Queens Park Rangers F.C. facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Queens Park Rangers

Full name	Queens Park Rangers Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Hoops, The Rs, The Rangers, The Super Hoops
Short name	QPR
Founded	1882; 143 years ago (1882), as Christchurch Rangers
Ground	MATRADE Loftus Road Stadium
Ground Capacity	18,439
Owner	Ruben Gnanalingam Richard Reilly Lakshmi Mittal
Chairman	Lee Hoos
Head coach	Martí Cifuentes
League	Championship
2018–19	Championship, 19th of 24
Home colours Away colours

Queens Park Rangers Football Club, often called QPR, is a professional association football team. It is based in Shepherd's Bush, West London, England. The team plays in the EFL Championship, which is the second-highest football league in England.

The club started as Christchurch Rangers in 1882. Four years later, it joined with St Judes Institute and became Queens Park Rangers. The name comes from the Queen's Park and Kensal areas nearby.

QPR won the West London League in 1898–99. They then joined the Southern and Western leagues, winning titles in both. During this time, they played in the FA Charity Shield final twice, in 1908 and 1912.

In 1920, QPR joined the Football League. They played in the Third Division South until they won promotion in 1947–48. The club was relegated in 1952. However, under manager Alec Stock, they rebuilt and won the Third Division title. They also won their only major trophy, the League Cup, in the 1966–67 season.

QPR moved up from the Second Division in 1967–68. They were relegated after just one season in the top league. They earned promotion again in 1972–73. In 1975–76, they almost won the English league title, finishing just one point behind Liverpool.

After being relegated in 1979, QPR reached the FA Cup final in 1982. They were a second-tier club at the time and lost to Tottenham Hotspur after a replay.

QPR won another Second Division title in 1982–83. They were also finalists in the 1986 League Cup. They stayed in the top league for thirteen years. They were even founding members of the Premier League in 1992. They were relegated in 1996 and again in 2001. However, they earned promotion from the third tier in 2003–04.

In 2010–11, QPR won the Championship and were promoted to the Premier League. They were relegated after two seasons. They quickly returned to the Premier League through the play-offs in 2014. But they were relegated again the next season and have been in the Championship ever since.

QPR played at many different places when they first started. Since 1917, they have mostly played their home games at Loftus Road. They had two short periods playing at the White City Stadium. QPR has rivalries with other clubs, especially the West London derby.

Club History: From the 1880s to the 1970s

The club was formed in 1886. This happened when St Jude's (started in 1884) joined with Christchurch Rangers (started in 1882). The new team was called Queen's Park Rangers. The club's official start date is considered 1882, the year Christchurch Rangers began. Most players came from the Queen's Park area of west London.

QPR became a professional team in 1889. They joined the Southern Football League in 1899. In 1899–1900, they became well-known after beating Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–0 in the FA Cup. People were surprised by this "hitherto unknown" team.

Chart showing QPR's league finishes from 1920 to the present

They first won the Southern Football League in 1907–08. As champions, they played in the first-ever Charity Shield match. They played against the Football League champions, Manchester United. QPR lost 4–0 in a replay after the first game ended 1–1. Both games were at Stamford Bridge. QPR won the Southern League again in 1911-12.

The club joined the Football League in 1920. This was when the Third Division was created. QPR played their home games at almost 20 different stadiums. This is a league record! They settled permanently at Loftus Road in 1917. However, they tried to get bigger crowds by playing at the White City Stadium for two short times: from 1931 to 1933, and in the 1962–63 season.

QPR won the Division 3 South championship in the 1947–48 season. Dave Mangnall was the manager. The club played four seasons in the Second Division before being relegated in 1951–52. Tony Ingham joined the team and played the most league games for QPR (519).

Alec Stock, one of the club's best managers, arrived in 1959. In the 1960–61 season, QPR had their biggest win ever: 9–2 against Tranmere Rovers. Stock, along with chairman Jim Gregory, helped change the club for the better.

In 1966–67, QPR won the Division Three championship. They also became the first Third Division club to win the League Cup. On 4 March 1967, they beat West Bromwich Albion 3–2, after being two goals down. This is still the only major trophy QPR has won. It was also the first League Cup final at Wembley Stadium.

