| Our Players Are A Credit 08:23 - Mar 28 with 8578 views | Hastings_Hoops |
I thought I’d share what a few of you already know and a few bits that I’ve posted over the last month or so.
So, my eldest daughter is a huge Jimmy Dunne fan - absolutely loves him because of his Irish accent. She doesn’t get to matches much because of weekend work, but my youngest daughter has been hanging back after every home match since Christmas hoping that Jimmy would remember to bring his shirt which he ‘pinky promised’… it’s been a while and each week he’s been so apologetic every time he saw her - I’ve felt quite sorry for him as he sees her, he remembers too late! Anyway, after the Portsmouth match, he came out, saw her as he approach and immediately ran to his car to pull out his match shirt from one of the previous weeks. It meant the world to her and even more to her big sister this week when she opened her birthday present + birthday card (signed by Jimmy back in February).
It’s not just Jimmy - during the last three months;
Steve Cook has presented the centre back from my daughter’s girls team with player of the month (note the Hastings connection) and was really engaged with them when he knew which team they played for (top of the league with 100% win rate!). My daughter’s team mate was blown away that a pro footballer would be that kind.
Paul Smyth and his wife are fantastic - he’s always got time for a chat and really is a wonderful human being. He also kept forgetting his shirt, so his wife took the kids address and said she’d post it to them.
I mentioned about Walsh doing a video for my daughter’s goalie who broke her wrist. Again, she was astounded when she got that.
Esquerdinha last week went into the club shop to buy a shirt for one of the kids, print his name and sign it.
I’ve heard about some ridiculously kind things that Michi Frey and his wife have done for another kid before he left.
I could go on Alfie Lloyd (has stuck in her mind as being super-friendly/fun), Field (I’ve lost count of how many ‘number 8’s’ he’s signed on the back of her shirts for her), Madsen, Verane, Kolli, Kone, chair… they’re all brilliant with the young supporters.
They say it takes a village to raise a child - just these small interactions that they have with the kids adds to the village - these types of characters will do so much good to how our kids grow up and in turn interact with people. My daughter has already decided if she ever makes it at any level in sport, she’ll go out of her way to be kind, like her role models at QPR.
I know we get annoyed with them from time to time on the pitch (I’m guilty) - Frankly some of the social media stuff is vile. Some of the stuff on this board is also at times a little unfair and we must remember that these are young lads and many of us old enough to be their parents. They’re trying to carve out a career. We’re responsible for a lot of their confidence, emotional well-being and success. Let’s get behind them and give them every chance.
Well done lads - you’re a credit to the club.
[Post edited 28 Mar 9:10]
|  | | |  |
| Our Players Are A Credit on 08:51 - Mar 28 with 6568 views | dmm |
What a great post, Hastings. Thanks for posting. We need more of these stories that talk about players as human beings and not only footballers.
Your examples show how those players have demonstrated something more important than football: that kindness is a gift we can all give. |  | | |
| Our Players Are A Credit on 09:34 - Mar 28 with 6417 views | Paddyhoops |
Great post . Nice to know the players give back something.
Paul Smyth is a credit to the club and I’ve no idea why he gets some the abuse he does . |  | | |
| Our Players Are A Credit on 09:50 - Mar 28 with 6358 views | BrianMcCarthy |
That's lovely to read. |  |
| |
| Our Players Are A Credit on 09:58 - Mar 28 with 6311 views | BazzaInTheLoft |
Soul soothing this. |  | | |
| Our Players Are A Credit on 09:59 - Mar 28 with 6319 views | DannyPaddox |
My first thought was Esquerdinha can afford to casually buy a replica club shirt and have his full name printed on it. How much are we paying him!? But seriously a great post and great to read about the players in such light. Good on them. |  | | |
| Our Players Are A Credit on 10:06 - Mar 28 with 6296 views | Hastings_Hoops |
| Our Players Are A Credit on 09:59 - Mar 28 by DannyPaddox |
My first thought was Esquerdinha can afford to casually buy a replica club shirt and have his full name printed on it. How much are we paying him!? But seriously a great post and great to read about the players in such light. Good on them. |
…probably not as much as we were paying Joey Barton and I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t have done something like that (unless the cameras were pointed at him) 😉
Bless him, he was stood in the queue for 15 mins (not expecting to push to the front) waiting to get his name printed, chatting to the kid. [Post edited 28 Mar 10:10]
| | | |
| Our Players Are A Credit on 10:27 - Mar 28 with 6199 views | LongsufferingR |
| Our Players Are A Credit on 10:06 - Mar 28 by Hastings_Hoops |
…probably not as much as we were paying Joey Barton and I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t have done something like that (unless the cameras were pointed at him) 😉
Bless him, he was stood in the queue for 15 mins (not expecting to push to the front) waiting to get his name printed, chatting to the kid. [Post edited 28 Mar 10:10]
|
He was down to start that game but RND had to play instead as he was still in the queue.
