Third in line - History
Monday, 8th Aug 2022 16:33 by Clive Whittingham

Ahead of the visit to Charlton in the League Cup on Tuesday, LFW looks back at the career of Bradley Allen and recent meetings between the two sides.

Recent Meetings

Charlton 1 QPR 0, Saturday June 27, 2020, Championship

QPR’s nightmare return to football in lockdown conditions continued at an empty Valley where Darren Pratley’s all-too-easy goal from a first half corner was enough to win the game for the relegation-haunted Addicks. Rangers came back from the Covid break six points off the play-offs, with seven games left, and five fixtures against teams in the bottom six, including this one, but started with 1-0 defeats to Barnsley and Charlton and continued that with miserable displays against Wigan and Sheff Wed to end our chances for 2019/20.

Charlton: Phillips 6; Matthews 7, Lockyer 6, Pearce 6, Oshilaja 7 (Purrington 77, 6); McGeady 6 (Doughty 60, 6), Pratley 7, Cullen 6, Morgan 6 (Green 84, -); Bonne 6 (Field 84, -), Hemed 5 (Aneke 60, 6)

Subs not used: Williams, Amos, Sarr, Davison

Goals: Pratley 12 (assisted Cullen)

Bookings: Pratley 76 (foul)

QPR: Kelly 5; Rangel 5 (Kane 71, 4), Masterson 6, Barbet 4, Manning 5; Cameron 5 (Amos 71, 5), Ball 5 (Bettache 77, 6); Osayi-Samuel 4 (Oteh 71, 5), Chair 6 (Shodipo 60, 6), Eze 5; Hugill 4

Subs not used: Lumley, Kakay, Gubbins, Clarke

QPR 2 Charlton 2, Saturday December 21, 2019, Championship

It was an old man double for QPR when these sides last met as Geoff Cameron opened the scoring early and Marc Pugh slammed in what seemed to be a late winner after outstanding approach work by Bright Osayi-Samuel. But Rangers missed a catalogue of chances besides to make the victory safe against the injury ravaged Addicks, and allowed an equaliser from Lyle Taylor just before the hour which meant it was always in the balance right to the end. Five minutes of stoppage time was survived but when Cameron got caught under a final punt forwards from Dillon Phillips, Naby Sarr was able to storm in and bang home an equaliser with the last kick.

QPR: Lumley 6; Kane 5, Hall 7, Leistner 7, Manning 6; Cameron 5, Amos 6 (Scowen 78, 6); Pugh 6 (Chair 78, 6), Eze 7, Wells 4 (Osayi-Samuel 66, 8); Hugill 6

Subs not used: Barnes, Wallace, Bouncing Bomb, Smith, Ball

Goals: Cameron 5 (assisted Eze), Pugh 70 (assisted Osayi-Samuel)

Bookings: Manning 53 (unsporting), Amos 55 (foul), Hugill 81 (foul)

Charlton: Phillips 7; Matthews 6, Lockyer 6, Sarr 6, Purrington 3 (Pearce 27, 5); Leko — (Morgan 11, 7), Pratley 6, Gallagher 8, Doughty 7 (Oshilaja 88, -); Bonne 6, Taylor 7

Subs not used: Ledley, Solly, Maynard-Brewer, Dempsey

Goals: Taylor 56 (assisted Morgan), Sarr 90+5 (assisted Phillips)

Bookings: Pratley 17 (dissent), Morgan 53 (unsporting), Matthews 89 (foul)

QPR 2 Charlton 1, Saturday April 9, 2016, Championship

QPR pushed a Charlton side containing Nick Pope, Jordan Cousins and Ademola Lookman closer to Championship relegation with a scarcely deserved last minute winner when these sides met at Loftus Road back in 2016. It proved to be one of those games you tend to lose when you’re down the bottom of the league as QPR scored first through a Matt Phillips cross which a blatantly offside Junior Hoilett fortunately failed to get a touch to as it went all the way in, then a wonder strike from Nasser El Khayati with the last kick of the game. In between Rangers had relied on Alex Smithies to keep them in the game, but even he was powerless to prevent Cousins scoring a goal that would win him an ill-fated summer move to Loftus Road.