After getting promoted to the top league in 1968 for the first time, Rangers were relegated after just one season. They spent the next four years in Division Two. New QPR stars appeared, like Phil Parkes, Don Givens, Dave Thomas, and Stan Bowles. These players joined home-grown talents like Dave Clement and Gerry Francis.

In 1974, Dave Sexton became manager. In 1975–76, he led QPR to second place in the First Division. They missed winning the championship by just one point. The team had seven England international players. The late 1970s also saw some cup success. Rangers reached the semi-finals of the League Cup. In their first European competition, they reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup. They lost to AEK Athens on penalties. After Sexton left in 1977, the club moved down to the Second Division in 1979.

Club History: The 1980s and 1990s

In 1980, Terry Venables became manager. In 1981, the club installed an artificial turf pitch. In 1982, QPR, still in the Second Division, reached the FA Cup final. This was the only time in the club's history. They played against Tottenham Hotspur and lost 1–0 in a replay.

The next season, QPR won the Second Division championship. They returned to England's top football league. After finishing a good fifth place and qualifying for the UEFA Cup, Venables left to manage Barcelona.

In 1988, Richard Thompson, aged 24, became the new chairman. For the next seven years, many managers came and went. The club usually finished in the middle of the table and avoided relegation. The best season during this time was 1987–88. QPR finished fifth but could not play in the UEFA Cup due to a ban on English clubs. They were also runners-up in the 1986 League Cup, losing to Oxford United.

QPR crest used from 1982 until 2008

Gerry Francis, a key player from the 1970s QPR team, became manager in 1991. In the 1991–92 season, they finished in the middle of the First Division. They were founding members of the new Premier League. In the 1992–93 first season, they finished fifth, as the top London club. Francis led QPR to one of their most famous wins: 4–1 at Old Trafford on New Year's Day 1992.

In the middle of the 1994–95 season, Francis resigned and became manager of Tottenham Hotspur. Ray Wilkins took over as player-manager. Wilkins led QPR to an eighth-place finish in the Premiership. In July 1995, the club's top goalscorer, Les Ferdinand, was sold for a record £6 million to Newcastle United.

QPR struggled in the next season and were relegated at the end of the 1995–96 season. QPR then played in Division 1 until 2001 with different managers. Gerry Francis returned in 1998. However, the 2000–2001 season was very bad, and Francis resigned in early 2001.

Club History: The 2000s to Today

Former player Ian Holloway became manager. But he could not stop Rangers from being relegated to England's third tier. This was the first time in over 30 years. After the 2003–04 season, QPR returned to Division 1. They struggled for a while before Holloway was suspended. His replacements, Gary Waddock and John Gregory, also struggled.

During this time, QPR faced financial problems. The club went into administration in 2001. They received a large emergency loan, which caused more financial burden.

In August 2007, wealthy Formula One businessmen Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone bought the club. This helped QPR with their money problems. In the 2007–08 season, Rangers played in the Football League Championship. John Gregory was replaced by Luigi De Canio as manager. More money was invested in early 2008. The club aimed to get promoted to the Premier League within four years. On 14 May 2008, Iain Dowie became manager. But he was sacked after only 15 games.

Crest used from 2008 until 2016

On 19 November 2008, QPR named former Portugal player Paulo Sousa as their new coach. However, his contract ended in April 2009. Player/coach Gareth Ainsworth became caretaker manager. In June 2009, Jim Magilton was named manager. He left the club in December 2009. Paul Hart and Mick Harford replaced him. Hart also left after less than a month.

On 30 April 2011, QPR won the Championship. This secured their promotion to the Premier League. An investigation about a player signing caused some worry. But on 7 May 2011, QPR was fined but not deducted points. Their promotion was safe.

In January 2012, chairman Tony Fernandes appointed Mark Hughes as manager. Hughes and QPR avoided relegation on the last day of the season. On 23 November 2012, Mark Hughes was sacked after a bad start to the 2012–13 season. The club was at the bottom of the Premier League. Harry Redknapp became the new manager. On 28 April 2013, QPR was relegated from the Premier League after two seasons.

During the 2013–14 season, QPR finished fourth in the Championship. They qualified for the play-offs. In the final against Derby County, QPR won 1–0. Bobby Zamora scored in the 90th minute. This sent them back to the Premier League.

