HANDS up who has a massive bruise on their arm where they have been repeatedly pinching themselves since the start of this season. Yes, thought so! QPR fans around the globe are currently in shock.

HANDS up who has a massive bruise on their arm where they have been repeatedly pinching themselves since the start of this season. Yes, thought so! QPR fans around the globe are currently in shock.

Still repeatedly checking the league table? Making sure you’ve not made a mistake and we are in fact really languishing somewhere down the bottom as in so many previous seasons since being relegated from the top flight in 1996. Has someone inverted the table?

Now, I’m wondering if this is all true, can it last? It is, after all, October now! And if it doesn’t, and the bubble breaks, will we pick ourselves up and start all over again?

With Neil Warnock as our manager, I have no doubt whatsoever that, should the inevitable happen, he will inspire our team to greater efforts, and our assault on the league will continue unabated. Why?

Because Warnock has got this team playing with pride and enjoyment and, with apologies to Paulo Sousa who doesn’t like battles, apparently, determination and fight! Before Warnock joined us last season, not one player seemed remotely interested in playing for QPR. There was no fight in the team and the only “heart” was the name of the then manager.

In a matter of weeks, Warnock had changed that all around – even with a squad including eight loanees. Today, we are watching ‘Warnock’s team’ and they really have a point to prove. And the style in which they have been doing so has been truly remarkable.

Among many songs being chanted by the fans in party-like manner, is one which sings of Rangers “being back – at last” (well, not quite so politely, but I’m sure you get my drift!).

“Back” is – glowing tributes to our performances in newspapers and on the radio which once could only report salacious gossip about QPR. “Back” is – fans coming out of the woodwork.

“Back” is – the full complement of fans making away games like one big 90-minute party. “Back” is – having flair players mixing it with those who do the dirty-work, and those, like Paddy Kenny, who often have very little to do – the perfect ‘team’ and they all belong to us.

And ultimately “back”, for me, will be promotion at the business-end of this season after an absence from the top flight of what, by then, will have been 15 years.

But until then, I think I’ll buy myself some bruise cream!