With Arsenal at Loftus Road this Saturday, LFW looks back at the career of Chris Kiwomya who played for both clubs, and a memorable FA Cup meeting between the sides from 1990.

Recent Meetings

Arsenal 1 QPR 0, Saturday October 27, 2012, Premier League

There has been some message board discussion of late about whether or not QPR can count themselves unlucky – or at least more unlucky than usual – with refereeing decisions this season. The general consensus seems to be no, but one match that did turn away from them on the basis of an incorrect call from an official was at Ashburton Grove back in October. A late red card for Stephane Mbia from referee Anthony Taylor for foolishly lashing out at Thomas Vermaelen after he’d actually won a free kick for Rangers was fair enough but the subsequent winning goal from Mikel Arteta was obviously offside and should never have been allowed. To be fair to the hosts only miraculous goalkeeping from Julio Cesar had kept them at bay that long against a very negative and conservative QPR set up and Cesar even went close to keeping the goal out during another monumental scramble. Despite the goal coming just four minutes from time with the R’s down to ten a sudden burst of attacking impetus in stoppage time yielded more chances than Mark Hughes’ side had created during the previous 90 minutes and Jamie Mackie should have scored after jinking his way past three Arsenal defenders into the heart of their penalty area but he fluffed his lines with only the keeper to beat.

Arsenal: Mannone 7, Sagna 7, Mertesacker 6, Vermaelen 6, Santos 6, Arteta 7, Wilshere 7 (Walcott 67, 6), Ramsey 6, Cazorla 7, Podolski 6 (Gervinho 71, -) (Arshavin 81, -), Giroud 6

Subs not used: Martinez, Koscielny, Jenkinson, Coquelin

Goals: Arteta 84 (assisted Ramsey)

Bookings: Giroud 59 (foul)

QPR: Cesar 9, Bosingwa 6, Nelsen 8, Mbia 6, Traore 7 (Onuoha 73, 6), Wright-Phillips 5 (Mackie 79, 6), Granero 7, Diakite 6, Taarabt 7, Hoilett 7, Zamora 5 (Cisse 72, 5)

Subs not used: Green, Ferdinand, Ephraim, Faurlin

Bookings: Granero 52 (repetitive fouling), Taarabt 86 (dissent)

Red Cards: Mbia 79 (violent conduct)

QPR 2 Arsenal 1, Saturday March 31, 2012, Premier League

QPR's great escape from what looked like certain relegation in 2011/12 was just starting to get underway when they last met Arsenal, at Loftus Road at the end of March. A home draw with Everton and memorable comeback win against Liverpool had breathed life into the Super Hoops and despite away defeats at Sunderland and, most damagingly, at Bolton in between they set about the Gunners with a real purpose in front of a raucous capacity crowd. Adel Taarabt, out of favour for so long during the winter, opened the scoring with a typically tricky run and accurate finish into the corner but the R's were dragged back level when Theo Walcott converted at the second attempt after his original shot had flown back to him off the post. Mark Hughes' men sealed a priceless win in the second half when persistence from Jamie Mackie down the right worried Vermaelen into a mistake and a good advantage played by referee Mike Dean gave Samba Diakite a chance to advance forward from midfield and thump the subsequent assist into the roof of the net.

QPR: Kenny 8, Onuoha 8, Hill 8, Ferdinand 8, Taiwoo 8, Taarabt 9 , Derry 8, Diakite 9, Barton 8, Mackie 8, Zamora 8 (Wright-Phillips 90 -)

Subs Not Used: Cerny, Young, Gabbidon, Buszacky, Bothroyd

Booked: Taarabt (goal celebration), Mackie (squabbling with Vermaelen), Ferdinand (foul), Barton (foul), Diakite (foul)

Arsenal: Szczesny 7, Sagna 7, Vermaelen 5, Koscielny 7, Gibbs 7 (Chamakh 80 6), Rosicky 7, Arteta 7 (Oxlade-Chamberlain 80 7), Walcott 7, Ramsey 7 (Gervinho 69 6), Song 7, Van Persie 7

Subs Not Used: Fabianski, Santos , Djourou, Benayoun

Booked: Vermaelen (squaring up to Mackie), Song (foul)