After promotion, QPR had a tough 2014–15 season. Harry Redknapp resigned in February and Chris Ramsey replaced him. The club finished last and was relegated back to the Championship. Ramsey was sacked in November 2015. Neil Warnock returned as interim manager. On 4 December 2015, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was appointed manager. He was sacked in November 2016. Six days later, Ian Holloway returned. Holloway left the club at the end of the 2017–18 season.

On 17 May 2018, Steve McClaren became manager. The team started well but results got worse. McClaren was sacked in April 2019. On 8 May 2019, Mark Warburton took over. He challenged for promotion but did not make the play-offs. His contract was not renewed after the 2021–22 season.

Before the 2022–23 season, Michael Beale was appointed manager. He left in November 2022 to join Rangers. On 11 December 2022, Neil Critchley became QPR manager. However, he was sacked after only 46 days due to poor results. He had the lowest win percentage of any manager in QPR's history. Former player Gareth Ainsworth replaced him. After a poor start to the 2023–24 season, Gareth Ainsworth was also sacked. He was replaced by Martí Cifuentes.

Team Kits

A Queens Park Rangers FC home shirt for the 2012–13 season

Home Grounds

Queens Park Rangers has played at many different stadiums. Before 1886, the exact grounds are not known. They were likely in the Queens Park area. Since joining the Football League in 1920, they have mainly played at two grounds: Loftus Road and White City Stadium.

Loftus Road has been QPR's stadium for most of their history

• Welford Fields (1886–1888)
• London Scottish Ground (1888–1889)
• Home Farm (1888–1889)
• Kensal Green (1888–1889)
• Gun Club (1888–1889)
• Wormwood Scrubs (1888–1889)
• Kilburn Cricket Ground (1888–1889)
• Barn Elms (1891)
• Kensal Rise Athletic Ground (1899–1901)
• Latimer Road (1901–1902)
• Kensal Rise Athletic Ground (1902–1904)
• Royal Agricultural Society showgrounds (1904–1907)
• Park Royal Ground (1907–1917)
• Loftus Road (1917–1931)
• White City Stadium (1931–1933)
• Loftus Road (1933–1962)
• White City Stadium (1962–1963)
• Loftus Road (1963 –present)

There were plans to build a new stadium. But these plans changed. The club is now looking to build a stadium at the Linford Christie Stadium site. This new stadium would have 30,000 seats. The club believes this would help the local area a lot.

QPR has also been working to build a training ground at Warren Farm. In November 2018, judges allowed the plans to go ahead. However, the club later decided not to build there. Instead, they planned to make it a community sports center. On 6 July, the club got land at Heston Sports Ground. They plan to build a training ground there.

On 31 March 2021, the club got permission to build a modern training ground at Heston. Construction started on 1 October 2021. The club hopes to move into the new £20 million facility by the 2022–23 season.

In June 2019, the club named its stadium after The Kiyan Prince Foundation. This is a local charity started by the father of Kiyan Prince. Kiyan was a former QPR youth player. On 25 May 2022, the stadium name went back to Loftus Road.

Supporters and Club Rivalries

QPR has a loyal group of fans. They come from west London and nearby areas. The club has fan clubs all over the world. These include groups in Ireland, the US, Australia, Norway, and Sierra Leone. The club's oldest fanzine (a fan magazine) is A Kick Up The R's. It has been published every month since August 1987.

QPR has long-standing rivalries with other clubs in West London. The most important rivalry is the West London derby against Chelsea. Other rivalries include matches against Brentford, Cardiff City, Millwall, Fulham, Reading, and Luton.

The most vocal QPR fans at home games are in the Q, P, and R Blocks. These fans often stand and start the chants. Other fans in the Loft and Stanley Bowles Stands then join in.

Rangers fans standing in the Loft End before a game against Luton Town in 2022

Songs and Chants

When the club won the League Cup in 1967, they released a song called "QPR – The Greatest." It was about their famous win.

When the team comes onto the field at Loftus Road, and when they score, the song Papa's Got a Brand New Pigbag by Pigbag is played. Fans shout "HOOPS" after the trumpet part.

