From promotion to the Premier League to beating west London rivals Chelsea, here are ten of the best Queens Park Rangers moments from the past ten seasons.
Finding out points would not be deducted in 2011 and promotion to the Premier League
While QPR secured enough points to be promoted to the Premier League under Neil Warnock by beating Watford 2-0 in April 2011, fear of being deducted points for how Alejandro Faurlin was signed meant R’s fans could not really celebrate. However, shortly before the final game of the season against Leeds was due to kick off, QPR found out that points would not be deducted meaning the Championship trophy would be coming to west London. A 2-1 defeat to Leeds could not spoil the party as Rangers lifted the title and got back to the top flight.
Bobby Zamora’s play-off winner
With Rangers down to ten men in the play-off final against Derby County at Wembley because of Gary O’Neill’s sending off, up stepped Zamora off the bench. Derby defender Richard Keogh failed to properly clear the ball allowing Zamora to capitalise and place a superb first-time effort beyond Lee Grant and send the club back to the Premier League.
Jamie Mackie’s winning goal against Liverpool in 2012
The 2011/12 season in the Premier League was a tough one for QPR, who managed finish one place above the relegation zone which thanks to some memorable results towards the end of the season. 2-0 down with 13 minutes left at home to Liverpool, Shaun Derry and Djibril Cissé levelled the scores before Mackie capitalised on a slip by Jose Enrique to slot home and secure a vital three points towards survival.
Beating Chelsea 1-0 in 2011
Meeting their west London rivals in a league game for the first time since 1996, Rangers secured all three points thanks somewhat to Jose Bosingwa and Didier Drogba both being shown red cards. Heidar Helguson stepped up from the penalty spot to send his side’s supporters home happy but the game would however go on to be remembered for something else as John Terry was later banned for four games after being found to have used racist language to Anton Ferdinand.
Charity game for Grenfell
The Game 4 Grenfell was held at Loftus Road in 2014 following the Grenfell Tower fire which took the lives of 72 people. Several celebrities and those involved in football took part such as Mo Farah, Jose Mourinho, Peter Crouch, Serge Pizzorno and many others, as well as residents and emergency services personnel who were called to the fire. Team Les Ferdinand would come out on top with a penalty shoot-out victory and almost half-a-million pounds was raised to help those affected by the disaster.
Staying up despite a loss to Premier League champions Manchester City
Despite a 3-2 loss to Manchester City on the final day of the 2011/12 season, confirmation that Bolton had not won meant Rangers secured their place in the following season’s Premier League. It just so happened that the game they were involved in was one of the most memorable Premier League matches of all time. Despite having Joey Barton sent off for a moment of madness after Djibril Cissé’s equaliser, Jamie Mackie struck with a header to put the Hoops ahead before City fought back with two goals late on to win the Premier League.
Great start to 2020
This year could not have started much better for Mark Warburton’s side, picking up two massive victories at the expense of two Welsh sides. First came the 6-1 hammering of Cardiff City in the Championship before a 5-1 victory over Swansea City in the FA Cup, demonstrating Warburton’s football at it’s very best.
Charlie Austin sends Rangers to Wembley
The Zamora moment could not have happened without the play-off semi-final success over Wigan. After a 0-0 draw in the first leg, Charlie Austin struck in extra-time of the second leg to send Rangers to Wembley.
Shaun Wright-Phillips comes back to haunt Chelsea
The 2012/13 season was one to forget for QPR but Shaun Wright-Phillips’ winner against the Blues in 2013 to hand QPR a derby day win is something that will not be forgotten.
Toni Leistner’s header at Nottingham Forest
The City Ground has long proved a difficult place for QPR to go but Toni Leistner’s header in December 2018 ended a run of 34 failed attempts to win at Nottingham Forest.
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