Arsenal 1 QPR 0, Saturday December 31, 2011, Premier League

A patchy Arsenal display was still good enough to take all three points from QPR on new Year’s Eve last season as Neil Warnock's reign at Loftus Road neared its end. The R’s, made a bright start to the game with a reshaped team but were still lucky to survive two gilt edged Robin Van Persie chances in the first half. The Dutchman looked well in the mood against an unorthodox centre back pairing of Danny Gabbidon and Matt Connolly playing against his former club for the first time. Van Persie would win the game in the second half, seizing on a senseless back pass from Shaun Wright Phillips before slotting home, but one of the most inept misses of all time from Theo Walcott just beforehand was just as big a talking point after the match.

Arsenal: Szczesny 7, Djourou 6, Mertesacker 7, Koscielny 7, Vermaelen 7 (Coquelin 54, 6), Song 6, Arteta 6, Walcott 5 (Gervinho 74, 7), Ramsey 8, Arshavin 5 (Rosicky 67, 6), van Persie 8

Subs Not Used: Almunia, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Chamakh, Benayoun

Booked: Vermaelen (foul), Djourou (foul)

Goals: van Persie 60 (unassisted)

QPR: Cerny 7, Young 7, Connolly 6, Gabbidon 6, Traore 7 (Orr 77, -), Faurlin 6, Barton 6, Mackie 5 (Smith 74, 6), Taarabt 7, Wright-Phillips 6, Bothroyd 6 (Campbell 64, 5)

Subs Not Used: Murphy, Hill, Derry , Helguson

Booked: Barton (foul), Young (foul)

QPR 0 Arsenal 6, Saturday January 27, 2001, FA Cup

Those games were the first competitive meetings between the sides in a decade, the last coming in a hefty FA Cup hammering back in 2001. Having laboured through a Third Round tie and replay that went to extra time against Second Division strugglers Luton, First Division side QPR pulled Arsenal at home in the Fourth Round. They made a good start in front of a capacity crowd, Peter Crouch had a header cleared from the goal mouth and another that bounced down right on the line after hitting the bar but stayed out before the Gunners set about a systematic demolition of Gerry Francis’ team. Chris Plummer kneed in a low cross for an embarrassing own goal opener, then Sylvain Wiltord’s low shot deflected into the net off former Arsenal man Matthew Rose after Dennis Bergkamp had drawn Ludek Miklosko from his line. The second half was embarrassingly one sided. Another own goal, this time from Rose at close range under pressure from Wiltord as Ashley Cole crossed, started the rout and Wiltord then volleyed the fourth after being left unmarked at a corner. A swift counter attack constructed by Bergkamp and Ray Parlour set up Robert Pires for number five and the sixth was bagged by Bergkamp himself after Maddix’s pass out of defence was intercepted by Patrick Viera.

QPR: Miklosko, Perry (Koejoe (Ngonge)), Carlisle, Plummer (Connolly), Rose, Baraclough, Peacock, Langley , Darlington , Crouch, Kiwomya

Subs not used: Harper, Morrow

Bookings: Carlisle , Baraclough

Arsenal: Seaman, Dixon , Stepanovs, Adams , Cole, Lauren (Grimandi), Viera (Vivas), Parlour, Pires (Malz), Bergkamp, Wiltord

Subs not used: Henry, Manninger

Bookings: Cole, Lauren

Goals: Plummer og 32, Wiltord 33, 56, Rose og 49, Pires 58, Bergkamp 74

QPR 1 Arsenal 1, Saturday March 2, 1996, Premier League

The last Premier League meeting between these two sides prior to last season was towards the end of QPR’s 1995/96 relegation season. Arsenal were a steady midtable side at this stage, supplemented by Dennis Bergkamp up front and managed by Bruce Rioch. This game is often forgotten by Rangers fans amid the more notable disasters of that campaign such as the 98th minute Man Utd equaliser and Spurs 3-2 victory after QPR had led 2-0, but the R’s dropped another two crucial points here after taking the lead. Kevin Gallen kept up his impressive goal scoring record against the Gunners with a crisp first half finish but Arsenal levelled in the second half thanks to an explosive volley from Bergkamp at the School End. I maintain that Bergkamp is the best opposition player I’ve seen play against QPR in my time watching the club. QPR finished second bottom and were relegated, Arsenal climbed up as high as fifth by the end of the campaign.