At matches, Rangers fans sing chants like "Come On You Rs," "We are the pride of West London, The Blue & The White," "Captain Jack," and "We Are the Rangers Boys."

Famous Fans

Many famous people support QPR. These include:

• Comedian Bill Bailey
• Musicians Pete Doherty, Ian Gillan (Deep Purple), Robert Smith (The Cure), Mick Jones (The Clash), and Glen Matlock (The Sex Pistols)
• Politicians Michael Gove and Alan Johnson
• Actor Martin Clunes
• Documentary maker Louis Theroux
• Former England cricketer Alex Tudor

Club Records and Statistics

QPR signed Christopher Samba for a club record £12.5 million from Anzhi Makhachkala in January 2013, then sold him back for a club record £12 million in July

• Highest attendance: 35,353 vs Leeds United, 27 April 1974, Division 1
• Highest all-seated attendance: 19,002 vs Manchester City, 6 November 1999, Division 1
• Biggest league win: 9–2 vs Tranmere Rovers, 3 December 1960, Division 3
• Biggest league loss: 1–8 vs Manchester United 19 March 1969, Division 1
• Biggest home defeat: 0–6 vs Newcastle United, 13 September 2016
• Most capped player: Alan McDonald, 52, Northern Ireland
• Most league appearances: Tony Ingham, 519, 1950–63
• Oldest player: Ray Wilkins, 39 years and 352 days, 1 September 1996, Division 1
• Youngest player: Frank Sibley, 15 years and 275 days
• Most league goals in a season: George Goddard, 37, Division 3 South, 1929–30.
• Most goals in a season: Rodney Marsh, 44 (30 League, 3 FA Cup, 11 League Cup) 1966–67
• Most league goals in total: George Goddard, 174, 1926–34.
• Most goals in total: George Goddard, 186, 1926–34
• Record transfer fee received: £19.5 million from Crystal Palace for Ebere Eze, August 2020
• Record transfer fee paid: £12.5 million to Anzhi Makhachkala for Christopher Samba, January 2013

QPR in European Competitions

QPR first played in a European competition in the 1976–77 UEFA Cup. They reached the quarter-finals but lost to AEK Athens on penalties. The club also played in the 1984–85 UEFA Cup. They were knocked out in the second round by Partizan Belgrade.

Players

First-Team Squad

No. Position Player 1 GK Paul Nardi 3 DF Jimmy Dunne 4 MF Jack Colback 5 DF Steve Cook (captain) 6 DF Jake Clarke-Salter 7 MF Karamoko Dembélé (on loan from Brest) 8 MF Sam Field (vice-captain) 10 MF Ilias Chair 11 FW Paul Smyth 12 FW Michael Frey 13 GK Joe Walsh 14 MF Koki Saito (on loan from Lommel) 15 DF Morgan Fox

No. Position Player 16 DF Liam Morrison 18 FW Žan Celar 19 MF Elijah Dixon-Bonner 20 DF Harrison Ashby (on loan from Newcastle United) 21 MF Kieran Morgan 22 DF Kenneth Paal 23 DF Hevertton Santos 24 MF Nicolas Madsen 25 MF Lucas Andersen 27 FW Daniel Bennie 28 FW Alfie Lloyd 40 MF Jonathan Varane 41 GK Nathan Shepperd

Players on Loan

No. Position Player — GK Murphy Cooper (at Stevenage until 30 June 2025) — DF Ziyad Larkeche (at Dundee until 30 June 2025) — MF Taylor Richards (at Cambridge United until 30 June 2025) — FW Charlie Kelman (at Leyton Orient until 30 June 2025)

Development Squads

Development Squad

No. Position Player 21 MF Kieran Morgan 26 FW Rayan Kolli 27 MF Daniel Bennie 32 GK Matteo Salamon — DF Rocco Friel — DF Jack McDowell

No. Position Player — DF Casey Shann — MF Alex Aoraha — MF Harry Murphy — MF Kieran Petrie — FW Rohan Vaughan

Under-18s Squad

No. Position Player — GK Conor Clark — GK La'Trell Jones — GK Callum Loades — DF Kemoko Keita-Turay — DF Samuel Manufor — DF Noah McCann — DF Jaiden Putman — MF Ramy Bouhiaoui — MF Jake Coomes — MF Hassan Hamid

