We take our regular look back at a memorable match and players that have played for both tonight's opponents - QPR and Charlton.

QPR are back at Loftus Road on Tuesday night to face Charlton Athletic. The Addicks sacked manager Alan Pardew at the weekend so for the second time in three days Rangers face London rivals under caretaker stewardship. This is the first match in charge for new R’s boss Paulo Sousa and he will have been left in no doubt as to the task ahead by Saturday’s abysmal showing at Vicarage Road. With Ash still up to his neck in boxes you’re stuck with me again as we take a walk down memory lane once more.

Memorable Match
Queens Park Rangers 5-1 Charlton Athletic
22 March 1983
Division 2
The season after the disappointing FA Cup final defeat was a memorable one for the R’s and this thumping win was a shining example of an excellent QPR side under Terry Venables. A week before Rangers 4-0 win at home to Rotherham had seen them go top of the league and the R’s were honing in on promotion from the second division - Charlton were now in the way of extending that lead further. The Addicks quite simply couldn’t cope with the league leaders in a five star performance from Rangers.

Goals from Bob Hazell, Simon Stainrod, John Gregory plus a brace from leading scorer Tony Sealy saw off the R’s London rivals. It was the beginning of a run that would see Rangers go unbeaten for seven games and only drop points in a 2-2 draw with Leicester. They secured promotion on April 23 and wrapped up the title two weeks later as Wolves dropped points ironically at Charlton and the R’s beat West London neighbours Fulham.

QPR: Hucker, Neil, Dawes, Waddock, Hazell, Fenwick, Micklewhite (Allen), Sealy, Stainrod, Flanagan, Gregory

Connections
Danny Shittu
Charlton 2000-2002
QPR 2001-2006
Shittu started out life as an ambitious youngster in the east end of London. He moved to this country from Nigeria with his family when he was very young and was so determined to become a footballer he wrote to every football league and non-league club asking them for a trial. Charlton obliged and he did enough to earn a contract at the Valley but never featured for the first team. The giant centre half’s first taste of first team football came on loan at Blackpool and he became a cult figure at Bloomfield Road with some powerful displays and two goals in 15 league starts at the back.

That loan spell was at the end of the 2000/01 season and Blackpool were keen to have him back for 2001/02 but Ian Holloway, and QPR’s superb chief scout at the time Mel Johnson, had already spotted Shittu and moved quickly to seal his loan signing on the morning of a midweek game at Peterborough in October 2001. Rangers lost 4-1 that night and Shittu was sent off for two wild lunges midway through a very shakey debut. Rangers fans could have been forgiven for wondering what on earth they had signed now but he quickly settled in and by the end of his two month spell supporters were begging for him to be snapped up.

QPR were in dire straights financially at this stage and the £350,000 asking price seemed to end all hope of him ever moving permanently to Loftus Road even though Charlton did at that time have Gavin Peacock on loan from us who could have been used as a makeweight. Ian Holloway’s powers of persuasion and another generous donation from the Winton family sealed the deal though and in January QPR got their man on a permanent deal. Other clubs in the league were less than impressed, particularly Brentford who had also been interested in Shittu, as QPR were still in administration at this stage and yet had just splashed out money on a player. A transfer embargo was placed on the club shortly afterwards as then Brentford owner Ron Noades stamped his feet and growled a bit.

Shittu never did get to appear for Charlton and was critical of manager Alan Curbishley after leaving, saying the manager had never even spoken to him during his time there. With Shittu now struggling to get in the Bolton team and with only one shakey season of top flight football with Watford under his belt Curbishley could reasonably argue he was right not to go with the big man in the top flight but he was a revelation for QPR in first the Second Division and then Championship. His pace across the ground was awesome and few were better than him in the air – he was always a handy first goal scorer bet from corners as well and scored 17 times for QPR during his spell with us.

Few will ever forget his goal and subsequent celebrations at Brentford in the play off season, the way he marked Earnshaw out of the final, and that afternoon where Alan Lee rubbed him up just the wrong way forcing a “you won’t like me when I’m angry” moment that saw Shittu score the winner and brutally batter Lee into submission until he had to be substituted. Shittu also memorably played on through a second half at Bournemouth with ruptured knee ligaments that would eventually keep him out for the best part of a year. He played against Charlton once for Rangers, in a pre season friendly and nearly snapped the cross bar in two with a 40 yard master blaster.