QPR: Smithies 7; Perch 6 (Kpekawa 61, 5), Hall 5, Onuoha 5, Robinson 6; Luongo 6, Henry 6; Phillips 5 (Gladwin 71, 7), Chery 6, Hoilett 6 (El Khayati 85, -); Polter 5

Subs not used: Washington, Ingram, Faurlin, Petrasso

Goals: Phillips 45+1 (unassisted), El Khayati 90+4 (unassisted)

Bookings: Kpekawa 66 (foul), Onuoha 86 (foul), Gladwin 90+1 (foul)

Charlton: Pope 6; Fanni 5, Solly 6, Fox 6 (Lennon 83, -), Teixeira 6; Lookman 6 (Jackson 89, -), Cousins 7, Diarra 6, Harriott 7; Sanogo 4 (Makienok 31, 5), Vetokele 4

Subs not used: Henderson, Ba, Bergditch, Motta

Goals: Cousins 62 (unassisted)

Charlton 2 QPR 0, Saturday August 8, 2015, Championship

QPR’s shambolic pre-season preparations caught up with them when these sides met on the opening day of that season back in August. Looking sluggish and off the pace, Rangers struggled to make attacking headway against the hosts with Charlie Austin volleying wide and debutant Tjaronn Chery testing Pope from range. Tony Watt broke the deadlock after 52 minutes with a weak shot which Robert Green somehow contrived to allow in at his near post and Morgan Fox later sealed a comfortable win from long range.

Charlton: Pope 7; Solly 5, Diarra 5, Bauer 6, Fox 6; Gudmondsson 7 (Ceballos 90, -), Kashi 6; Ba 6 (Bergdich 76, 6), Cousins 7, Ahearne-Grant 5 (Watt 46, 7); Mackienok 6

Subs not used: Jackson, Charles-Cook, Lennon, Mitov

Goals: Watt 52 (assisted Ba), Fox 72 (assisted Watt)

Yellows: Diarra 56 (foul), Ba 59 (foul), Watt 90 (foul)

QPR: Green 4; Perch 5, Onuoha 6, Hill 6, Konchesky 5; Luongo 6, Henry 5 (Faurlin 71, 6); Phillips 5, Chery 7 (Emmanuel-Thomas 71, 5), Mackie 7; Austin 5 (Polter 85, -)

Subs not used: Hall, Lumley, Doughty, Hoilett

Yellows: Hill 83 (foul), Konchesky 89 (foul)

Charlton 1 QPR 0, Saturday February 22, 2014, Championship

QPR won four consecutive games through January 2014 to lift them into the automatic promotion picture, but lost Charlie Austin to a shoulder injury at the end of the month. Harry Redknapp, in typical style, went out and added three more strikers to his already bloated squad by way of cover but with Will Keane and Mobido Maiga all over the place and Kevin Doyle hardly prolific the R’s quickly lost three on the spin. The worst of those was at struggling Charlton, where Johnnie Jackson scored in injury time to seal a 1-0 win for the home side. The away end atmosphere was toxic and the performance and tactical set up on the field shambolic.

Charlton: Y Thuram-Ulien 5; R Wiggins 6, D Dervite 6, M Morrison 6, L Wilson 6; D Poyet 6, D Green 6 (A Ajdarevic, 64, 6), J Jackson 6, J Cousins 6; R Ghoochanneijhad 5 (M Tudgay, 64, 6), S Church 6 (C Harriott, 89, -)

Subs not used: R Wood, M Sordell, B Hamer, M Fox

Goals: Jackson 90+3

Bookings: Jackson

QPR: R Green 6; C Hill 6, R Dunne 6, N Onuoha 5; A Hughes 5, J Jenas 3, T Carroll 5 (Y Benayoun, 81, -), A Traore 5, J Hoilett 5 (W Keane 59, 6); K Doyle 5 (M Maiga, 70, 5) R Morrison 6

