Queens Park Rangers F.C. season 2007-08
Encyclopedia
During the 2007–08
season, Queens Park Rangers
were playing in the Football League Championship
.
, Chris Barker
and John Curtis on free transfers. Andrew Howell, Kieron St Aimie and Aaron Goode all signed one-year professional contracts after impressing in the youth team under Joe Gallen, who was later sacked, despite his under 18s winning the league. Gregory also signed more backroom staff, including Paul Hunter as the new physio, Mick Harford
as assistant manager, Ed de Goey and Warren Neill
as coaches and Steve Brown and Keith Ryan
as youth team coaches. Creative left winger Lee Cook
was sold to rivals Fulham
for a deal reported as potentially worth between £2.5 million and £4.5 million. Michael Mancienne
also extended his loan for a further season. On the 26th July, QPR completed the loan signing of Ben Sahar
for three months (subsequently extended until January 2008). The signings of Lee Camp and Simon Walton
followed the day after on 27 July, totalling £500,000.
During pre-season, new signing Simon Walton
fractured his leg in a non-competitive 2-1 victory against Fulham
and was side-lined for several months.
, a loss in the Carling Cup
2-1 at home to League One
Leyton Orient
followed by a further 2-0 defeat at home by Cardiff City
. The match against Burnley on the 25 August was postponed after promising teenage player Ray Jones was killed in a car crash in the early hours of the morning. A week later QPR crashed to a 3–0 defeat at home to Southampton
, followed by a draw with Leicester
and a further home defeat by Plymouth
(0–2) before picking up only their second point of the month (and the third of the season) at home to Watford
on 22 September.
cameras against West Bromwich Albion
on 30 September. First-team coach Mick Harford
was placed in temporary charge. Three consecutive fixtures against East Anglia
n opposition saw Rangers defeated at the hands of Colchester
before earning their first win of the season at home to Norwich
and salvaging a draw with Ipswich
at Loftus Road
. After a goalless draw at Preston
and a rare victory away to Charlton
, Harford left the club later in the month and was replaced by Luigi De Canio
. His first game in charge was a 2-0 victory against Hull City
.
, Stoke
, Blackpool
and Crystal Palace
before a brief run of four games without defeat in mid-December indicated signs of a recovery. On 11 December 2007 QPR were drawn away from home at Chelsea
in the third round of the FA Cup
, a tie due to be played on January 5, 2008. The fixture would be the first competitive West London derby
between the two sides since 1996.
The Christmas and New Year period was largely successful for the club with Rangers bouncing back from a defeat at Plymouth
on Boxing Day
and picking up wins away from home at second-placed Watford
(4-2) and at Loftus Road
against fellow strugglers Leicester
(3-1).
had purchased a 20 per cent shareholding in the club. As part of the investment Lakshmi Mittal's son-in-law took a place on the board of directors. Continuing the theme of previous seasons a number of loan signings featured for the club including Gavin Mahon
, Ákos Buzsáky
and Rowan Vine
. The investment potential of the club's new backers resulted in a number of speculative storylines in the football press throughout the season including rumoured signings of former World Player of the Year winners
Luis Figo
and Zinedine Zidane
(the latter as a possible manager).
: Ákos Buzsáky
who had previously been on loan from Plymouth Argyle
, Hogan Ephraim
from West Ham
, Kieran Lee
on loan from Manchester United
, Gavin Mahon
on loan from Watford
, Matthew Connolly
from Arsenal
, Patrick Agyemang
from Preston
and Fitz Hall
from Wigan
. Early in January QPR also managed to secure striker Rowan Vine
in a permanent move following his brief loan spell which had ended in December.
on the first weekend in January to see QPR put up a determined effort against their Premier League neighbours Chelsea
in the FA Cup third round. Ultimately the R's lost 1–0 to an unfortunate deflected own goal from Lee Camp. The Cup defeat was followed by defeat away to Sheffield United
. The month ended for Rangers with a 2-0 home win over Barnsley
followed by a defeat at Cardiff
. As the January transfer window closed, QPR secured American goalkeeper Matt Pickens
and Northern Irish defender Damien Delaney
and parted ways with a number of players including Marcus Bignot
, Danny Cullip, Nick Ward, Dominic Shimmin
, Sampsa Timoska
, Shabazz Baidoo
, Kieron St Aimie, Stefan Moore
and Pat Kanyuka. Adam Bolder
, Daniel Nardiello
and Simon Walton
were also put out on loan.
3-0 at Loftus Road followed by a 3-2 away win at Southampton
. Showing some signs of a recovery from the start to the season, the Southampton victory left QPR 6 points off the playoffs and 8 points above the relegation zone. At the same time, Flavio Briatore
took over from Alejandro Agag as the chairman of QPR's holding company. Briatore's arrival also signalled the demise of the club mascot, 'Jude the stadium cat'. According to newspaper reports, the black cat was incompatible with Briatore's superstitions and the matchday programme on 2 February subsequently announced Jude the Cat had "gone on holiday". On 12 February the club's erratic form then saw them fall to a 6th home defeat of the season, losing to Burnley 2-4 after at one stage leading 2-0.
