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Not the user...but the actual (in)famous staircase.
I've told this story a few times recently that we sold Roy Wegerle in the early-90s and built a staircase from the proceeds.
Great story, very QPR. I first read about it when Dave Thomas did his huge AKUTRs "best of" anthology years ago.
Is it actually true though? Given I tell the story to people for QPR trivia because I think its cracking I suppose in this day and age of fake news I should fact check it.
I'm just a tad too young to have been around at the time and to have witnessed first time.
If it is true...which staircase is it? Is it the column shape at the Loftus Road end of South Africa Road?
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Wegerle's Stairs on 16:56 - Mar 20 with 4312 views
This was a magical time, where QPR was known as a development club.
We would take a prospect from Luton, or Brentford. Play them in our first team, they might even become a full international player, and then every year we would sell our best player for profit and reinvest the money on new players who might be able to follow in their footsteps.
It might catch on one day
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Wegerle's Stairs on 17:05 - Mar 20 with 4278 views
It was certainly accepted as fact at the time, including by those at the club.
I do think we banked some of the money, though, a figure of £250k sounds familiar for some reason. I also think we did work to the Loft End, maybe? (anyone confirm?)
Either way, it seemed that Wegerle was on the way out. He just did not seem to fit into Gerry Francis's tactics and he went from top scorer before Francis' arrival to an almost-inevitable departure very soon.
"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
It was certainly accepted as fact at the time, including by those at the club.
I do think we banked some of the money, though, a figure of £250k sounds familiar for some reason. I also think we did work to the Loft End, maybe? (anyone confirm?)
Either way, it seemed that Wegerle was on the way out. He just did not seem to fit into Gerry Francis's tactics and he went from top scorer before Francis' arrival to an almost-inevitable departure very soon.
Can you imagine Roy doing a terror Tuesday for Gerry?
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Wegerle's Stairs on 18:32 - Mar 20 with 4005 views
I suspect this was mostly true. We all knew them as the 'Roy Wegerle Staircases' at that time.
I think Roy may have fallen out with Gerry towards the end - that may/may not be as true. A very fine player, and playmaker, none-the-less. Good penalty taker too.
I remember Brian Moore's commentary: "Remember Marsh, remember Bowles, there's the 1990 version (Roy)," Class act.
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Wegerle's Stairs on 18:47 - Mar 20 with 3937 views
I am obviously biased. But I make a strong case to mates that this could be the best goal ever scored. Not only is it against the league champions in their backyard, but look at the players he skins to score : Barry, Speed, McAllister. W*nktastic.
Met Roy residing in Kansas City when he was playing in the MLS.
Told him about the stairs and genuinely never knew and chuffed to bits. I recalled that shot from the half way line against Arsenal that hit the bar. What a goal if.
Loved Rangers and always asked my mate. when he met him as he was a mls commentator,how I was.
Smashing fella.
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Wegerle's Stairs on 20:10 - Mar 20 with 3783 views
I remember getting Roy’s signature on my programme at the end of that season. Everton game I think. Waited outside of the old players exit by the club shop with a mate. He came out with his arms full including the goal of the season trophy he won. Happy to sign but in doing so, he dropped his goal of the season trophy on the floor with a loud clang….
Felt a bit bad about it as I was sure it was dented!
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Wegerle's Stairs on 22:22 - Mar 20 with 3667 views
I suspect this was mostly true. We all knew them as the 'Roy Wegerle Staircases' at that time.
I think Roy may have fallen out with Gerry towards the end - that may/may not be as true. A very fine player, and playmaker, none-the-less. Good penalty taker too.
I remember Brian Moore's commentary: "Remember Marsh, remember Bowles, there's the 1990 version (Roy)," Class act.
He did miss a penalty away at Sheffield united where we lost 1-0, cost him the golden boot that season.
One of my favourite players. Very very QPR mercurial to.the max that Leeds goal must have been great to have been there ? I remember arsenal FA cup he play a blinder as.well went to that one. Ah it seems them days are long gone. We were a great side in that era. Ah well a least we have got our 16th spot !
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Wegerle's Stairs on 08:03 - Mar 21 with 3401 views
I am obviously biased. But I make a strong case to mates that this could be the best goal ever scored. Not only is it against the league champions in their backyard, but look at the players he skins to score : Barry, Speed, McAllister. W*nktastic.
I have always thought the same about that goal.
I think he fell out with Francis in a match at Tottenham. When IIRC he misplaced a back pass straight to Lineker who scored. Wegerle was subbed shortly afterwards.
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Wegerle's Stairs on 12:25 - Mar 21 with 3219 views
A top top quality player. He's been on the list of inductions for Forever Rs but he's never in the UK so it's going to be an even longer wait unfortunately. Hopefully one day - fingers crossed
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Wegerle's Stairs on 08:30 - Mar 26 with 2448 views
If that's the penalty I'm thinking of it was New Years day and it hit my mate Joe in the stomach. Just what he needed after a big New Years Eve
Yep that’s the one.It was also the game that Andy Sinton stood in front of Vinny Jones at throw ins to prevent a long one, Jones got fed up and launched one straight into his face, I was adamant he should have been sent off.
This was a magical time, where QPR was known as a development club.
We would take a prospect from Luton, or Brentford. Play them in our first team, they might even become a full international player, and then every year we would sell our best player for profit and reinvest the money on new players who might be able to follow in their footsteps.
It might catch on one day
This is true. However, the idea that fans were remotely happy about that is not true. There were grumbles so loud about players being sold they on several occasions became protests about asset-stripping. Sometimes legitimate (Gregory in late '70s), sometimes harsh (Thomson in early-mid '90s: he was actually trading players the way they should be at QPR).
And also, yes, there were plenty of successes. But for every Bowles, Sinton, Sinclair or Peacock, there were twice as many failures.
I tend to think that nowadays fans are much more open-minded about being a "development club". Growing up supporting QPR in the 70s/80s/mid-90s, no QPR fan saw themselves supporting a development club: we were chasing Europe, cups, top half finishes, maybe even the league...successive boards were running a development club, though. Hence a culture clash. (Until Chris Wright turned up and broke the thing, as a fan might).
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