Subs not used: K Henry, B Murphy, Yun Suk-Young, G O'Neil

QPR 1 Charlton 0, Saturday November 23, 2013, Championship

A spectacular, long-range strike from Charlie Austin in the first half of the first meeting between these sides that season was enough to settle the game in Rangers’ favour. Austin picked the ball up in front of a very deep Addicks defence and let rip with a 25 yard shot into the top corner of the net. It was the lone moment of quality in a desperately poor game which Charlton had clearly set up to try and take a 0-0 from, and then had few other ideas in once they’d fallen behind.

QPR: Green 6; Simpson 6, Dunne 6, Hill 6, Assou Ekotto 7; Barton 6, O’Neil 6; Phillips 6 (Johnson 77, 6), Jenas 5 (Henry 45, 6), Kranjcar 6 (Wright-Phillips 64, 6); Austin 7

Subs not used: Traore, Onyewu, Young, Murphy

Goals: Austin 40 (unassisted)

Bookings: Barton 85 (foul)

Charlton: Hamer 7; Wilson 6, Wiggins 6 , Morrison 6, Devite 6; Stewart 6 (Sordell 87, -), Jackson 5, Cousins 6, Pritchard 5 (Harriott 58, 6), Stephens 5; Church 5 (Kermorgant 58, 6)

Subs not used: Hughes, Evina, Alnwick, Wood

Bookings: Jackson 90+4 (foul)

Charlton 2 QPR 2, Friday December 26, 2008, Championship

Charlton hadn’t won in 14 matches and were rock bottom of the division when these sides met at The Valley on Boxing Day in 2008. Rangers, under Paulo Sousa’s management, seemed to be on an upward trajectory with a thrilling 3-2 pre-Christmas win against Preston under their belts. But Sousa made nine changes to his side for the trip to South London, including leaving out Heidar Helguson despite two goals and a man of the match performance against PNE. The result was a poor performance which twice saw Rangers blow a lead — Lee Cook’s free kick cancelled out by Nicky Bailey, then Dexter Blackstock’s goal equalised by Bailey for a second time. They still could have won mind, with a late goal by Emmanuel Ledesma chalked off for offside.

Charlton: Elliot 7, Cranie 5, Fortune 6, Hudson 4, McEveley 5, Sam 8, Semedo 7 (Holland 89, -), Bailey 8, Bouazza 6 (Basey 80, 6),Waghorn 4 (Burton 71, 4), Gray 4

Subs Not Used: Weaver, Shelvey

Booked: McEveley (foul), Cranie (foul), Semedo (off the ball incident)

Goals: Bailey 49 (assisted Sam), 79 (assisted Cranie)

QPR: Cerny 4, Ramage 5, Hall 6, Gorkss 7, Connolly 5, Leigertwood 6, Alberti 6 (Ephraim 60, 7), Cook 7 (Ledesma 67, 7), Rowlands 6, Blackstock 6, Di Carmine 4 (Helguson 81, 7)

Subs Not Used: Mahon, Agyemang

Booked: Alberti (foul), Cook (off the ball incident), Connolly (kicking the ball away)

Goals: Cook 18 (freekick), Blackstock 68 (assisted Leigertwood)

QPR 2 Charlton 1, Tuesday November 25, 2008, Championship

QPR won 2-1 against the struggling Addicks the when these sides met at Loftus Road on a midweek night in November 2008. It certainly was not a particularly good performance from Rangers in Paulo Sousa’s first match in charge but following on from the 3-0 defeat at Watford this was a welcome relief. Dexter Blackstock gave QPR a first half lead with a neat finish but Charlton swiftly drew level with a nicely worked goal of their own from Therry Racon. That looked to the end of it as the second half threatened to peter out but, really from nothing, Rangers won the game when a super cross from Hogan Ephraim found Blackstock at the back post and he planted a quite magnificent header beyond keeper Nicky Weaver for the winner.