Taking advantage of their next league fixture opponents Barnsley
playing Liverpool
in the FA Cup on 16 February, QPR organised a mid-season training camp to the Vale de Lobo resort in the Algarve region of Portugal
. Gareth Ainsworth
was appointed club captain in place of Adam Bolder following his loan move to Sheffield Wednesday. Rangers closed out February with draws against Sheffield United
(1–1) at home and away in the rearranged fixture with Barnsley (0–0).
on 2 March saw QPR convincingly defeat the second-placed side 3–0, continuing the club's successful form against the top sides in the division. In contrast, Rangers' following game against relegation-zone Coventry City
ended in a hard-fought 0–0 draw with Coventry dominating much of the play, acknowledged by the praise directed at Lee Camp for his goalkeeping performance. Similarly their next game against a struggling Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough
saw them lose 2–1, before returning to winning ways at home to Blackpool
(3–2); a result which left them 12th in the league, 8 points outside the play-offs and 7 points above the relegation zone.
Reflecting the increasingly high profile of the club, the mid-week Blackpool match was watched from the Directors' Box by Asantehene King Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II
as well as Real Madrid's
president, Ramón Calderón
accompanying the club's three owners Mittal
, Ecclestone
and Briatore
. Continuing their solid home form in which Rangers had lost just once in their previous ten games at Loftus Road and scored 22 goals, the club ran out 3–1 winners against a Scunthorpe
side battling relegation. With only seven fixtures remaining, the victory meant QPR remained 12th in the Championship, 7 points from the play-off positions and 8 points clear of relegation. Continuing speculation around the level of new investment in the club fuelled rumours of the possible signing of Luis Figo
, although they were promptly dismissed by the player's representatives.
Rangers travelled to play-off hopefuls Wolves
on the Easter weekend (22 March) and squandered the lead three times, twice in injury time periods at the end of each half and ultimately conspiring in a 3–3 final score. On 25 March the board announced a five–year kit sponsorship deal with Lotto Sport Italia
, which could be worth up to £20 million should QPR win promotion to the Premier League. The contract comes into effect for the 2008-09 season and is the most financially rewarding in the club's history. On 29 March Rangers frustrated Ipswich's
play-off ambitions by holding them to a goal—less draw at Portman Road
– principally as a result of Lee Camp's goalkeeping heroics. Following the match approximately 15 QPR supporters caused an affray
at Manningtree station
prompting three arrests.
founder Bill Gates
was to invest in the club, which, despite being an apparent April Fools' Day
joke, was repeated on general news and QPR fan sites. Striker Rowan Vine
fractured his leg in a training incident on 3 April 2008 and was ruled out for the rest of the season. Two days later on 5 April, Rangers narrowly avoided a 2–0 home defeat to an in-form Preston side by dramatically scoring twice in injury time at the end of the second half.
After a Friday which saw Briatore promote his vision of QPR as a global super brand, and with both relegation and promotion now an irrelevance QPR travelled to Hull City
on 12 April to face a team who had netted five and kept two clean-sheets in their previous two games. A contentious first-half goal by Rangers was cancelled-out late in the game by Hull's Michael Turner
. The 1–1 result left QPR 14th in the Championship and ten points adrift of the play-offs
with just 3 games (9 points) remaining.
Rangers nevertheless continued to contribute to the fate of the Championship's promotion hopefuls, despite being unable to affect their own playoff chances, consigning fellow-Londoners Charlton Athletic
to a further season in the second tier after beating them 1–0 at Loftus Road courtesy of Dexter Blackstock
. A heavy defeat to Norwich
at Carrow Road
(0–3), where Damion Stewart was sent off after just 4 minutes, drew April to a disappointing close.
, the team who's comprehensive defeat of Rangers in September signalled the end of John Gregory's reign. Prior to the game QPR unveiled a new badge which was introduced to signify a new era for the club, although newspapers had earlier erroneously speculated that the announcement would reveal Zinedine Zidane
as the new manager. Following a red card
for Martin Rowlands, Rangers fell to a 2–0 defeat and suffered the indignity of seeing the Championship title trophy presented to West Brom at Loftus Road. The result meant QPR finished 14th in the Championship table with 58 points, 12 points below the play-off zone and 6 points from relegation.
Following the game Martin Rowlands
was named both the club's Ray Jones Players' Player of the Year and the Supporters' Player of the Year. Chelsea
loan player and England U21 international
defender Michael Mancienne
was awarded the Supporters' Young Player of the Year award. Akos Buzsaky
won the Kiyan Prince
Goal of the Season award for his goal against Blackpool
at Loftus Road
on 11 March. Zesh Rehman was also awarded for his Community Commitment.
On May 8, QPR announced that Luigi De Canio
had left the club "by mutual consent" and that a further announcement regarding a new manager for the following season
would be made in due course.
2007-08 in English football
The 2007–08 season was the 128th season of competitive football in England.-European competitions:In October 2007 Arsenal equalled the UEFA Champions League record victory with a 7–0 win over Slavia Prague at the Emirates Stadium. The record was broken the following month when Liverpool...
season, Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
were playing in the Football League Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
.
Pre-season
Manager John Gregory began rebuilding the squad before the new season, bringing in Daniel NardielloDaniel Nardiello
Daniel Antony Nardiello is an English-born Welsh footballer. A forward who currently plays for Exeter City, he is the son of former Wales international Donato Nardiello and cousin of Reis Ashraf and Michael Nardiello....