QPR: Sommer, Bardsley, Challis, Ready, Yates, Barker, Holloway, Quashie, Impey (Dichio), Gallen, Sinclair

Subs not used: Goodridge, Plummer

Goal: Gallen

Arsenal: Seaman, Dixon , Keown, Linighan, Morrow (Rose), Winterburn, Platt, Parlour, Merson, Bergkamp, Hartson

Subs not used: Hillier, Hughes

Goal: Bergkamp

Previous Results

2012/12 Arsenal 1 QPR 0

2011/12 QPR 2 Arsenal 1 (Taarabt, Diakite)

2011/12 Arsenal 1 QPR 0

2000/01 QPR 0 Arsenal 6*

1995/96 QPR 1 Arsenal 1 (Gallen)

1995/96 Arsenal 3 QPR 0

1994/95 QPR 3 Arsenal 1 (Gallen, Impey, Ready)

1994/95 Arsenal 1 QPR 3 (Gallen, Impey, Allen)

1993/94 QPR 1 Arsenal 1 (Penrice)

1993/94 Arsenal 0 QPR 0

1992/93 Arsenal 0 QPR 0

1992/93 QPR 0 Arsenal 0

1991/92 QPR 0 Arsenal 0

1991/92 Arsenal 1 QPR 1 (Bailey)

1990/91 Arsenal 2 QPR 0

1990/91 QPR 1 Arsenal 3 (Wegerle)

1989/90 QPR 2 Arsenal 0 (Wilkins, Wegerle)

1989/90 QPR 2 Arsenal 0* (Sansom, Sinton)

1989/90 Arsenal 0 QPR 0*

1989/90 Arsenal 3 QPR 0

1988/89 QPR 0 Arsenal 0

1988/89 Arsenal 2 QPR 1 (Falco)

1987/88 Arsenal 0 QPR 0

1987/88 QPR 2 Arsenal 0 (Byrne, McDonald)

1986/87 QPR 1 Arsenal 4 (McDonald)

1986/87 Arsenal 3 QPR 1 (Bannister)

1985/86 Arsenal 3 QPR 1 (Bannister)

1985/86 QPR 0 Arsenal 1

1984/85 QPR 1 Arsenal 0 (James)

1984/85 Arsenal 1 QPR 0

1983/84 Arsenal 0 QPR 2 (Stewart, Fenwick)

1983/84 QPR 2 Arsenal 0 (Gregory, Neill)

1978/79 QPR 1 Arsenal 2 (Shanks)

1978/79 Arsenal 5 QPR 1 (McGee)

1977/78 QPR 2 Arsenal 1 (Shanks, Bowles)

1977/78 Arsenal 1 QPR 0

1976/77 QPR 2 Arsenal 1 (Francis, Hollins)

1976/77 QPR 2 Arsenal 1** (Masson, Webb)

1976/77 Arsenal 3 QPR 2 (Thomas, McLintock)

1975/76 QPR 2 Arsenal 1 (McLintock, Francis)

1975/76 Arsenal 2 QPR 0

1974/75 QPR 0 Arsenal 0

1974/75 Arsenal 2 QPR 2 (Bowles 2)

1973/74 Arsenal 1 QPR 1 (Bowles)

1973/74 QPR 2 Arsenal 0 (Bowles, Givens)

1968/69 QPR 0 Arsenal 1

1968/69 Arsenal 2 QPR 1 (Wilks)

1921/22 QPR 1 Arsenal 2* (Smith)

1921/22 Arsenal 0 QPR 0*

1920/21 QPR 2 Arsenal 0* ( Chandler , O’Brien)

* - FA Cup

** - League Cup

Connections

Chris Kiwomya >>> Arsenal 1995-1998 >>> QPR 1998-2001

The confirmation that former QPR and Arsenal striker Chris Kiwomya was the latest victim to be confirmed in one of football’s hottest managerial seats at Notts County back in March sparked something of a debate on the LFW message board.