QPR: Cerny 6, Ramage 6, Stewart 7, Gorkss 7, Delaney 5, Ephraim 6, Tommasi 5 (Mahon 62, 6) Leigertwood 6, Parejo 6 (Ledesma 73, 6), Di Carmine 5 (Agyemang 46, 7), Blackstock 7

Subs Not Used: Cole, Oastler

Booked: Leigertwood (foul), Delaney (foul), Ephraim (foul)

Goals: Blackstock 17 (assisted Tommasi), 80 (assisted Ephraim)

Charlton: Weaver 5, Cranie 5 (Sam 82, -), Primus 6, Hudson 6, Youga 5, Gillespie 6, Racon 7, Semedo 6, Bouazza 7, Waghorn 5 (Varney 62, 5), Gray 5

Subs Not Used: Elliot, Holland, Fortune

Booked: Hudson (foul)

Goals: Racon 30 (assisted Bouazza)

Classic Encounters

LFW regular and AKUTR’s columnist Dave Barton has set up a QPR Memories YouTube channel, with a mixture of clips, classic games, and old highlights packages. His Charlton packages are embedded below, give him a subscribe on YouTube or follow @QPR_Memories on Twitter.

Previous Results

Head to Head >>> Charlton wins 25 >>> Draws 22 >>> QPR wins 23

2019/20 Charlton 1 QPR 0

2019/20 QPR 2 Charlton 2 (Cameron, Pugh)

2015/16 QPR 2 Charlton 1 (Phillips, El Khayati)

2015/16 Charlton 2 QPR 0

2013/14 Charlton 1 QPR 0

2013/14 QPR 1 Charlton 0 (Austin)

2008/09 Charlton 2 QPR 2 (Cook, Blackstock)

2008/09 QPR 2 Charlton 1 (Blackstock 2)

2007/08 QPR 1 Charlton 0 (Blackstock)

2007/08 Charlton 0 QPR 1 (Bolder)

1999/00 Charlton 2 QPR 1 (Taylor)

1999/00 Charlton 1 QPR 0*

1999/00 QPR 0 Charlton 0

1998/99 Charlton 1 QPR 0

1998/99 QPR 0 Charlton 2

1997/98 Charlton 1 QPR 1 (Peacock pen)

1997/98 QPR 2 Charlton 4 (Sheron 2)

1996/97 Charlton 2 QPR 1 (Dichio)

1996/97 QPR 1 Charlton 2 (Sinclair)

1989/90 Charlton 1 QPR 0

1989/90 QPR 0 Charlton 1

1988/89 QPR 1 Charlton 0 (Sinton)

1988/89 Charlton 1 QPR 1 (T Francis)

1988/89 QPR 2 Charlton 1** (T Francis 2)

1987/88 QPR 2 Charlton 0 (Falco, Byrne)

1987/88 Charlton 0 QPR 1 (Coney)

1986/87 Charlton 2 QPR 1 (Rosenior)

1986/87 QPR 0 Charlton 0

1986/87 Charlton 1 QPR 0**

1982/83 QPR 5 Charlton 1 (Sealy 2, Hazell, Gregory, Stainrod)

1982/83 Charlton 1 QPR 3 (Micklewhite 2, Sealy)

1981/82 QPR 4 Charlton 0 (C Allen 3, Fenwick)

1981/82 Charlton 1 QPR 2 (Stainrod, Allen)

1979/80 Charlton 2 QPR 2 (C Allen 2)

1979/80 QPR 4 Charlton 0 (C Allen 2, Roeder, Bowles)

1975/76 Charlton 0 QPR 3** (Thomas, Masson, Bowles)

1975/76 QPR 1 Charlton 1** (Bowles)

1971/72 QPR 2 Charlton 0 (Francis, Leach)