, Chris Barker
Chris Barker
Christopher Andrew "Chris" Barker is an English footballer who plays as a defender for Southend United. He has also represented Barnsley, Cardiff City, Stoke City, Colchester United, Queens Park Rangers and Plymouth Argyle since beginning his career in 1997...
and John Curtis on free transfers. Andrew Howell, Kieron St Aimie and Aaron Goode all signed one-year professional contracts after impressing in the youth team under Joe Gallen, who was later sacked, despite his under 18s winning the league. Gregory also signed more backroom staff, including Paul Hunter as the new physio, Mick Harford
Mick Harford
Michael Gordon "Mick" Harford , is an English former football player turned manager. He is former manager of Rotherham and Luton Town and has also been caretaker manager of Nottingham Forest and QPR...
as assistant manager, Ed de Goey and Warren Neill
Warren Neill
Warren Anthony Neill is a former footballer, most notably with Queens Park Rangers, where he also worked as a coach.Neill made his QPR debut against Chelsea in 1980 and went on to play 181 league games scoring 3 goals...
as coaches and Steve Brown and Keith Ryan
Keith Ryan
Keith Ryan is an English former professional footballer, born in Northampton, who played in the Football League as a midfielder for Wycombe Wanderers. In July 2009 he was appointed reserve team manager at Queens Park Rangers.-Career:...
as youth team coaches. Creative left winger Lee Cook
Lee Cook
Lee Cook is an English footballer who plays for Queens Park Rangers as a midfielder.-Career:Born in Hammersmith, London, Cook began his career at Southampton. non-League Aylesbury United where he made 19 appearances, scoring twice, having progressed from the club's youth team. In 1999, after...
was sold to rivals Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
for a deal reported as potentially worth between £2.5 million and £4.5 million. Michael Mancienne
Michael Mancienne
Michael Ian Mancienne is an English footballer who plays for German Bundesliga club Hamburger SV as a defender.Schooled primarily as a centre back, Mancienne can also play as a defensive midfielder as well as both fullback positions as he showed during appearances for Chelsea, and multiple loan...
also extended his loan for a further season. On the 26th July, QPR completed the loan signing of Ben Sahar
Ben Sahar
Ben Sahar is an Israeli football striker who currently plays for Ligue 1 side Auxerre on loan from Espanyol.At just 16, Sahar was already the equivalent of a second-year apprentice at Chelsea. He first caught Chelsea's eye in an Under-16 fixture against Ireland in 2004 and has since played for the...
for three months (subsequently extended until January 2008). The signings of Lee Camp and Simon Walton
Simon Walton
Simon William Walton is an English professional footballer who plays for Plymouth Argyle.-Leeds United:Walton started his career at hometown club Leeds United. He came to attention after being sent off in a pre-season friendly against Valencia in 2004, whilst still just sixteen...
followed the day after on 27 July, totalling £500,000.
During pre-season, new signing Simon Walton
Simon Walton
Simon William Walton is an English professional footballer who plays for Plymouth Argyle.-Leeds United:Walton started his career at hometown club Leeds United. He came to attention after being sent off in a pre-season friendly against Valencia in 2004, whilst still just sixteen...
fractured his leg in a non-competitive 2-1 victory against Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
and was side-lined for several months.
Tragic start
The season began turbulently, with a draw against recently promoted Bristol CityBristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
, a loss in the Carling Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
2-1 at home to League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
Leyton Orient
Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
followed by a further 2-0 defeat at home by Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
. The match against Burnley on the 25 August was postponed after promising teenage player Ray Jones was killed in a car crash in the early hours of the morning. A week later QPR crashed to a 3–0 defeat at home to Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
, followed by a draw with Leicester
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
and a further home defeat by Plymouth
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
(0–2) before picking up only their second point of the month (and the third of the season) at home to Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
on 22 September.
New manager
On 1 October it was announced that John Gregory had been sacked after 13 months in charge. This came after a comprehensive 5-1 defeat in front of the Sky SportsSky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
cameras against West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
on 30 September. First-team coach Mick Harford
Mick Harford
Michael Gordon "Mick" Harford , is an English former football player turned manager. He is former manager of Rotherham and Luton Town and has also been caretaker manager of Nottingham Forest and QPR...
was placed in temporary charge. Three consecutive fixtures against East Anglia
East Anglia
East Anglia is a traditional name for a region of eastern England, named after an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom, the Kingdom of the East Angles. The Angles took their name from their homeland Angeln, in northern Germany. East Anglia initially consisted of Norfolk and Suffolk, but upon the marriage of...
n opposition saw Rangers defeated at the hands of Colchester
Colchester United F.C.
Colchester United Football Club is an English football club based in Colchester. The club was formed in 1937, and briefly shared their old Layer Road home with now defunct side Colchester Town who had previously used the ground from 1910....
before earning their first win of the season at home to Norwich
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
and salvaging a draw with Ipswich
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
at Loftus Road
Loftus Road
Loftus Road is a football stadium in Shepherd's Bush, London. It is home to the English football team Queens Park Rangers of the Premier League and has a capacity of around 18,500. The four stands are called the Loftus Road End , Ellerslie Road Stand, South Africa Road Stand and the School End,...