No. Position Player — MF Kooshan Hayati — MF Luka Radojević — MF Emmerson Sutton — MF Tyler Young – MF Reyess Emir — FW Teddy Lawrence — FW Mehmet Reçber — FW Lorenzo Strachan — FW Youssef Yahyaoui

Notable Former Players

Retired Numbers

No. Position Player 31 FW Ray Jones (2006–2007) posthumous honour

QPR Supporters' Player of the Year

Year Winner Position 1992–93 Andy Impey Midfielder 1993–94 Andy Impey Midfielder 1994–95 Andy Impey Midfielder 1995–96 Not Awarded 1996–97 Not Awarded 1997–98 Karl Ready Defender 1998–99 Danny Maddix Defender 1999–00 Stuart Wardley Defender 2000–01 Peter Crouch Striker 2001–02 Terrell Forbes Defender

Year Winner Position 2002–03 Kevin Gallen Striker 2003–04 Martin Rowlands Midfielder 2004–05 Paul Furlong Striker 2005–06 Danny Shittu Defender 2006–07 Lee Cook Midfielder 2007–08 Martin Rowlands Midfielder 2008–09 Damion Stewart Defender 2009–10 Alejandro Faurlín Midfielder 2010–11 Paddy Kenny Goalkeeper 2011–12 Clint Hill Defender

Year Winner Position 2012–13 Clint Hill Defender 2013–14 Charlie Austin Striker 2014–15 Charlie Austin Striker 2015–16 Grant Hall Defender 2016–17 Alex Smithies Goalkeeper 2017–18 Massimo Luongo Midfielder 2018–19 Luke Freeman Midfielder 2019–20 Eberechi Eze Midfielder 2020–21 Rob Dickie Defender 2021–22 Chris Willock Midfielder

Year Winner Position 2022–23 Sam Field Midfielder 2023–24 Steve Cook Defender

Source: Myfootballfacts.com

Queens Park Rangers FC 'All Time XI'

Parkes

Parker

McDonald

Clement

Gillard

Francis

Bowles

Thomas

Sinclair

Ferdinand

Marsh

Queens Park Rangers F.C. all-time first XI

In 2008, Queens Park Rangers fans voted for their all-time best team.

Updated 14 May 2019.

Club Management

Current Staff

Updated 10 August 2023.

Football Staff

Position	Name	Nationality
Head coach	Martí Cifuentes	Spain
Assistant head coach	Xavi Calm	Spain
First team coach	Kevin Betsy	Seychelles
Goalkeeping coach	Andrew Sparkes	Wales
Director of performance	Ben Williams	England
Kit manager	Gary Doyle	England

Board of Directors and Senior Management

Position	Name	Nationality
Owners	Ruben Gnanalingam	Malaysia
	Lakshmi Mittal and family	India
	Richard Reilly	United States
Chairman	Amit Bhatia	India
Vice-chairman	Lee Hoos	USA
Board members	Ruben Gnanalingam	Malaysia
	Amit Bhatia	India
	Richard Reilly	United States
Chief executive	Christian Nourry	England
Finance director	Ruban Ghandi	Malaysia
Commercial director	Euan Inglis	Scotland
Head of media and communications	Paul Morrissey	England
Head of operations	Joshua Scott	England
QPR in the Community Trust CEO	Andy Evans	England
Club ambassador	Andy Sinton	England
Football secretary	Terry Springett	England
Academy director	Alex Carroll	England

Managerial History

The last ten permanent managers of QPR:

