QPR

QPR only spent four seasons in the Premiership, the first four years since it’s establishment, 
but their only finish outside the top 10 was their last, 1995–96.

With the goal power of Les Ferdinand, 20 goals, ably supported by the youthful exuberance 
of Bradley Allen, who hit 10, and the midfield probing of Ray Wilkins, QPR made an instant 
impact in their first Premiership season. They won three games in a row after drawing their 
opener with Manchester City and although they then lost to Chelsea the team stood second 
in the table. But four draws in the next five games caused a slide before they crushed Spurs 
4–1 and lost to Norwich, and climbed to third by beating Leeds.

That was Rangers’ highest placing in that first campaign as they lost too much ground by 
being unable to string a run together. Before such a run came, in the last quarter of the 
season, the best was an unbeaten run of just five games, which took QPR to fourth in 
mid-February.

The pivotal time came in March. Victory over Norwich again meant fourth place but defeats 
by Liverpool and Wimbledon then just two points from nine dropped Rangers to eighth. 
Then, Les Ferdinand took over, scoring hat-tricks in consecutive games to beat Nottingham 
Forest, 4–3, and Everton, 5–3, and elevate QPR to fifth. They might have gone even higher 
had they not drawn against Leeds and Arsenal but wins over Villa and Sheffield Wednesday 
gave Rangers a final position of fifth and Ferdinand a place in the England team.

It was Les’s fine season that affected the following campaign when rumours were rife that 
he was to leave and results very often failed to accurately reflect just how well they played. 
Rangers’ first two games were lost and although they beat Southampton 15th place it soon 
became apparent how the team were going to struggle. By the end of September only 11 
points had been gained from a possible 27 but three consecutive wins elevated Rangers to 
fifth. Two wins from the next two took QPR to their highest position since the previous 
March, fourth. Unfortunately four games without a win followed before wins over 
Southampton and Oldham and a draw with Leeds claimed sixth place.

QPR lacked consistency all season and four separate winless runs proved costly, the worst 
being around spring when three consecutive defeats before a draw with Chelsea arrested 
the slide in 10th place.

Although Gerry Francis’s side only lost once in their last five games three of them were 
draws and they had to settle for ninth.

Les Ferdinand didn’t leave and his 24 goals in 1994–95, 14 more than nearest team mate 
Kevin Gallen, earned eighth place, a remarkable finish considering QPR were 18th by 
December, after only four wins in 16 games. They were up to 8th by Easter but three 
defeats and a draw in their last six games meant that was as high as they got.

But Les did go, in a £6 million record move, to Newcastle and the bottom fell out of the 
team. Mark Hateley, ‘Sir’ Les’s £1.5 million replacement, made little impact, just two goals, 
neither could Danny Dichio, despite 10 goals and by November the team were 18th. Boxing 
Day defeat by Arsenal started the terminal rot and six consecutive defeats followed and 
the team found itself 19th.

There was almost an acceptance of relegation in the last portion of the campaign and four 
wins from the last 12 games wasn’t enough and losing to Coventry, with two games to go, 
virtually ensured the end of QPR’S four year Premiership adventure.

Managers

Gerry Francis          1991–1994

Ray Wilkins             1994–1996