T ony Fernandes is discussing whether the pandemic will force football clubs to alter their habits and, in reaching his conclusion, finds a parallel with the sphere in which he made his fortune. Then things get better and they go back to being exactly the same as they were.
Football will go that way too. During the early years of his decade-long stewardship, QPR were poster boys for the ills of chasing a dream and damning the consequences. They careered out of the Premier League twice, running up eye-watering wage bills and leaving behind a trail of failed big-name signings and managerial appointments. A win at Fulham on Saturday lunchtime would mean QPR, sixth in the Championship , leapfrog their local rivals and edge further into the play-off pack.
Six and a half years have passed since their last relegation and there is a sense the ship is finally turning. While Derby and Reading take their turns teetering over the financial abyss, Fernandes can enjoy a once-alien sense of relative serenity. At the start of the season QPR appeared to have both an ambitious owner and manager and a collection of players capable of not only surviving, but even prospering in the Premier League. But it was a promise he failed to keep, and after 12 games QPR were bottom of the table and had failed to win a single game.
The signs were obviously there on the opening day of the season when QPR were thrashed at home by Swansea. That day, they looked like a disjointed and unmotivated group of players, vulnerable at the back and lacking any real edge up front, and over the next 35 games that never really changed.
Hughes had done a lot of business in the summer, bringing in a whole team of eleven new players, but though many had undoubted pedigree, were they the right players to keep QPR in the Premier League? Ji-Sung Park was signed from Manchester United , Esteban Garenero arrived from Real Madrid and Jose Bosingwa was lured from the Champions League winners Chelsea , but none of these players lived up to the reputations they had earned at these clubs.
These were never players suited to a relegation fight. It was always going to be an alien concept. By the end of November, it was clear Hughes had run out of ideas, and so it appeared QPR had pulled off a coup by replacing him with Harry Redknapp, who six months earlier had finished in the top four and seemed destined to be the next England manager.
At the time of purchase the remaining 31 percent of shareholders turned down the offer of 1p a share. As part of the investment Lakshmi Mittal's son-in-law Amit Bhatia took a place on the board of directors. Despite QPR's perilous financial condition in —08, the combined personal wealth of the club's new owners which included the world's then 8th richest man Lakshmi Mittal sparked speculation that QPR would receive significant further investment from their new benefactors drawing parallels to their wealthy West London neighbours Chelsea and Fulham.
It was expected that the ABC loan would be discharged in June on its maturity and that the debt owed to Caliendo would be paid off "in early " in line with a funding strategy which Ecclestone publicly stated would not result in the wealthy owners simply bankrolling the club. The new owners also pledged to refurbish Loftus Road and use their experience in Formula One to increase sponsorship revenues. In May , billionaire Vijay Mallya was linked with buying into the club, as part of the Ecclestone, Briatore and Mittal consortium.
Flavio Briatore's future as QPR chairman came under question in September after he left the Renault F1 team in the midst of race fixing allegations. Amit Bhatia was restored to his position as Vice-Chairman. Briatore and Ecclestone are no longer involved with the club. They have no board representation or other financial ties.
Bhatia also explained in the takeover announcement that the loan, representing the refinanced ABC Corporation debt secured using the stadium as collateral has now been "bought off" by the new regime that is, refinanced by new debt. It is thought that the current debt is represented by a shareholder loan to the club and is non-interest bearing.
Hitler played by Adrian Edmondson as a supporter of the team. In the show, he once asked the barman of his local called "The Lamb and Flag," if it was true he had a trial with the team.
Dick Head, the landlord replied that he was decked by Les Ferdinand for kicking the ball in his own net. He was expecting to get applause from his team mates, as he was unaware he had scored an own goal. Although set in Melbourne, the series ended in Hammersmith and included a scene inside Loftus Road. In one episode he is seen watching a game on TV dressed in blue and white chanting "come on, you hoops! Doherty used to run a club fanzine , "All Quiet On The Western Avenue", and has made reference to them in his music and videos.
Up and coming comedian Seann Walsh is a fan. Greek entrepreneur Stelios Haji-Ioannou , founder of the British low-cost airline easyJet amongst other ventures has previously spoken of his fondness for the club.
Andrew Ridgeley of pop band Wham! The club's former logo briefly appears in the video for Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly 's video for "I-Spy". Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Note: the leagues and divisions of English football have changed somewhat over time, so here they are grouped into their relative levels on the English football league system at the time they were won to allow easy comparison of the achievement. Big Soccer Wiki Explore. Wiki Content.
Premier League records and statistics List of Premier League highest scoring games. Explore Wikis Community Central. Register Don't have an account? Queens Park Rangers F. Edit source History Talk 0. File:Kit left arm. File:Kit body. File:Kit right arm. File:Kit shorts. File:Kit socks long. Home colours. Away colours. Third colours.
See also: List of English football club owners. Premier League. Retrieved 10 December Official QPR website. Retrieved 10 October BBC News. The Times London. Retrieved 25 February BBC Sport! Retrieved 15 May BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 May Retrieved 24 October Retrieved 19 November QPR Official Website. Retrieved 9 November Retrieved 7 May The Guardian London. Retrieved 13 May Retrieved 27 November Daily Telegraph London.
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