Was this hilarious? A poor player, much maligned for his attitude and work rate during the QPR relegation season of 2000/01, dragged in by a club that has worked its way through nine permanent managers since 2007 simply because no other idiot was foolish enough to take the job on? Or just rewards for somebody who, prior to that dreadful campaign under Gerry Francis and later Ian Holloway, had performed very commendably for Rangers and has since served a healthy internship as a coach for the youth and reserve set ups at firstly Ipswich and then later County?

Born in Huddersfield of Ugandan descent Kiwomya initially made his professional breakthrough down in Suffolk at Portman Road. He was reasonably hot property too - top scoring in the old Second Division in the 1991/92 promotion campaign that crucially won Ipswich a place in the inaugural Premier League. Rangers drew 0-0 with the Tractor Boys at Loftus Road that season despite dominating, and then 1-1 in the away game when Devon White’s first goal for the club only served to cancel out an earlier strike from Neil Thompson which frankly Tony Roberts should have been able to save with his limbs chained together.

Kiwomya built his reputation with Ipswich, scoring 64 goals in 259 appearances for a team that was often battling relegation from the top flight When they finally succumbed to the drop in 1994/95 Arsenal moved in and paid £1.25m for his services. This was an odd period in the Gunners’ history. The reign of manager George Graham had turned sour after league title wins in 1989 and 1991, FA and League Cup success in 1993, and a Cup Winners Cup win in 1994. Graham had been caught taking £425,000 in bungs from Norwegian agent Rune Hauge to aid the purchase of two of Hauge’s clients John Jensen and Pål Lydersen. Jensen, bought as a goalscoring midfielder after an impressive Euro 92, infamously only scored one goal in more than 150 appearances for the Gunners – against QPR. Rangers did win the game 3-1 though.

Kiwomya joined on the same day as young Luton striker John Hartson, but neither signing really looked like they had the wherewithal to help the Gunners challenge for trophies once again, and both arrived just as the club was about to go through an amazing transition. Bruce Rioch, a very similar manager to Graham in background and style, was brought in after a successful stint with Bolton Wanderers but he lasted just over a season (in which Arsenal finished fifth) before a dispute with first Ian Wright, and then the board over transfer funds led to his demise. The signing of Dennis Bergkamp from Inter Milan during Rioch’s reign showed where Arsenal were heading as a club and, after another prolonged caretaker spell under furture QPR boss Stewart Houston, Frenchman Arsene Wenger arrived and transformed the club forever. All this rather left Kiwomya (who only managed six starts, 11 sub appearances and three goals in three years at Highbury) and Hartson in a state of flux. Eventually Kiwomya tried his luck on loan in France with Le Havre and Malaysia with Selangor before his contract expired and Ray Harford picked him up on a free transfer for QPR prior to the start of the 1998/99 season.

Harford would last barely two months into the campaign before resigning and being replaced first by Iain Dowie on a caretaker basis and then returning hero Gerry Francis. It was then, with Rangers cash strapped, that Kiwomya really started to shine. As the R’s battled relegation he scored twice in a crucial 4-0 home win against Swindon Town and then wrote his name into the club’s folklore on the final day of the season.

Locked in a struggle at the bottom of the table with Oxford, Bury, Port Vale and Portsmouth, Rangers knew they needed a victory on the final day of the campaign at home to Crystal Palace to secure safety. Since the Swindon win the R;s had managed just one victory and a draw from eight matches and a 2-0 set back at Port Vale the week before in front of a huge travelling support – a fifth defeat on the spin – looked to have doomed them to the Second Division.

It’s always been my opinion that there was something very fishy about what happened next. Palace – financially stricken and in the midst of a messy divorce from owner Mark Goldberg – rolled over and died on a pitch bathed with sunshine and protest balloons in the most obvious and dramatic manner anybody could ever have imagined. When George Kulscar and Tony Scully are lashing in volleys from outside the penalty box something is seriously amiss, and the Kulscar goal in particular – the first of the game – looked eminently saveable only for keeper Kevin Miller to stand still and watch it go past him. Kiwomya scored possibly the lowest quality hat trick ever registered in the professional game and missed a penalty into the bargain and Rangers survived.