. After a goalless draw at Preston
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
and a rare victory away to Charlton
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
, Harford left the club later in the month and was replaced by Luigi De Canio
Luigi De Canio
Luigi "Gigi" De Canio is an Italian football manager and former player.-Player:De Canio, a full back, played mostly with Serie C1 and Serie C2 teams, his lone season in Serie B being 1979–80 with Matera, marking his debut in the division on September 16, 1979 against Genoa...
. His first game in charge was a 2-0 victory against Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
.
Signs of recovery
Following the arrival of De Canio, Rangers endured defeats at the hands of CoventryCoventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
, Stoke
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
, Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
and Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
before a brief run of four games without defeat in mid-December indicated signs of a recovery. On 11 December 2007 QPR were drawn away from home at Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
in the third round of the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
, a tie due to be played on January 5, 2008. The fixture would be the first competitive West London derby
West London derby
The West London Derby is the name given to a football derby played between any two of Brentford, Chelsea, Fulham and Queens Park Rangers.The West London derby is less prominent than other such derbies in English football, owing to the teams often being in separate divisions. Chelsea did not face...
between the two sides since 1996.
The Christmas and New Year period was largely successful for the club with Rangers bouncing back from a defeat at Plymouth
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
on Boxing Day
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...
and picking up wins away from home at second-placed Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
(4-2) and at Loftus Road
Loftus Road
Loftus Road is a football stadium in Shepherd's Bush, London. It is home to the English football team Queens Park Rangers of the Premier League and has a capacity of around 18,500. The four stands are called the Loftus Road End , Ellerslie Road Stand, South Africa Road Stand and the School End,...
against fellow strugglers Leicester
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
(3-1).
Investment
Shortly prior to the traditional Christmas fixture period on 20 December 2007 it was announced that the family of Lakshmi MittalLakshmi Mittal
Lakshmi Narayan Mittal is an Indian steel magnate. He is the chairman and chief executive officer of ArcelorMittal, the world’s largest steelmaking company....
had purchased a 20 per cent shareholding in the club. As part of the investment Lakshmi Mittal's son-in-law took a place on the board of directors. Continuing the theme of previous seasons a number of loan signings featured for the club including Gavin Mahon
Gavin Mahon
Gavin Andrew Mahon is an English footballer who is currently under contract at League One club Notts County.-Career:...
, Ákos Buzsáky
Ákos Buzsáky
Ákos Buzsáky is a Hungarian footballer who plays for Premier League club Queens Park Rangers as a midfielder, having previously played for MTK Hungária, FC Porto, Academica de Coimbra and Plymouth Argyle. He has been capped by Hungary at international level....
and Rowan Vine
Rowan Vine
Rowan Lewis Vine is an English footballer who plays for Queens Park Rangers as a striker.-Career:Born in Basingstoke, Vine began his career at Portsmouth, making his way through the club's youth scheme. He made his first-team debut in a goalless draw with Sheffield United in December 2000 at the...
. The investment potential of the club's new backers resulted in a number of speculative storylines in the football press throughout the season including rumoured signings of former World Player of the Year winners
FIFA World Player of the Year
The FIFA World Player of the Year was an association football award given annually to the male and female player who were thought to be the best in the world, based on votes by coaches and captains of international teams...
Luis Figo
Luís Figo
Luís Filipe Madeira Caeiro Figo, OIH, is a Portuguese former international footballer. He played as a midfielder for Sporting CP, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Internazionale, during a career which spanned over a period of 20 years. He retired from football on 31 May 2009...
and Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Yazid Zidane is a retired French footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. Zidane was a leading figure of a generation of French players that won the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship...
(the latter as a possible manager).
New recruits
Rangers signed several players during the January transfer windowTransfer window
The transfer window is the period during the year in which a football club can transfer players from other countries into their playing staff. Such a transfer is completed by registering the player into the new club through FIFA...
: Ákos Buzsáky
Ákos Buzsáky
Ákos Buzsáky is a Hungarian footballer who plays for Premier League club Queens Park Rangers as a midfielder, having previously played for MTK Hungária, FC Porto, Academica de Coimbra and Plymouth Argyle. He has been capped by Hungary at international level....
who had previously been on loan from Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
, Hogan Ephraim
Hogan Ephraim
Hogan Phillip Ephraim is an English football player. He plays for Charlton Athletic on loan from Queens Park Rangers. He is a graduate of the West Ham United Academy and an England Under-19 international. His primary position is as a winger but he can also play as a forward.-Background:Ephraim was...
from West Ham
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
, Kieran Lee
Kieran Lee
Kieran Christopher Lee is an English footballer. He currently plays in central midfield or at full back for Oldham Athletic, having signed on a free transfer from Manchester United in May 2008...
on loan from Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
, Gavin Mahon
Gavin Mahon
Gavin Andrew Mahon is an English footballer who is currently under contract at League One club Notts County.-Career:...
on loan from Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
, Matthew Connolly
Matthew Connolly
Matthew Thomas Martin Connolly is an English footballer who plays for Queens Park Rangers as a defender. He joined the club from Arsenal on 2 January 2008.-Career:...
from Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, Patrick Agyemang
Patrick Agyemang
Patrick Agyemang is a footballer who plays for Queens Park Rangers as a striker. He has been capped 4 times by the Ghana national team, scoring one goal....
from Preston
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
and Fitz Hall
Fitz Hall
Fitz Benjamin Hall is an English footballer who plays for Queens Park Rangers. He is a central defender who can also play as a central midfielder. His nickname is "One Size" Fitz Hall, a pun on the phrase "one size fits all"...
from Wigan
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
. Early in January QPR also managed to secure striker Rowan Vine
Rowan Vine
Rowan Lewis Vine is an English footballer who plays for Queens Park Rangers as a striker.-Career:Born in Basingstoke, Vine began his career at Portsmouth, making his way through the club's youth scheme. He made his first-team debut in a goalless draw with Sheffield United in December 2000 at the...
in a permanent move following his brief loan spell which had ended in December.