Wonderful post. |  | | |
| Our Players Are A Credit on 11:28 - Mar 28 with 6035 views | JamesB1979 |
What a lovely post. Whatever your thoughts on squad quality, they do seem like a good bunch. It does stem from the top ie Dunne as captain was a great choice. Varane is always great with younger fans which I think explains his popularity on social media. | | | |
Login to get fewer ads
| Our Players Are A Credit on 11:41 - Mar 28 with 5994 views | davman |
***TONGUE IN CHEEK POST***
Nice guys come last! Who cares if they are the nicest blokes in the world; the only thing that matters to me is where they finish in the league.
No, great stuff, Hastings - effort and being nice come for free and should be the minimum we expect... |  |
| |
| Our Players Are A Credit on 11:52 - Mar 28 with 5942 views | Hastings_Hoops |
| Our Players Are A Credit on 11:41 - Mar 28 by davman |
***TONGUE IN CHEEK POST***
Nice guys come last! Who cares if they are the nicest blokes in the world; the only thing that matters to me is where they finish in the league.
No, great stuff, Hastings - effort and being nice come for free and should be the minimum we expect... |
Oi! Go and support ch€l$€a! (Joking)
No, joking aside; we’ve had our fair share of nasty guys in the not so distant past (Bosingwa take a bow)… they’re also finished last!
Great we’ve got an upwardly mobile squad who can step up a few gears and also be nice at the same time. [Post edited 28 Mar 11:56]
| | | |
| Our Players Are A Credit on 12:00 - Mar 28 with 5899 views | Myke |
| Our Players Are A Credit on 11:52 - Mar 28 by Hastings_Hoops |
Oi! Go and support ch€l$€a! (Joking)
No, joking aside; we’ve had our fair share of nasty guys in the not so distant past (Bosingwa take a bow)… they’re also finished last!
Great we’ve got an upwardly mobile squad who can step up a few gears and also be nice at the same time. [Post edited 28 Mar 11:56]
|
A wonderful post Hastings and the perfect antidote to all the negativity not just surrounding our club but the wirld in general | | | |
| Our Players Are A Credit on 14:15 - Mar 28 with 5637 views | Logman |
Great post Hastings. Thanks for taking the time to set it out.
And one of the reasons why I stay to the end and give them a clap. They're good professionals who, as you say, are a credit to the club. | | | |
| Our Players Are A Credit on 14:50 - Mar 28 with 5578 views | RsinWales |
This is by far the best thing I have read this weekend. Thanks for sharing!
This sort of stuff can mean the world to a young un.
Really appreciate the players mentioned for stepping up in this way - especially, given some of the vile nonsense they have to endure from the lunatic fringe. | | | |
| Our Players Are A Credit on 15:17 - Mar 28 with 5489 views | francisbowles |
Thanks Hastings, lovely post. So good to hear they act as ambassadors for the club and by their individual kindness, they are ensuring that these young people are likely to remain as fans in the future. | | | |
| Our Players Are A Credit on 15:23 - Mar 28 with 5471 views | ARudd |
This is by far the best thing I’ve read in a LONG time!!!
Taking the time to post this, reminds us all that we are just people, trying our best.
I’ve had a feeling for a long time that this group are the right sort, doesn’t make them the best players, doesn’t mean they play well all the time, but we should be supporting them for both what they do and who they are | | | |
| Our Players Are A Credit on 18:47 - Mar 28 with 5275 views | loftboy |
When I stayed in the same hotel as me at Swansea earlier in the season each and everyone of them had time for a chat, selfie and Jimmy even commented on my dinner i was eating as they were in the bar area waiting for the coach.
The keepers all have time for the kids in the loft when they come out pre match for the warm up. |  |
| |
| Our Players Are A Credit on 19:23 - Mar 28 with 5179 views | Superhoops2808 |
Only the other day, a gofundme page for one of our female players drew criticism from some here that some of our players were tight and other comments.