Francis rebuilt the team intelligently, adding Stewart Wardley’s hard running to the midfield along with youth team graduate Richard Langley, Jermaine Darlington’s pace to wide areas and most crucially Rob Steiner as a focal point for the attack. Kiwomya thrived, scoring 14 goals as Rangers finished tenth. A well taken late goal in a 3-2 March win at Walsall had put the R;s within touching distance of the play offs but a subsequent brace was only good enough to secure a draw at home to Norwich and the form fell away slightly – his final goal of the campaign capped a memorable 3-1 home win against his former club Ipswich who were heading for promotion at the time nevertheless. That was also the day of the lesser spotted Sammy Koejoe blockbuster as well.

So, despite being on the brink of financial ruin, hopes were reasonably high going into 2000/01 with impressive England Under 21 hopeful Clarke Carlisle added to the defence and Peter Crouch arriving from Spurs. However, crucially, Rangers lost Steiner to a career ending injury and Kiwomya never functioned as well without him. Kiwomya’s early season form was good – four goals in his first eight appearances - but a September away game at Barnsley saw QPR go in at half time three nil down and with disgruntled travelling fans massing around the tunnel at half time to give the players a piece of their minds Kiwomya didn’t cover himself in glory with an angry reaction. Although the striker then subsequently scored twice in the second half to threaten a comeback, the final score of 4-2 only served to plunge the team into greater difficulty. Kiwomya was in and out of the side thereafter with one niggly injury after another and the perception was he either wasn’t bothered, wasn’t trying, or both. He managed six appearances and no goals in the next four months, returning briefly to score twice in an FA Cup replay with Luton at Loftus Road and win through to a fourth round game with his old club Arsenal which Rangers promptly lost 6-0.

More time on the sidelines was broken briefly by a return and two goal haul as the R’s beat Barnsley 2-0 and Gillingham 1-0 as Francis made way for Ian Holloway but they were to be his last goals for the club. Holloway added Andy Thomson to the attack alongside Peter Crouch and at the end of the season, with the club now in administration, Kiwomya was one of dozens allowed to leave at the end of his contract. A record of 30 goals in 96 appearances for a mostly crap side stands up well on paper.

Spells in Denmark with Aalborg and the lower divisions with Grimsby preceded his retirement and coaching spells with first Arsenal, then Ipswich and finally Notts County. In the wake of Keith Curle’s sacking at Meadow Lane at the turn of this year, Kiwomya had a prolonged caretaker spell in charge of Notts County which brought three wins and six draws from 11 games. Ominously they lost three on the bounce following his permanent appointment but rallied with two wins and a draw from the final three games and finished the season twelfth.

The jury remains out on his ability as a manager, and divided on whether he was any good for QPR or not.

Others >>> Armand Traore, Arsenal 2006-2011, QPR 2011-present >>> Jay Bothroyd Arsenal trainee, QPR 2011-present >>> Jay Simpson, Arsenal 2007-2010, QPR (loan) 2009-2010 >>> Matthew Connolly, Arsenal 2006-2008, QPR 2008-present >>> Frankie Simek, Arsenal 2003-2005, QPR (loan) 2004 >>> Matthew Hislop, Arsenal trainee, QPR 2005-2007 >>> Shabazz Baidoo, Arsenal trainee, QPR 2004-2008 >>> Dom Shimmin, Arsenal trainee, QPR 2005-2008 >>> Jerome Thomas, Arsenal 2001-2004, QPR (loan) 2002 >>> Brian McGovern, Arsenal 1997-2000, QPR (loan) 1999-2000>>> Andy Linighan, Arsenal 1990-1997, QPR (loan) 1998-1999 >>> Steve Morrow, Arsenal 1988-1997, QPR 1997-2001 >>> Matthew Rose, Arsenal 1994-1997, QPR 1997-2007 >>> Lee Harper, Arsenal 1994-1997, QPR 1997-2001 >>> Stewart Houston, Arsenal (coach) 1990-1996, QPR (manager) 1996-1997 >>> Bruce Rioch, Arsenal (manager) 1995-1996, QPR (coach) 1996-1997 >>> Gus Caesar, Arsenal 1984-1991, QPR (loan) 1990 >>> Don Howe, Arsenal 1964-1966, (manager) 1983-1986, (coach) 1997-2003, QPR 1989-1991 >>> Bobby Gould, Arsenal 1968-1970, QPR (coach) 1990-1991 >>> David Seaman, QPR 1986-1990, Arsenal 1990-2003 >>>Kenny Sansom, Arsenal 1980-1988, QPR 1989-1991 >>> Jimmy Carter, QPR 1985-1987, Arsenal 1991-1995 >>> Paul Barron, Arsenal 1978-1980, QPR 1985-1988 >>> Clive Allen QPR 1978-1980, 1981-1984, Arsenal 1980 >>> Frank McLintock, Arsenal 1964-1973, QPR 1973-1977 >>> John Hollins, QPR 1975-1979, Arsenal 1979-1983 >>> Terry Mancini, QPR 1971-1974, Arsenal 1974-1976 >>> Eddie Kelly, Arsenal 1969-1976, QPR 1976-1977 >>> Dave Metchick, QPR 1968-1970, Arsenal 1970 >>> Bill Dodgin Arsenal 1952-1961, QPR (manager) 1968 >>> Adam Haywood, Arsenal 1896-1899, QPR 1899-1900

