarus >>> QPR 1960/61, 1962-64, 1966/67 >>> Brentford 1964-66

Born in Stepney in 1938, Lazarus was in the same Saturday side as Jimmy Greaves as a boy before he started playing non-league football with Barking where he was picked up by Leyton Orient, then managed by Alec Stock, in 1957. Lazarus, part of a large Jewish family, chose football over boxing despite some success in amateur bouts. One of his brothers, Lew, fought for the British title at welterweight and middleweight.

Stock left Brisbane Road for a brief stint in charge of Roma (imagine that) but when he returned to England with QPR he immediately signed Lazarus for the first time in September 1960. A year later he was off to Wolves for a club record fee of £27,500 in September 1961 only to return to Loftus Road in February 1962 after just nine games following a row with Molineux boss Stan Cullis.

In a recent interview with the Jewish Telegraph, Lazarus said: “I never, in my whole career, asked for a transfer and would have preferred to have stayed in London. Cullis was a sergeant major type who was never happy, even when we won. Nothing was good enough for him and we had a personality clash. Alec felt he had a responsibility to look after QPR financially too so I was seen as a saleable object."

He left for Brentford in April 1964 for £8,000 plus George McLeod but was back for a third, and most successful, stint in November 1965. He left for a third and final time, League Cup winner’s medal in pocket, to join Crystal Palace for £10,000 in November 1967 and just to really crown himself as the king of the comeback he finished up back at Orient again in 1969.

Lazarus was a fast, aggressive winger who scored 84 goals for the club in 235 appearances. The most important of those was the third Rangers goal at Wembley, crowning a comeback for the Third Division R’s from 2-0 down to defeat First Division West Brom 3-2. QPR were the first team from the third tier ever to compete for a major trophy at Wembley and any thought they may be overawed by going 2-0 down at half time were dispelled by goals from Roger Morgan, Rodney Marsh and finally Lazarus.

He said: "It was only a tap-in, it was not as though I beat three men and smashed the ball into the back of the net from the edge of the area. The lead-up to the final was tremendous, though. We had a great season. That final was the first game my mum and dad saw me play in. My dad had never been to a game in his life and he never went to any more after the final. My mum loved it though, and after that, she always came to see me play."

It was just rewards for the wide man, having scored three times in the earlier rounds of the competition that year including a 5-0 First Round win against Colchester where Marsh got the other four, the memorable Fourth Round home upset against top flight Leicester Citty when he got one in a 4-2 win with Les Allen and Roger Morgan bagging the other two, and finally one in a 4-1 home win against Birmingham in the first leg of the semi-final at Loftus Road. He also set up both goals in the 2-1 Fifth Round win against Carlisle.

Oddly, he’s probably equally well remembered for running down the wing at Loftus Road in just his y-fronts, shorts in hand, when the ball arrived at his feet at an inopportune moment during a kit change.

In retirement he worked in road haulage, and as a ‘minder’ for snooker players including Steve Davis.

By winning promotion from Division Three to Division Two with Orient in his final year as a professional it meant he’d finished his senior career with promotions in his last four seasons — two with QPR in 1967 and 1968, one from Second to the First with Palace in 1969 and then Orient in 1970 before he went back into the non-league game with Folkestone and later Wingate and Finchley.

Others >>> Mark Warburton, QPR (manager) 2019-present, Brentford (manager) 2013-2015 >>> Yoann Barbet, QPR 2019-present, Brentford 2015-2019 >>> Jake Bidwell QPR 2016-2019, Brentford 2011-2016 >>> DJ Campbell, QPR 2011-2013, Brentford 2005-2006 >>> Rowan Vine, Brentford (loan) 2010, (loan) 2002-2003, QPR 2007-2012 >>> Tommy Smith, Brentford 2014-2015, QPR 2010-2012 >>> Gavin Mahon, QPR 2008-2011, Brentford 1998-2002 >>> Martin Rowlands, QPR 2003-2012, Brentford 1998-2003 >>> Ian Holloway, QPR (manager) 2017-present, 2001-2006, 1991-1996, Brentford 1986-1987 >>> Ademola Bankole, Brentford 2005-2006, QPR 1998-2000 >>> Marcus Bean, Brentford 2008-2012, QPR 2002-2006 >>> Les Ferdinand, QPR 1987-1995, Brentford (loan) 1988 >>> Andy Sinton, QPR 1989-1993, Brentford 1985-1989 >>> Stan Bowles, QPR 1972-1979, Brentford 1981-1984 >>> Andy McCulloch Brentford 1976-1979, QPR 1970-1972 >>> George Goddard, Brentford 1933, QPR 1926-1933

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