| 70 years 12:20 - Jun 29 with 7507 views | Third_Division_South |
Sometime during the next season I will walk through the QPR turnstiles for the 70th consecutive season. I say QPR not Loftus Road because of the White City season. Not like a lot of supporters I have no idea what my first match was but when I asked my Dad when did I first go he said he started taking me when I was four. So what do I remember of those early days? Well the ground only had one stand, the old wooden Ellerslie Road. You could walk round all the other three sides and much like non league games we used to wait on the half way line until the toss then walk round to the end Rangers were attacking. As a small kid in a small ground we used it as a playground. The crash barriers were our swings and the grassy slope which ran from the top of the SA road terrace was great for rolling down. The other big difference in those days is we used to go each week, one week first team the next reserves. For reserve games a man used to walk round with a blackboard with the first team half time score, remember this was a time before even transistor radios. Gradually, I must have started watching more and playing around less and the first real team I can remember is the early sixties one where Brian Bedford was my first hero. OF course, being at that age, the name all us small boys thought was outrageously funny coming out over the tannoy was Arthur Longbottom.
Seen many changes since then ups, downs, promotions, relegations, great times and infuriating times but I wouldn’t have missed the ride for anything. So when I start going again next season I’ll remember the friends I’ve made and most importantly my Dad who I shared the love of the Rangers with for many years. RIP DAD |  | | |  |
| 70 years on 12:38 - Jun 29 with 6615 views | willesdenr |
Like you I have no recollection of my first game, just remember it was at White City. I didn't start going regularly until we returned to Loftus road and even then can't recall my first game. Gave up my season ticket in SAR during covid and only go to a few games these days with my son and grandson. Getting old is shit. | | | |
| 70 years on 12:39 - Jun 29 with 6613 views | thehat |
Absolutely love this thanks for sharing.
You should write an article on your "life and times" of following QPR and send to Dave Thomas to publish in akutr's. It would be a cracking read. | | | |
| 70 years on 12:45 - Jun 29 with 6587 views | PlanetHonneywood |
TDS, since 1956... fair play!
You were probably too young to remember, but what was it like seeing Sandro playing in the autumn of his career? |  |
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| 70 years on 13:04 - Jun 29 with 6507 views | colinallcars |
They were the days - Joe Cini, Tesi Balogun, George Petchey….. |  | | |
| 70 years on 13:32 - Jun 29 with 6420 views | ted_hendrix |
Great thread, first game my older Brother took me 1958, I was Eight years old, I'm not 100% sure but I think It was against Orient.
Stood in the corner of the loft, there was a tea hut behind us and late on during the game a proper old punch up started behind us, thinking back (which Is a a bit hard, I recall that the blokes fighting looked like the actors In Peaky Blinders).
Me Brother grabbed me arm as It was getting a bit ugly and we had to scarper out of the ground, I thought It was great watching them blokes scrapping, we got the trolleybus home and me Brother told me not to tell the old Man abut the punch up or I wouldn't be allowed to go again.
I loved that first game really loved It, the smell of grass, the smell of mud the smell of Bovril the language, the crowd, standing behind that dwarf wall so close to the players and the pitch.
There's no amount of money can buy that first time feeling/emotion/experience or whatever It's called.
I quite love loving my club. |  |
| My Father had a profound influence on me, he was a lunatic. |
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| 70 years on 14:09 - Jun 29 with 6321 views | Malintabuk |
I remember for years asking my mum to go... but she always refused even though my oldest brother and my uncle Phil always went
They lived in London... after my mum moved back with me when I was 4... to Kent and left my older brother in London at 14... he had a job !!!
Well finally she relented in 1966 after England won the world cup and said once I was 10 I could go... so on the 22 October my uncle came and picked me up and we drove back to London and to the ground
I remember it was freezing and my uncle bought me a bovril... and we stood at the school end...
I was absolutely amazed... and had never seen so many people in one place.... then the teams came out and I asked my brother what colour shirts were England playing in...much to his disgust... and I just felt so stupid when the guy next to me said its not England but Rangers... absolutely gutted
Never saw much of the game to be honest... I wanted another bovril if I remembered right... and got the fright of my life when we scored.... it was so loud and I was petrified
We beat Leyton Orient that day.... Leyton who? .... and I remember everyone was so happy... so I was happy...
On the drive back my uncle asked if I enjoyed .. feigning false excitement said I did... and he said well we won so you will have to come again
I got home and mum knew I wasn't that excited... so she said... don't have to go again if I didn't want to.... have to mum we won....
So can't do the 70 (just yet) but in October again Swansea I will have done 60 years... [Post edited 29 Jun 14:11]
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| 70 years on 14:32 - Jun 29 with 6210 views | colinallcars |
| 70 years on 13:32 - Jun 29 by ted_hendrix |
Great thread, first game my older Brother took me 1958, I was Eight years old, I'm not 100% sure but I think It was against Orient.