Most of all Shittu was a likeable guy who had a great affinity with the QPR supporters and although his eventual departure to Watford was a drawn out and messy affair he is still held in high regard at Loftus Road.
Magic R’s Moment After being kicked in the nether regions by Alan Lee Danny returned from treatment on the sideline, pointed his finger at the Cardiff striker and warned him what was to come. Half an hour later Rangers were 1-0 up after he’d nearly ripped the net off the back of the posts with a volley and Alan Lee, battered, bruised and incapable of continuing, was substituted.

Others:
Bradley Allen – QPR 1988/1996, Charlton 1996/1999, now a BBC LDN pundit
Lee Cook – QPR 2002/03, 2004/07, 2008, Charlton 2008
Kevin Lisbie – Charlton 1995/2007, QPR 2000/01 loan, now with Ipswich Town
Nicky Johns – Charlton 1978/87, QPR 1987/1989, now runs Soccer Schools
Simon Royce - Charlton 2003-2005, QPR 2005-2007, now at Gillingham
Dennis Bailey - QPR 1991-95, Charlton 1994 loan, now retired
Alan McDonald - QPR 1981-1997, Charlton 1984 loan, now manager of Glentoran
Gavin Peacock - QPR 1984-87 & 1996-2002, Charlton 2001 loan, now BBC Pundit
Jerome Thomas - QPR 2002 loan, Charlton 2004-present
Carl Leaburn - Charlton 1987-1998, QPR 2001-2002, now a match analyst for Premier League Productions
Jermaine Darlington - Charlton 1992-1993, QPR 1999-2001, released last season
Mike Flanagan - Charlton 1971-1979 QPR 1980-1984, left the assistant manager position at Margate last season
Stuart Leary - Charlton 1950-1962, QPR 1962-1966, The South African also played first class cricket for Kent, found dead on Table Moutain in August 1988

Fans’ Memories
Remember Big Danny rattling the cross bar from about 45 yards in a pre season game. Tried it at least once a match thereafter with no success whatsoever! -Northernr

I remember that well, Clive. We lost that night, but I can remember a few Chorlton fans saying to be that they thought we'd do well that following season. Shows what they know! My best memory of Danny scoring for us was 2004/05, at home to Cardiff. Sitting in Ellerslie Block X and thinking in a split second the net is going to burst ! Won us the game, too. Following Rangers was a LOT more fun then - it's something of an expensive chore now, albeit one that's hard to get away from. -Hooped-Pully

QPR v Charlton marks the 20 year anniversary of my first ever Rs game. I was a 10 year old glory-hunting Liverpool fan until that knobhead Yugohoop took me to the Ellerslie stand on that fateful day. Sinton 1-0-paesanu

Just doing my bit, and don't worry mate many others have followed in your foot steps. -Yugohoop

Living just a town away from that lot doing the double over them last season was bliss. Especially when we beat them at the Valley-thank you Adam Bolder! Although I feel I could eating humble pie tomorrow night. -Wegerle10

We used to stick 4's and 5's past them each season, in the Venables era. Allen, Stainrod and Gregory always amongst the goals. Happy days. -Harkouk

Can't remember the year but remember a 5-1 home victory and the Charlton fans singing "five one down, we're only five one down"-Superhoop50

Bradley Allen scoring for them -TedHendrix

One of my sister's married a Chelsea supporter on the day we played Charlton at home in March 1982, a couple of weeks before the West Brom Semi. Obviously as the brother of the bride I had to show my face but one of my other brothers in law managed to sneak in 40 mins late once we went 3-0 up, think it finished 4-0. You'll be pleased to know the marriage didn't last as I knew it wouldn't. Somehow she fell for his retarded grin, took her a bit longer to realise that he was a complete retard in general. -Kingshill

1983, beating them 5-1. -Loftboy

Link that’s the shot from big Dan! -Aston Hoop

Well found, I remember telling everyone about that shot as it nearly broke the bar. cheers. -Clashboy



If you want to add your memories e-mail us loftforwords@yahoo.co.uk, post on the message board thread or use the commenting facility below.

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