Memorable Match

Under the management of Don Howe, Rangers had drawn lower league Cardiff City in round three of the 1990 FA Cup and eventually made it through thanks to goals from Ray Wilkins and Roy Wegerle in a Loftus Road replay after a goalless first tie. That technique of keeping things tight in an away game in the hope of seeing the job through at Loftus Road would come to the fore again in the next round when Rangers were handed the somewhat stiffer task of facing reigning champions Arsenal at Highbury. A dire game finished 0-0, a score QPR were clearly very pleased about, and so four days later the sides convened again on a boggy pitch at Loftus Road to fight for the right to meet Blackpool in the Fifth Round.

Former Gunner Kenny Sansom started on the left side of a defence that also included England’s Paul Parker, Northern Ireland’s Alan McDonald and Danny Maddix. In attack Colin Clarke partnered Wegerle with Wilkins, Simon Barker, David Bardsley and Andy Sinton making up the midfield. David Seaman stood between the posts for Rangers, he would soon move across town to join Arsenal in a £1.3m deal.

Arsenal made a change to their line up having spurned the initial opportunity for competition progress with home advantage: George Graham recalled Michael Thomas instead of Paul Davis and kept Sansom’s replacement Nigel Winterburn at left back. Alan Smith led the attack, John Lukic started in goal. Steve Bould partnered Adams in defence and within three second of the match beginning he’d scythed down Wegerle to set the tone for the evening’s entertainment.

The sides exchanged early chances with Smith firing straight at Seaman after McDonald had done well to hold him up in a one on one situation and then Wegerle unleashing a first time volley out of nowhere from an impossible angle that Lukic did well to parry away.

Tony Adams rarely seemed to enjoy his visits to Shepherds Bush back in the day and the donkey noises which seemed to get to him at Loftus Road more than anywhere else could be heard ringing around the ground when he strode onto a low cross from a well worked set piece, unmarked and onside, but skied a presentable chance into the Upper Loft with Seaman helpless to do anything about it. The big keeper was called upon to save from Rocastle moments later and although he spilled the ball initially he’d regathered before Groves clattered him with one of those challenges that would certainly bring a card out these days.

Rangers needed to be more positive at the start of the second half and clearly Howe recognised that. A prolonged early spell of tidy possession tempted O’Leary into fouling Clarke on the edge of the area. Although a convoluted free kick routine came to nothing the ball then broke wide to Sansom who’s chipped cross swirled in the wind and rain and almost caught Lukic out underneath his crossbar but the keeper turned the ball behind one handed for a corner. Bardsley drilled over when the resulting set piece was delivered.

In torrential rain just before the hour mark Wegerle made light of the conditions to skip past three Arsenal tacklers and feed Sinton whose typically purposeful run into the area created a shooting opportunity but Arsenal muscled up and blocked his sight of goal.