January onwards
Around 6,000 Rangers fans made the short trip to Stamford BridgeStamford Bridge (stadium)
Stamford Bridge is a football stadium in Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, West London, and is the home of Chelsea Football Club. The stadium is located within the Moore Park Estate also known as Walham Green and is often referred to as simply The Bridge...
on the first weekend in January to see QPR put up a determined effort against their Premier League neighbours Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
in the FA Cup third round. Ultimately the R's lost 1–0 to an unfortunate deflected own goal from Lee Camp. The Cup defeat was followed by defeat away to Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
. The month ended for Rangers with a 2-0 home win over Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
followed by a defeat at Cardiff
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
. As the January transfer window closed, QPR secured American goalkeeper Matt Pickens
Matt Pickens
Matt Pickens is an American soccer player who currently plays for Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer.-Youth and Amateur:...
and Northern Irish defender Damien Delaney
Damien Delaney
Damien Delaney is an Irish footballer who plays as a defender for Ipswich Town and the Republic of Ireland national football team.Delaney began his career at Cork City...
and parted ways with a number of players including Marcus Bignot
Marcus Bignot
Marcus Bignot is an ex-English professional footballer, currently manager of Solihull Moors.-Playing career:...
, Danny Cullip, Nick Ward, Dominic Shimmin
Dominic Shimmin
Dominic Libreville Shimmin is an English footballer, who is currently playing for Dover Athletic in the Blue Square Bet South.In his career he has also played for Arsenal, Queens Park Rangers, Bournemouth and Crawley Town...
, Sampsa Timoska
Sampsa Timoska
Sampsa Timoska is a Finnish footballer who plays in defence. He currently plays for Ekenäs IF.His professional career began in Finland in 1996 at Tampere...
, Shabazz Baidoo
Shabazz Baidoo
Shabazz Kwame K. Baidoo is an English professional footballer of Ghanaian and Montserratian descent, who plays for Croydon Athletic.-Football career:As a youngster, Baidoo was on Arsenal's books...
, Kieron St Aimie, Stefan Moore
Stefan Moore
Stefan Leroy Moore is an English footballer, currently playing with St Neots Town of the United Counties Football League....
and Pat Kanyuka. Adam Bolder
Adam Bolder
Adam Peter Bolder is an English footballer who has plays in the central midfield position. He currently plays for Burton Albion...
, Daniel Nardiello
Daniel Nardiello
Daniel Antony Nardiello is an English-born Welsh footballer. A forward who currently plays for Exeter City, he is the son of former Wales international Donato Nardiello and cousin of Reis Ashraf and Michael Nardiello....
and Simon Walton
Simon Walton
Simon William Walton is an English professional footballer who plays for Plymouth Argyle.-Leeds United:Walton started his career at hometown club Leeds United. He came to attention after being sent off in a pre-season friendly against Valencia in 2004, whilst still just sixteen...
were also put out on loan.
February
The club started February well defeating third-placed Bristol CityBristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
3-0 at Loftus Road followed by a 3-2 away win at Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
. Showing some signs of a recovery from the start to the season, the Southampton victory left QPR 6 points off the playoffs and 8 points above the relegation zone. At the same time, Flavio Briatore
Flavio Briatore
Flavio Briatore is an Italian businessman. During the 1980s, he was convicted for multiple counts of fraud, receiving two prison sentences, only one of which he served. As a fugitive from Italy, he set up restaurants and then a number of successful Benneton franchises in the Virgin Islands and the...
took over from Alejandro Agag as the chairman of QPR's holding company. Briatore's arrival also signalled the demise of the club mascot, 'Jude the stadium cat'. According to newspaper reports, the black cat was incompatible with Briatore's superstitions and the matchday programme on 2 February subsequently announced Jude the Cat had "gone on holiday". On 12 February the club's erratic form then saw them fall to a 6th home defeat of the season, losing to Burnley 2-4 after at one stage leading 2-0.
Taking advantage of their next league fixture opponents Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
playing Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
in the FA Cup on 16 February, QPR organised a mid-season training camp to the Vale de Lobo resort in the Algarve region of Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. Gareth Ainsworth
Gareth Ainsworth
Gareth Ainsworth is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder for League One side Wycombe Wanderers, he is also the club captain....
was appointed club captain in place of Adam Bolder following his loan move to Sheffield Wednesday. Rangers closed out February with draws against Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
(1–1) at home and away in the rearranged fixture with Barnsley (0–0).