Stood in the corner of the loft, there was a tea hut behind us and late on during the game a proper old punch up started behind us, thinking back (which Is a a bit hard, I recall that the blokes fighting looked like the actors In Peaky Blinders).
Me Brother grabbed me arm as It was getting a bit ugly and we had to scarper out of the ground, I thought It was great watching them blokes scrapping, we got the trolleybus home and me Brother told me not to tell the old Man abut the punch up or I wouldn't be allowed to go again.
I loved that first game really loved It, the smell of grass, the smell of mud the smell of Bovril the language, the crowd, standing behind that dwarf wall so close to the players and the pitch.
There's no amount of money can buy that first time feeling/emotion/experience or whatever It's called.
I quite love loving my club. |
My story very similar Ted in that my older brother took me. I think versus Shrewsbury.
South Africa Rd. the roar of the Bovril, the smell of the crowd.
Marvellous. | | | |
| 70 years on 14:40 - Jun 29 with 6202 views | Sonic_Hoop |
Glory hunters. 😉 |  | | |
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| 70 years on 16:00 - Jun 29 with 6019 views | TwoHalves |
Is it too late to approach Bovril for a sponsorship deal? | | | |
| 70 years on 16:15 - Jun 29 with 5985 views | Wilkinswatercarrier |
You do realise due to the youngsters laughing at poor Arthur Longbottom he changed his last name to Langley after he retired.
Kids can be cruel. | |
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| 70 years on 16:45 - Jun 29 with 5930 views | Logman |
Lovely post, well written Sir.
There should be places in the Forever R's club for the likes of supporters like yourself rather than the players who played one or two seasons for us that we are bringing back these days. | | | |
| 70 years on 17:39 - Jun 29 with 5839 views | PlanetHonneywood |
| 70 years on 16:15 - Jun 29 by Wilkinswatercarrier |
You do realise due to the youngsters laughing at poor Arthur Longbottom he changed his last name to Langley after he retired.
Kids can be cruel. |
In about 50 years time, some oldie will be posting about the bants that flowed between da yoof when the names, Doudou and Shittu were read out.
In 100 years, with many Rfosi cryogenically frozen, the freezing liquid's temperature will bubble a tad as they recall the state authorised humour that was allowed when we first dipped our digit into AI robot players, CLINT-Y3 and PR1CK-23.
Great memories from the past, and to come! | |
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| 70 years on 17:49 - Jun 29 with 5825 views | Pikey |
Great post my first game was at the White city, a 22 draw with shrewsbury ( i think). Used to spend school holidays at the ground watching training and getting autographs. Sold programmes, golden goal tkts as a kid too. With the leather satchel for the coin.
I think Brian Bedford was my first hero player though Stuart Leary ran him close .
Renewed again for this year and hopefully a few more to come. Would love to be around longbenougb fir one mire stab at the top div, but if not it still our Rangers and i and many like me will still go. | | | |
| 70 years on 21:52 - Jun 29 with 5610 views | dutch |
I also can't remember my first game but it was 1966 at Loftus Road with my dad who died a few months later, just before the World Cup final. I do remember walking round the ground to whichever end we were attacking, but mostly standing on the Loft in front of the tea stand in the far corner. If we ever leave this place all my memories will still reside here, this has been 'home' for more than 60 years. Thanks Dad, I loved you. I love our team. | | | |
| 70 years on 09:01 - Jun 30 with 5371 views | thehat |
| 70 years on 16:45 - Jun 29 by Logman |
Lovely post, well written Sir.
There should be places in the Forever R's club for the likes of supporters like yourself rather than the players who played one or two seasons for us that we are bringing back these days. |
What a great idea - The club should think about this. What a nice touch it would be to invite long standing fans to a game as a guest of honour and bring them onto the pitch at half time to tell a story or two. | | | |
| 70 years on 09:10 - Jun 30 with 5339 views | numptydumpty |
70 years as a paying punter at Loftus Road.
Deep respect to you Sir..
That's some record !! |  |
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| 70 years on 16:56 - Jun 30 with 5132 views | TwoHalves |
| 70 years on 09:01 - Jun 30 by thehat |
What a great idea - The club should think about this. What a nice touch it would be to invite long standing fans to a game as a guest of honour and bring them onto the pitch at half time to tell a story or two. |
They might have to get the PA system serviced first. | | | |
| 70 years on 20:22 - Jun 30 with 4963 views | Boston |
I'm enjoying the references to the tea bar in the corner of The Loft, I too have a fond remembrance of the place, though I wasn't a Bovril sorta kid, it did smell pretty good. | |
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| 70 years on 10:56 - Jul 2 with 4644 views | Pikey |
| 70 years on 20:22 - Jun 30 by Boston |
I'm enjoying the references to the tea bar in the corner of The Loft, I too have a fond remembrance of the place, though I wasn't a Bovril sorta kid, it did smell pretty good. |
Used to stand their with my brother in law and his grandad ( who told me a story of how he went to the 1923 White horse cup final but due to the huge crowd came back to Rangers and watched the reserves).