And the South African born USA international was at it again for the opening goal midway through the second half. His balance and poise failed only briefly during a mesmeric dribble that took him from the middle of the Arsenal half, out to the right touchline via the penalty area, and then back in towards the byline skipping past numerous defenders and never relinquishing possession once en route. Eventually he laid the perfect ball back to the edge of the area where Sansom arrived on cue to drill an unstoppable left footed shot into the corner of the net – his first ever QPR goal had come against the club he served with distinction for the best part of the previous decade. It lifted the roof off the place.

George Graham sent on a young Paul Merson for Groves while Rangers were celebrating and could have been rewarded with an equaliser straight from the kick off but Michael Thomas fluffed his lines from close range. Then, in a frantic 60 seconds around the 70 minute mark, Bould headed straight at Seaman, Dixon forced an excellent save from the QPR keeper and Winterburn fired over – those three would soon welcome Seaman as a team mate and go on to form a formidable defence for years to come. The remaining part of that revered backline, Tony Adams, headed wide of Seaman’s post four minutes later.

An Arsenal equaliser certainly looked more likely than a second QPR goal as Smith chipped wide and Merson drew a decent save from Seaman in the bottom left hand corner. But as time wound down and the Gunners committed more men to the attack, gaps started to open up for the home team and when Wegerle’s vision set Sinton free in the left channel in the final minute of the game the former Brentford winger and future England international made no mistake with crisp finish across Lukic, into the far corner. The Lower Loft enjoyed that one.

The victory set Rangers up for a fifth round tie at Blackpool which finished 2-2 thanks to two goals from Colin Clarke. The replay finished goalless before the R’s won the second replay 3-0 with goals from Sinton and Sansom again as well as Simon Barker. The quarter final paired them with Liverpool and after Wilkins and Barker had scored in the first game which finished 2-2 yet another replay had to be scheduled but this time Rangers lost 1-0 at Anfield.

QPR: Seaman, Parker, Maddix, McDonald, Sansom, Bardsley, Wilkins, Barker, Sinton, Clarke, Wegerle

Subs: Channing, Wright.

Arsenal: Lukic, Dixon, O’Leary, Adams, Bould, Winterburn, Rocastly, Richardson, Thomas, Groves, Smith

Subs: Pates, Merson.

Highlights >>> QPR 0 Arsenal 6 2000/01 >>> Arsenal 1 QPR 3 94/95 >>> QPR 1 Arsenal 3 1990/91 >>> QPR 2 Arsenal 0, FA Cup replay 1990 >>> Arsenal 2 QPR 2 74/75 >>> QPR 2 Arsenal 0 73/74

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Pictures – Action Images

Photo: Action Images

TacticalR added 00:39 - May 2 'The jury remains out on his ability as a manager, and divided on whether he was any good for QPR or not.' It's funny you should say that, because after the thread about Kiwomya's role in management, I tried to remember exactly what I had thought of him as a player. In retrospect he fits the Spencer pattern...a player surplus to requirements at a Premiership club once the influx of continental players had begun. He also fits the SWP pattern...a player who wasted the peak years of his career on the bench, and was never the same afterwards. From memory he wasn't a bad player, but lacked the killer touch of a true striker.

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YorkRanger added 06:19 - May 2 I remember the Sansom goal clearly - I was close to the corner the ball went into. Had a good day out at Blackpool too and I remember being deflated when hearing the quarter final draw. Generally good memories....
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WokingR added 08:37 - May 2 One of my all time favourite games For some reason I had only been able to get into the away end. After Sansom's goal Mark Falco appeared in the window of one of the boxes in the corner. He started banging on the window and gesturing at the Arsenal fans and being ex Spurs this went down a storm. Absolutely hilarious.
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qprninja added 10:16 - May 2 That F.A Cup match was magic, I was in the paddock that night and had close up view of Sinton running them ragged all night. The loft erupting as one mental mass of celebration when Sansom scored is etched in my memory, boooom!
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dsw2509 added 19:37 - May 3 Happy days. That Sansom goal is one of my best ever footy memories. Will we ever do something like that again? I gave up my season ticket 3 years ago after 27 years because I just wasn't enjoying it any more. I need a reason to start again. Aiming to be the 4th worst team in the Premier League does not provide that reason.
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qprbenjamin163 added 22:40 - May 3 I was in the loft that night and my best mate was a steward in front of the paddock. When Samson scored he went mad and was promptly sacked after the game.
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