Name	Nat	From	To	Time in Charge	G	W	D	L	Win %[A]	Honours and/or notes	Ref(s)
Harry Redknapp	England	24 November 2012	3 February 2015	2 years, 71 days	&10000000000000103000000103	&1000000000000003600000036	&1000000000000002600000026	&1000000000000004100000041	&1000000000000003500000035.0	Championship Play Off winners 2013/14
Chris Ramsey	England	12 February 2015	4 November 2015	206 days	&1000000000000003000000030	&100000000000000080000008	&100000000000000060000006	&1000000000000001600000016	&1000000000000002669999926.7	–
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink	Netherlands	4 December 2015	5 November 2016	337 days	&1000000000000003800000038	&1000000000000001100000011	&1000000000000001500000015	&1000000000000001200000012	&1000000000000002889999928.9	–
Ian Holloway	England	11 November 2016	10 May 2018	1 year, 180 days	&1000000000000008000000080	&1000000000000002600000026	&1000000000000001400000014	&1000000000000004000000040	&1000000000000003250000032.5	–
Steve McClaren	England	18 May 2018	1 April 2019	318 days	&1000000000000004600000046	&1000000000000001600000016	&100000000000000090000009	&1000000000000002100000021	&1000000000000003479999934.8	–
Mark Warburton	England	8 May 2019	1 June 2022	3 years, 24 days	&10000000000000150000000150	&1000000000000005600000056	&1000000000000003500000035	&1000000000000005900000059	&1000000000000003729999937.3	–
Michael Beale	England	1 June 2022	28 November 2022	180 days	&1000000000000002200000022	&100000000000000090000009	&100000000000000050000005	&100000000000000080000008	&1000000000000004620000040.9	–
Neil Critchley	England	11 December 2022	19 February 2023	46 days	&1000000000000000700000012	&100000000000000010000001	&100000000000000000000005	&100000000000000060000006	&100000000000000143000008.33	Lowest win percentage of any permanent QPR manager.	–
Gareth Ainsworth	England	21 February 2023	29 October 2023	2 years, 134 days	&1000000000000000000000028	&100000000000000000000005	&100000000000000000000004	&1000000000000000000000019	&1000000000000000000000017.85	–	–
Martí Cifuentes	Spain	30 October 2023	Present	1 year, 248 days	&1000000000000000000000031	&1000000000000000000000011	&100000000000000000000009	&1000000000000000000000011	&1000000000000000000000035.48	–	–

Club Ownership and Finances

Chris Wright bought QPR in 1996. He later sold most of his shares in 2001. The club faced financial difficulties and went into administration that year.

In August 2007, Formula One leaders Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore bought QPR. They invested money to help the club. The family of billionaire Lakshmi Mittal also bought a share in the club in December 2007. Lakshmi Mittal's son-in-law, Amit Bhatia, joined the board of directors.

Despite the new owners, the club still had financial challenges. They aimed to improve the club slowly and increase sponsorship. In September 2009, Flavio Briatore's role as chairman was questioned. He later sold his shares to Ecclestone in December 2010.

Tony Fernandes was the chairman of Queens Park Rangers

On 18 August 2011, Malaysian businessman Tony Fernandes became the main owner. He bought Ecclestone's shares. The Mittal Family kept their shares. Amit Bhatia returned as vice-chairman. Briatore and Ecclestone were no longer involved.

On 15 August 2018, Bhatia became the chairman of the club. On 10 July 2023, Fernandes announced he was selling all his shares. He wanted to focus on his airline business.

Club Honours and Achievements

Note: The leagues and divisions of English football have changed over time. Here, they are grouped by their level in the English football league system when they were won. This helps compare achievements easily.

Source:

League Titles

• First Division (level 1)
  • Runners-up: 1975–76
• Second Division / Championship (level 2)
  • Champions: 1982–83, 2010–11
  • 2nd place promotion: 1967–68, 1972–73
  • Play-off winners: 2014
• Third Division South / Third Division / Second Division (level 3)
  • Champions: 1947–48, 1966–67
  • 2nd place promotion: 2003–04
• Southern League
  • Champions: 1907–08, 1911–12
• Western League
  • Champions: 1905–06

Cup Titles

• FA Cup
  • Runners-up: 1981–82
• League Cup
  • Winners: 1966–67
  • Runners-up: 1985–86
• FA Charity Shield
  • Runners-up: 1908, 1912

Other Trophies

• Division Three South (North Region): 1945–46
• Wartime League South B: 1939–40
• West London Challenge Cup runners-up: 1890–91
• West London Observer Cup: 1891–92, 1892–93
• London Cup: 1895
• Southern Charity Cup: 1913
• Copa De Ibiza: 2005
• Trofeo Bortolotti: 2011
• Dryworld Cup: 2016

See also

In Spanish: Queens Park Rangers Football Club para niños

• Football in London