March
A televised fixture at home to StokeStoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
on 2 March saw QPR convincingly defeat the second-placed side 3–0, continuing the club's successful form against the top sides in the division. In contrast, Rangers' following game against relegation-zone Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
ended in a hard-fought 0–0 draw with Coventry dominating much of the play, acknowledged by the praise directed at Lee Camp for his goalkeeping performance. Similarly their next game against a struggling Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough
Hillsborough Stadium
Hillsborough Stadium is the home of Sheffield Wednesday football club, Sheffield, England. Football has been played at the ground since it was opened on 2 September 1899, when Wednesday moved from their original ground at Olive Grove. Today it is a 39,812 capacity all-seater stadium, making it the...
saw them lose 2–1, before returning to winning ways at home to Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
(3–2); a result which left them 12th in the league, 8 points outside the play-offs and 7 points above the relegation zone.
Reflecting the increasingly high profile of the club, the mid-week Blackpool match was watched from the Directors' Box by Asantehene King Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II
Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II
King Otumfuo Osei Tutu, is the 16th Asantehene, King of the Ashanti. He ascended the Golden Stool on 26 April 1999. By name, he is in direct succession to the founder of the Empire of Ashanti, Otumfuo Osei Tutu I.-Family:...
as well as Real Madrid's
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
president, Ramón Calderón
Ramón Calderón
José Ramón Calderón Ramos is a lawyer and an ex-President of Spanish sports club Real Madrid.-Life and career:...
accompanying the club's three owners Mittal
Lakshmi Mittal
Lakshmi Narayan Mittal is an Indian steel magnate. He is the chairman and chief executive officer of ArcelorMittal, the world’s largest steelmaking company....
, Ecclestone
Bernie Ecclestone
Bernard Charles "Bernie" Ecclestone is an English business magnate, as president and CEO of Formula One Management and Formula One Administration and through his part-ownership of Alpha Prema, the parent company of the Formula One Group of companies. As such, he is generally considered the primary...
and Briatore
Flavio Briatore
Flavio Briatore is an Italian businessman. During the 1980s, he was convicted for multiple counts of fraud, receiving two prison sentences, only one of which he served. As a fugitive from Italy, he set up restaurants and then a number of successful Benneton franchises in the Virgin Islands and the...
. Continuing their solid home form in which Rangers had lost just once in their previous ten games at Loftus Road and scored 22 goals, the club ran out 3–1 winners against a Scunthorpe
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
side battling relegation. With only seven fixtures remaining, the victory meant QPR remained 12th in the Championship, 7 points from the play-off positions and 8 points clear of relegation. Continuing speculation around the level of new investment in the club fuelled rumours of the possible signing of Luis Figo
Luís Figo
Luís Filipe Madeira Caeiro Figo, OIH, is a Portuguese former international footballer. He played as a midfielder for Sporting CP, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Internazionale, during a career which spanned over a period of 20 years. He retired from football on 31 May 2009...
, although they were promptly dismissed by the player's representatives.
Rangers travelled to play-off hopefuls Wolves
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
on the Easter weekend (22 March) and squandered the lead three times, twice in injury time periods at the end of each half and ultimately conspiring in a 3–3 final score. On 25 March the board announced a five–year kit sponsorship deal with Lotto Sport Italia
Lotto Sport Italia
Lotto Sport Italia is an Italian sports apparel manufacturer. Its products are now distributed in more than 60 countries.-History:Lotto was established in 1973 by the Caberlotto family in Montebelluna, northern Italy, the world centre of footwear manufacturing. In June 1973, Lotto made its debut...
, which could be worth up to £20 million should QPR win promotion to the Premier League. The contract comes into effect for the 2008-09 season and is the most financially rewarding in the club's history. On 29 March Rangers frustrated Ipswich's
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
play-off ambitions by holding them to a goal—less draw at Portman Road
Portman Road
Portman Road is an association football stadium in Ipswich, Suffolk, England. It has been the home ground of Ipswich Town F.C. since 1884. The stadium has also hosted a number of England youth international matches, and one senior England friendly international match, against Croatia in 2003...
– principally as a result of Lee Camp's goalkeeping heroics. Following the match approximately 15 QPR supporters caused an affray
Affray
In many legal jurisdictions related to English common law, affray is a public order offence consisting of the fighting of two or more persons in a public place to the terror of ordinary people...
at Manningtree station
Manningtree railway station
Manningtree is a railway station which serves the town of Manningtree in Essex, England. Services are provided by National Express East Anglia. The station is on the Great Eastern Main Line between London and Norwich and is the only station on the main line between Colchester and Ipswich....
prompting three arrests.
April
On 1 April QPR fan website Vital QPR declared an exclusive that MicrosoftMicrosoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
founder Bill Gates
Bill Gates
William Henry "Bill" Gates III is an American business magnate, investor, philanthropist, and author. Gates is the former CEO and current chairman of Microsoft, the software company he founded with Paul Allen...
was to invest in the club, which, despite being an apparent April Fools' Day
April Fools' Day
April Fools' Day is celebrated in different countries around the world on April 1 every year. Sometimes referred to as All Fools' Day, April 1 is not a national holiday, but is widely recognized and celebrated as a day when many people play all kinds of jokes and foolishness...
joke, was repeated on general news and QPR fan sites. Striker Rowan Vine
Rowan Vine
Rowan Lewis Vine is an English footballer who plays for Queens Park Rangers as a striker.-Career:Born in Basingstoke, Vine began his career at Portsmouth, making his way through the club's youth scheme. He made his first-team debut in a goalless draw with Sheffield United in December 2000 at the...
fractured his leg in a training incident on 3 April 2008 and was ruled out for the rest of the season. Two days later on 5 April, Rangers narrowly avoided a 2–0 home defeat to an in-form Preston side by dramatically scoring twice in injury time at the end of the second half.