It shows that the things they do dont need to be advertised and how much they mean to the people they come into contact with - In fact some of the donations on the gofundme page were anonymous - Who's to say they are not from players too.
Several say the players dont care for the club, but your great post Hastings proves otherwise. Thanks for sharing all this |  | | |
| Our Players Are A Credit on 04:36 - Mar 29 with 4867 views | numptydumpty |
What a brilliant post Hastings. Fantastic to read this.
I know that most clubs ensure players do give back and do things for the community around them, but a first hand account is lovely to hear.
I know we are all quick to criticise young players and basically all players are young men, but it does take a lot of discipline in life, to be a championship player and there are many that are decent human beings also.
Can you imagine the Boswinga, Barton era of players doing any of this ??? They would all have been in their ivory towers counting their millions, no doubt !!!! |  |
| |
| Our Players Are A Credit on 08:56 - Mar 29 with 4737 views | Devon_4_England |
Incredible post, lovely to read. Thank you for sharing Hastings. |  | | |
| Our Players Are A Credit on 11:08 - Mar 29 with 4525 views | Big_Mac |
I was waiting around after the Portsmouth game too. When Jimmy arrived another young kid had asked him for his shirt and Jimmy said he’d already promised it to someone else. He went along the line looking for your daughter and when he spotted her, he went and got the shirt then went back to the other kid explaining he’d promised it to someone else first but will get him next time.
I’ve read before that they have to pay for the shirts they keep or give away which may not sound like much of an issue for someone on a few grand a week but they don’t have to do it. You see a lot of players just launch the shirt into a crowd but with Jimmy last week, he’s gone out of his way to put one aside, look for them in a crowd and stop for a chat.
Really makes QPR feel like a proper club for the community. |  | | |
| Our Players Are A Credit on 12:22 - Mar 29 with 4405 views | Hastings_Hoops |
| Our Players Are A Credit on 11:08 - Mar 29 by Big_Mac |
I was waiting around after the Portsmouth game too. When Jimmy arrived another young kid had asked him for his shirt and Jimmy said he’d already promised it to someone else. He went along the line looking for your daughter and when he spotted her, he went and got the shirt then went back to the other kid explaining he’d promised it to someone else first but will get him next time.
I’ve read before that they have to pay for the shirts they keep or give away which may not sound like much of an issue for someone on a few grand a week but they don’t have to do it. You see a lot of players just launch the shirt into a crowd but with Jimmy last week, he’s gone out of his way to put one aside, look for them in a crowd and stop for a chat.
Really makes QPR feel like a proper club for the community. |
Absolutely this. Really kind and just a small gesture / remembering who they are makes each of them feel special.
I really do think that this is a USP for QPR and inevitably leads to strengthening the support base - maybe the club should pay for half a dozen shirts a year to be given away, on the basis they’ll get a return on that investment.
We do have a great bunch of lads there. Let’s look after them on and off the pitch. | | | |
| Our Players Are A Credit on 09:07 - Mar 30 with 4088 views | TheChef |
Jimmy always comes across very well, very pleased he's our skipper and hope he stays at the club for many years to come. |  |
| |
| Our Players Are A Credit on 13:09 - Mar 30 with 3859 views | NorthantsHoop |
Great piece of news on how our players are interacting with fans. I don't know if it is me, but I'm noticing much more younger fans coming to QPR these days, also the crowds are up, which is good news as well. |  | | |
| Our Players Are A Credit on 17:16 - Mar 30 with 3561 views | W7Ranger |
That's a brilliant read Hastings.
Best and most uplifting post I've seen on here for a long time.
Love it! [Post edited 3 Apr 19:12]
|  | | |
| Our Players Are A Credit on 19:36 - Mar 30 with 3410 views | nix |
| Our Players Are A Credit on 13:09 - Mar 30 by NorthantsHoop |
Great piece of news on how our players are interacting with fans. I don't know if it is me, but I'm noticing much more younger fans coming to QPR these days, also the crowds are up, which is good news as well. |
Yes it’s been happen for the last couple of seasons. Many of them come to away games as well. Maybe to do with it being much more affordable than many of our neighbours and often more fun! It makes the atmosphere livelier and is a bit of a relief as we were getting to be a bit of an older crowd a few years ago. |  | | |
| |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.