1971/72 Charlton 2 QPR 1 (Clement)

1970/71 Charlton 0 QPR 3 (McCulloch 2, Marsh)

1970/71 QPR 1 Charlton 4 (Leach)

1969/70 Charlton 1 QPR 1 (Watson)

1969/70 Charlton 2 QPR 3* (Marsh 2, Clarke)

1969/70 QPR 1 Charlton 1 (Methick)

1967/68 Charlton 3 QPR 3 (R Morgan 2, Marsh)

1967/68 QPR 2 Charlton 1 (I Morgan, L Allen)

1934/35 Charlton 3 QPR 1 (J Allen)

1934/35 QPR 0 Charlton 3

1933/34 Charlton 1 QPR 2 (Emmerson, Blackman)

1933/34 QPR 2 Charlton 1 (Blackman, Clarke)

1929/30 QPR 0 Charlton 3*

1929/30 Charlton 1 QPR 1* (Goddard)

1928/29 Charlton 2 QPR 2 (Coward, Rounce)

1928/29 QPR 2 Charlton 2 (Goddard 2)

1927/28 QPR 3 Charlton 3 (Goddard 2, Burns)

1927/28 Charlton 1 QPR 0

1926/27 QPR 2 Charlton 1 (Goddard 2)

1926/27 Charlton 2 QPR 0

1925/26 Charlton 1 QPR 1 (Burgess)

1925/26 QPR 2 Charlton 2 (Burgess, Brown)

1925/26 Charlton 1 QPR 0*

1925/26 QPR 1 Charlton 1* (Hirst)

1924/25 QPR 0 Charlton 0

1924/25 Charlton 2 QPR 0

1923/24 Charlton 3 QPR 0

1923/24 QPR 0 Charlton 0

1922/23 Charlton 1 QPR 1 (Birch)

1922/23 QPR 1 Charlton 2 (Birch)

1921/22 QPR 3 Charlton 1 (Chandler, Smith, O’Brien)

1921/22 Charlton 1 QPR 1 (Chandler)

* - FA Cup

** - League Cup

Connections

Bradley Allen >>> QPR 1988-1995 >>> Charlton 1995-1999

There is certainly no shortage of goals from the famous Allen family as you glance down the list of past results between QPR and Charlton. Les scored against the Addicks in 1968 and his son Clive bagged seven in just four appearances between 1979 and 1981.

But Les’ other son, Clive’s younger brother, Bradley made a goal scoring contribution to this fixture in Charlton red, rather than blue and white hoops. Allen Jnr scored a late winner in a 2-1 Charlton win on this ground in November 1996, his first return to Loftus Road after being sold that summer for £400,000.

That was so typical of QPR in so many ways, especially as I never thought he should have been sold in the first place, and certainly not for as little as the paltry £400,000 Rangers received for him.

Allen had initially progressed through the youth ranks at Rangers in the late 1980s when Jim Smith, and later Trevor Francis, were in charge. Following in the footsteps of Les and Clive could have been a daunting prospect for the young forward, but he showed few signs of nerves when his first team chances came alone. Indeed a sharp turn and strike in a 2-2 draw at West Ham during the 1991/92 campaign bore striking resemblance to a famous goal his brother had scored at the same end of the same ground during his time with Rangers.

That sharpness in front of goal shone through with another finish from an impossible angle at the Loft End against champions elect Leeds United and when the First Division gave way to the new Premier League Allen started to make real headlines. He followed Les Ferdinand and Andy Sinton in bagging a hat trick against Everton in a 3-0 win at Goodison Park in 1993/94 and scored twice in eight appearances for the England Under 21 squad.

Allen seemed like the perfect partner for Les Ferdinand — all craft with a nose for goal alongside the raw pace and power of QPR’s England international centre forward. Although you could point to the emergence of Kevin Gallen at Loftus Road as a reason for him becoming less involved, Gerry Francis had been leaving him out before that — a typically well executed goal as a substitute in a televised defeat at Nottingham Forest was met by co-commentator Andy Gray saying: “the best thing to do if you’re a striker unhappy at not playing is to get an important goal for your manager.”