After a Friday which saw Briatore promote his vision of QPR as a global super brand, and with both relegation and promotion now an irrelevance QPR travelled to Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
on 12 April to face a team who had netted five and kept two clean-sheets in their previous two games. A contentious first-half goal by Rangers was cancelled-out late in the game by Hull's Michael Turner
Michael Turner (footballer)
Michael Thomas Turner is an English footballer who plays for Sunderland.-Charlton Athletic:Born in Lewisham, London, Turner started his career at Charlton Athletic. As part of a link-up Charlton had with Internazionale, he spent several months of his apprenticeship with the Italian club's under-19...
. The 1–1 result left QPR 14th in the Championship and ten points adrift of the play-offs
Football League Play-Offs
The Football League play-offs are an annual series of football matches to determine some of the promotion places within the Football League. Essentially, each division of the league offers a certain number of automatic promotion places to the top two or three clubs. A further promotion place is...
with just 3 games (9 points) remaining.
Rangers nevertheless continued to contribute to the fate of the Championship's promotion hopefuls, despite being unable to affect their own playoff chances, consigning fellow-Londoners Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
to a further season in the second tier after beating them 1–0 at Loftus Road courtesy of Dexter Blackstock
Dexter Blackstock
Dexter Anthony Titus Blackstock is an English footballer who currently plays for Nottingham Forest in the Football League Championship. He plays as a centre-forward.-Southampton:...
. A heavy defeat to Norwich
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
at Carrow Road
Carrow Road
Carrow Road is a football stadium in Norwich, England, and is the home of Norwich City Football Club. The stadium is located toward the easterly end of the city, not far from Norwich railway station and the River Wensum....
(0–3), where Damion Stewart was sent off after just 4 minutes, drew April to a disappointing close.
End of the season
QPR's final game of the season on May 4 was at home against Championship title hopefuls West BromWest Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
, the team who's comprehensive defeat of Rangers in September signalled the end of John Gregory's reign. Prior to the game QPR unveiled a new badge which was introduced to signify a new era for the club, although newspapers had earlier erroneously speculated that the announcement would reveal Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Yazid Zidane is a retired French footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. Zidane was a leading figure of a generation of French players that won the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship...
as the new manager. Following a red card
Penalty card
A penalty card is used in many sports as a means of warning, reprimanding or penalising a player, coach or team official. Penalty cards are most commonly used by referees or umpires to indicate that a player has committed an offense. The referee will hold the card above his or her head while...
for Martin Rowlands, Rangers fell to a 2–0 defeat and suffered the indignity of seeing the Championship title trophy presented to West Brom at Loftus Road. The result meant QPR finished 14th in the Championship table with 58 points, 12 points below the play-off zone and 6 points from relegation.
Following the game Martin Rowlands
Martin Rowlands
Martin Charles Rowlands is an English - born - Irish footballer who plays for Wycombe Wanderers F.C on loan from Queens Park Rangers F.C...
was named both the club's Ray Jones Players' Player of the Year and the Supporters' Player of the Year. Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
loan player and England U21 international
England national under-21 football team
England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
defender Michael Mancienne
Michael Mancienne
Michael Ian Mancienne is an English footballer who plays for German Bundesliga club Hamburger SV as a defender.Schooled primarily as a centre back, Mancienne can also play as a defensive midfielder as well as both fullback positions as he showed during appearances for Chelsea, and multiple loan...
was awarded the Supporters' Young Player of the Year award. Akos Buzsaky
Ákos Buzsáky
Ákos Buzsáky is a Hungarian footballer who plays for Premier League club Queens Park Rangers as a midfielder, having previously played for MTK Hungária, FC Porto, Academica de Coimbra and Plymouth Argyle. He has been capped by Hungary at international level....
won the Kiyan Prince
Kiyan Prince
Kiyan Prince was a 15 year old British boy who attended the London Academy in Edgware, in the London borough of Barnet. He was fatally stabbed on 18 May 2006, receiving a single lethal knife wound, while intervening to prevent the bullying of another boy...
Goal of the Season award for his goal against Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
at Loftus Road
Loftus Road
Loftus Road is a football stadium in Shepherd's Bush, London. It is home to the English football team Queens Park Rangers of the Premier League and has a capacity of around 18,500. The four stands are called the Loftus Road End , Ellerslie Road Stand, South Africa Road Stand and the School End,...
on 11 March. Zesh Rehman was also awarded for his Community Commitment.
On May 8, QPR announced that Luigi De Canio
Luigi De Canio
Luigi "Gigi" De Canio is an Italian football manager and former player.-Player:De Canio, a full back, played mostly with Serie C1 and Serie C2 teams, his lone season in Serie B being 1979–80 with Matera, marking his debut in the division on September 16, 1979 against Genoa...
had left the club "by mutual consent" and that a further announcement regarding a new manager for the following season
Queens Park Rangers F.C. season 2008-09
During the 2008–09 season, Queens Park Rangers played in the Football League Championship, their fifth consecutive season at this level.-New managerial team:...
would be made in due course.
