By Adam Boxer A NEW season, renewed belief and opening day glory – the npower Championship is under way and the feel-good factor couldn t be higher. Pawing through the post in a last-minute scramble for the season ticket, squeezing into the shirt after a

By Adam Boxer

A NEW season, renewed belief and opening day glory - the npower Championship is under way and the feel-good factor couldn't be higher.

Pawing through the post in a last-minute scramble for the season ticket, squeezing into the shirt after a summer of over-indulgence and carrying an overwhelming feeling of child-like excitement - football truly has returned.

The malaise that has haunted Loftus Road for what seems like an eternity had subsided as the season kicked off in W12. Despite the unpredictable English weather conditions it would be fair to say that they could at last enjoy some reliability and consistency on the field.

While fans appreciate not every player can be 10 ft tall and charge around like a bull with the pace of Usain Bolt, they can appreciate the work of players such as Shaun Derry and Clint Hill, necessities in a new-found solid shape.

There could be no question that QPR possess talented players with the potential to succeed, and while temperament and application may have been questionable in the past, Neil Warnock seems already to have harnessed this skill, modified it and ensured it's expressed in the right manner.

Netting a player like Adel Taarabt has certainly convinced many sceptics that it could be a positive season and not another false dawn. Too many times has an exciting signing fizzled out into a damp squib, overpaid and under-performing.

Supplementing the flair game with the cautious approach has been the key for many Championship clubs in the past, married with the effort and work-rate that separates the sides in a keenly-contested division.

The early signs have certainly proven positive, as at last there is a manager you can trust at the helm - despite our wish to run the rule critically over his captures.

Derry, Jamie Mackie, Leon Clarke - not names synonymous with success, but nevertheless they could be the missing X-Factor in the squad.

This is why delving into the wallet for a season ticket seemed slightly less painful this season. If Warnock can achieve his ambitions the campaign could prove to be a real bargain for a once in a lifetime experience.

While it would be foolish to be carried away by an opening day win, QPR's focus from the hierarchy downwards is relentless and even the most ardent sceptic must feel the tinge of excitement that drifts across Loftus Road.

A board that backs a manager, a manager that has the trust of his players and supporters that back the team - it's been a long time coming. Although starts such as this may have bred similar confidence, there was a tangible shift in mood on Saturday. Rest assured, real football has returned!