I used to take my cousin who fancied my brother in laws cousin, week after week until he finally asked her out. They've been married 53 years now ! Proper Pikeys eh! | | | |
| 70 years on 12:33 - Jul 2 with 4548 views | jeffranger50 |
Lovely thread & been going since 1958 & had some great times, can’t remember first game my Dad took me to but remember the likes of longbottom & Jimmy Andrews etc, the old mud bank on sth Africa entrance | | | |
| 70 years on 22:43 - Jul 2 with 4378 views | sevenhoop |
Amazing stuff. I’m 60 years season ticket holder this year (maybe even 61, but my first memories are of the 66-67 season). Those first few years was me, my two brothers, my mum
And dad and my two nans. We used to get bundled in to ellerslie road’s wooden stand. Me and my brothers wore blue hooped knitted jumpers that my Nan made.
I remember looking over at South Africa Road with a big tree at the back of it. Then Jim Gregory built today’s stand there and maybe a season or two later built the new Ellerslie Road stand and we were displaced for a season (or maybe 2) to South Africa Road (I enjoyed it there as in the winter you got the sun to warm you up) and then back to Ellerslie for the same seats that me and my mum and dad sat in ever since, until my dad died aged 91 two years ago. My mum is getting on for 91 now and this season has given up her season ticket so now it’s just me and my son of 34 years old who’s been coming for 30 years, poor bugger.
My god I’ve seen some wonderful players over the years, no right to see the like for our little club. Off the top of my head, standouts for me are the obvious, Marsh, Bowles, Sinton (just love that man), Wicks, Clive Allen, Bardsley, Ferdinand, Simon Barker, Ray Wilkins, tarrabt, Clint Hill.
Think I’ll be going forever. |  | | |
| 70 years on 16:45 - Jul 3 with 4166 views | welwynranger |
| 70 years on 12:38 - Jun 29 by willesdenr |
Like you I have no recollection of my first game, just remember it was at White City. I didn't start going regularly until we returned to Loftus road and even then can't recall my first game. Gave up my season ticket in SAR during covid and only go to a few games these days with my son and grandson. Getting old is shit. |
63yrs in September.
I was 9yrs old
My mates dad took us to Southend for the day.
It was a very warm summers day.
We had a Wimpey.
Went to the funfair.
Then to the football.
Rangers won 3-1.
All the people around me were laughing and cheering
I thought football is fun.
On the way home he said we are at home next week would you like to come again.
I did and they won again.
The rest is history.
I have often wondered if as an impressional 9yr old if it was cold and raining and they had lost and everyone was miserable and moaning would I have wanted to go again..
Now myself and 2 sons have been season ticket holders for many years now. | | | |
| 70 years on 17:39 - Jul 3 with 4112 views | qprmarkoct1966 |
Bloody Hell , 60 Years and counting this October. First game , home to Grimsby Town , won 5-1 , was at Wembley in 67 , 5th Generation now ! Had some great times , used to ruin the weekend when we lost , a bit more sanguine now. Its now about being amongst friends and family and the memories made with my old man until he passed. Followed the R's all over the country , had a few close shaves but would not change a thing, got a good feeling about this season , renewed so we go again , come on my team x | | | |
| 70 years on 23:26 - Aug 3 with 2465 views | Boston |
| 70 years on 17:39 - Jul 3 by qprmarkoct1966 |
Bloody Hell , 60 Years and counting this October. First game , home to Grimsby Town , won 5-1 , was at Wembley in 67 , 5th Generation now ! Had some great times , used to ruin the weekend when we lost , a bit more sanguine now. Its now about being amongst friends and family and the memories made with my old man until he passed. Followed the R's all over the country , had a few close shaves but would not change a thing, got a good feeling about this season , renewed so we go again , come on my team x |
I could do with a little more sanguine on occasion. | |
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| 70 years on 05:22 - Aug 4 with 2278 views | kernowhoop |
| 70 years on 13:32 - Jun 29 by ted_hendrix |
Great thread, first game my older Brother took me 1958, I was Eight years old, I'm not 100% sure but I think It was against Orient.
Stood in the corner of the loft, there was a tea hut behind us and late on during the game a proper old punch up started behind us, thinking back (which Is a a bit hard, I recall that the blokes fighting looked like the actors In Peaky Blinders).
Me Brother grabbed me arm as It was getting a bit ugly and we had to scarper out of the ground, I thought It was great watching them blokes scrapping, we got the trolleybus home and me Brother told me not to tell the old Man abut the punch up or I wouldn't be allowed to go again.
I loved that first game really loved It, the smell of grass, the smell of mud the smell of Bovril the language, the crowd, standing behind that dwarf wall so close to the players and the pitch.
There's no amount of money can buy that first time feeling/emotion/experience or whatever It's called.
I quite love loving my club. |
Another smell, Ted, but probably only if you were somewhere near the players' tunnel... Elliman's Embrocation.
I swore by it when I played (amateur) and at it if I managed to rub it into broken skin. | | | |
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