Squad at end of season
Out on loan
League table
Football League Championship
| Date | KO | vs | Opponent | Result | Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 August | 15:00 | A | Bristol City | 2-2 | Blackstock; Stewart | 18,228 |
| 18 August | 15:00 | H | Cardiff City | 0-2 | 12,596 | |
| 1 September | 15:00 | H | Southampton | 0-3 | 15,560 | |
| 15 September | 15:00 | A | Leicester City | 1-1 | Leigertwood | 21,893 |
| 18 September | 20:00 | H | Plymouth | 0-2 | 10,850 | |
| 22 September | 15:00 | H | Watford | 1-1 | Moore | 14,240 |
| 30 September | 13:15 | A | WBA | 1-5 | Ainsworth | 24,757 |
| 2 October | 19:45 | A | Colchester | 2-4 | Ephraim; Vine | 5,361 |
| 8 October | 19:45 | H | Norwich City | 1-0 | Rowlands(pen) | 10,514 |
| 20 October | 15:00 | H | Ipswich Town | 1-1 | Nygaard | 13,946 |
| 23 October | 19:45 | A | Preston | 0-0 | 11,407 | |
| 27 October | 12:45 | A | Charlton | 1-0 | Bolder | 23,671 |
| 3 November | 15:00 | H | Hull City | 2-0 | Ephraim; Leigertwood | 12,375 |
| 6 November | 20:00 | H | Coventry City | 1-2 | Buzsaky | 11,922 |
| 10 November | 15:00 | A | Crystal Palace | 1-1 | Sinclair | 17,010 |
| 24 November | 15:00 | H | Sheffield Wed | 0-0 | 15,241 | |
| 27 November | 19:45 | A | Stoke City | 1-3 | Vine | 11,147 |
| 1 December | 15:00 | A | Blackpool | 0-1 | 8,527 | |
| 4 December | 20:00 | H | Crystal Palace | 1-2 | Stewart | 13,300 |
| 8 December | 15:00 | A | Scunthorpe | 2-2 | Buzsaky; Buzsaky | 5,612 |
| 11 December | 19:45 | A | Burnley | 2-0 | Stewart; Vine | 13,410 |
| 15 December | 15:00 | H | Wolves | 0-0 | 13,482 | |
| 22 December | 15:00 | H | Colchester | 2-1 | Buzsaky; Buzsaky | 12,464 |
| 26 December | 15:00 | A | Plymouth | 1-2 | Ainsworth | 16,502 |
| 29 December | 15:00 | A | Watford | 4-2 | Rowlands (Pen); Stewart; Rowlands; Buzsaky | 18,698 |
| 1 January | 15:00 | H | Leicester | 3-1 | Stewart; Bolder; Blackstock | 13,326 |
| 12 January | 15:00 | A | Sheff Utd | 1-2 | Agyemang | 28,894 |
| 19 January | 15:00 | H | Barnsley | 2-0 | Agyemang; Vine | 16,197 |
| 29 January | 19:45 | A | Cardiff | 1-3 | Agyemang | 13,602 |
| 2 February | 15:00 | H | Bristol City | 3-0 | Agyemang; Agyemang; Buzsaky | 16,502 |
| 9 February | 15:00 | A | Southampton | 3-2 | Rowlands; Agyemang; Agyemang | 22,505 |
| 12 February | 20:00 | H | Burnley | 2-4 | Mahon; Agyemang | 13,410 |
| 12 February | 15:00 | H | Sheff Utd | 1-1 | Balanta | 15,383 |
| 26 February | 19:45 | A | Barnsley | 0-0 | 9,019 | |
| 2 March | 13:15 | H | Stoke | 3-0 | Leigertwood; Leigertwood; Buzsaky | 13,428 |
| 5 March | 19:45 | A | Coventry | 0-0 | 15,225 | |
| 8 March | 15:00 | A | Sheff Wed | 1-2 | Delaney | 18,555 |
| 11 March | 20:00 | H | Blackpool | 3-2 | Buzsaky; Vine; Rowlands | 11,538 |
| 15 March | 15:00 | H | Scunthorpe | 3-1 | Rowlands (pen); Agyemang; Vine | 14,499 |
| 22 March | 15:00 | A | Wloves | 3-3 | Buzsaky; Blackstock (Pen); Leigertwood | 24,290 |
| 29 March | 15:00 | A | Ipswich | 0-0 | 24,517 | |
| 5 April | 15:00 | H | Preston | 2-2 | Ainsworth; Blackstock | 14,966 |
| 12 April | 15:00 | A | Hull | 1-1 | Blackstock | 22,468 |
| 19 April | 15:00 | H | Charlton | 1-0 | Blackstock | 17,035 |
| 26 April | 15:00 | A | Norwich | 0-3 | 25,497 | |
| 4 May | 14:00 | H | WBA | 0-2 | 18,309 |
FA Cup
| Third Round Proper | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tie no | Home team | Score1 | Away team | Attendance |
| 29 | Chelsea Chelsea F.C. Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four... |
1 – 0 | Queens Park Rangers Queens Park Rangers F.C. Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years... |
41,289 |
1 Score after 90 minutes
Carling Cup
| First Round (South) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tie no | Home team | Score1 | Away team | Attendance |
| 14 | Queens Park Rangers Queens Park Rangers F.C. Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years... |
1 – 2 | Leyton Orient Leyton Orient F.C. Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63... |
5,260 |
1 Score after 90 minutes