It was even more of a mystery to me that Allen still didn’t always make the side — albeit while struggling for fitness — after Ferdinand had left and with QPR on the cusp of relegation in 1995/96. A crucial missed penalty at the Loft End against Chelsea in a 2-1 defeat didn’t do his cause much good, although he had scored the Rangers goal in open play that evening, but he seemed underused to me and the decision to sell him that summer blew up in the club’s face when Gallen ruptured his knee ligaments in the second game of the First Division season.

At Charlton Allen would eventually be usurped by the wonderful Clive Mendonca but he managed 11 goals in 48 appearances across three seasons as Alan Curbishley brought Premier League football to The Valley.

Mendonca moved to Charlton from Grimsby and with the Mariners struggling to replace him on their meagre budget, manager at the time Alan Buckley spotted an opportunity to bring Allen the opposite direction in 1999. Allen struggled with homesickness while living up north, but was popular at Blundell Park and scored 21 goals in 51 starts and 41 substitute appearances.

As his career wound down he spent brief spells with Bristol Rovers, Peterborough, and non-league Hornchurch when they were throwing money around. He has coached the junior teams at Tottenham and regularly commentates on QPR games for BBC Radio.

Always a player I’ve felt was underused by QPR, and one who should figure a lot more prominently in people’s thoughts when we’re talking about the stars of Rangers’ time in the Premier League.

Others >>> Ben Watson, Charlton 2020-2022, QPR (loan) 2009 >>> Macauley Bonne, QPR 2020-present, Charlton 2019-2020 >>> Conor Washington Charlton 2020-2022, QPR 2016-2018 >>> Tomer Hemed, Charlton (loan) 2019-2020, QPR (loan) 2018-2019 >>> Luke Young, QPR 2011-2014, Charlton 2001-2007 >>> Jay Bothroyd, QPR 2011-2013, Charlton 2005-2006 >>> Hogan Ephraim, QPR 2008-present, Charlton (loan) 2011 >>> Rob Hulse, Charlton (loan) 2012-2013, QPR 2010-2013 >>> Leon Clarke, Charlton 2012-2013, QPR 2010-2011, (loan) 2006 >>> Marcus Bent, QPR (loan) 2010, Charlton 2006-2008 >>> Scott Sinclair, Charlton (loan) 2008, QPR (loan) 2007 >>> Gary Borrowdale, Charlton (loan) 2010, QPR 2008-2013 >>> Martin Cranie, Charlton (loan) 2008-2009, (loan) 2007 >>> Lee Cook, Charlton (loan) 2012, (loan) 2008, QPR 2008-2012, 2004-2007, (loan) 2002-2003 >>> Simon Walton, QPR 2007-2008, Charlton 2006-2007 >>> Simon Royce, QPR 2005-2007, Charlton 2003-2005, 1998-1999 >>> Jerome Thomas, Charlton 2004-2008, QPR (loan) 2002 >>> Carl Leaburn, QPR 2000-2001, Charlton 1987-1998 >>> Kevin Lisbie, Charlton 1996-2007, QPR (loan) 2000-2001 >>> Jermaine Darlington, QPR 1999-2001, Charlton 1992-1993 >>> Bradley Allen. QPR 1988-1995, Charlton 1995-1999 >>> Nicky Johns, QPR 1988-1989, Charlton 1979-1988 >>> Alan McDonald, QPR 1981-1997, Charlton (loan) 1983 >>> Mick Flanagan, Charlton 1983-1986, 1971-1979, QPR 1980-1982 >>> Andy Pape, QPR 1979-1980, Charlton 1980-1981 >>> Stuart Leary, QPR 1962-1966, Charlton 1950-1962 >>> Alec Stock, QPR (manager) 1959-1968, 1938-1939, Charlton 1935-1936