We're back in Southampton on Saturday for the first time in eight years, and for the history this week we're heading back to 1988 when Trevor Francis secured his first win as QPR manager in fine style.

Memorable Match

Southampton 1 QPR 4, Saturday December 31, 1988, First Division

There was little indication of what was to come prior to QPR’s trip to The Dell on New Year’s Eve in 1988. Manager Jim Smith had left for Newcastle leaving his veteran striker Trevor Francis to take charge, and Rangers had won only one of their previous seven matches in the First Division. Southampton meanwhile had only lost four games all season and had already beaten Rangers 1-0 at Loftus Road back in September. They had, however, drawn the three matches prior to this one.

Francis had scored and done everything possible to secure points from the Boxing Day game at Aston Villa but the R’s were beaten 2-1 and going into the Southampton game the new manager was still looking for his first win. Graham Baker dragged an early shot wide for the hosts and then David Seaman had to dive at the feet of Matt Le Tissier after he turned into space in the penalty area onto a cross from Rod Wallace. When Paul Parker then cleared a shot from Wallace off the line things seemed to be going to form but the R’s made it to half time all square.

In the opening stages of the second period a purposeful run by Danny Wallace ended with a low shot that Seaman needed two attempts to save. Then Rangers exploded into life. Martin Allen, flat footed when receiving an initial pass on the right wing and sloppy in conceding possession, didn’t need to wait long for a second opportunity as the ball immediately rebounded back to him and he cracked an unstoppable shot into the far corner of the net from the best part of 30 yards out.

Le Tissier headed onto the top of Seaman’s bar and then bagged the equaliser with a powerful low shot in the midst of a goal mouth scramble after Seaman had made a wonderful save to deny Glenn Cockerill in the first instance. Rangers held that lead for just ten minutes and almost went behind immediately as more penalty box carnage ended with Baker lobbing a neat header over Seaman but fractionally wide of the post.

The home fans sang “we’re going to score in a minute” but Rangers had other ideas and the game changed when Francis and his assistant Peter Shreeves replaced David Pizanti with Simon Barker from the bench. Within ten minutes the R’s had scored a second through Barker who found himself totally unmarked on the far side of the penalty area as Francis and Coney missed a low cross from Allen — Francis deliberately, Coney less so — and finished nervously with a bobbling shot that beat Tim Flowers and nestled in the far corner off the base of the post.

Rattled, Southampton then contrived to concede a third in the last minute by dallying in defence and giving Mark Falco encouragement to chase apparently lost causes. His hard work paid dividends when the ball fell to him 25 yards out and he launched a trademark first time volley with his left foot that dipped beautifully into the back of the net over Flowers’ head.

Statham was lucky to escape a stoppage time sending off when he hauled Martin Allen back as he threatened to run through on goal, and then kicked through Trevor Francis after the restart for good measure. But QPR maintained their composure and rather than keep the ball in the corner Barker decided to sling over a cross that Falco headed in from close range. It put the seal on QPR’s biggest away win since a 4-0 success at Wolves in September 1983, and sent the travelling fans crammed into the chocolate box terrace behind the goal home very happy indeed.

Falco was on target again two days later as Rangers held Norwich to a 1-1 draw at Loftus Road — the Canaries had lost only two games all season to that point and were chasing the league title. The R’s eventually finished ninth.

Southampton: Flowers, Forrest, Statham, Moore, Osman, Case, Cockerill, Baker, R Wallace, D Wallace, Le Tissier

QPR: Seaman, Pizanti (Barker), McDonald, Law, Parker, Maddix, Allen, Falco, Francis, Stein (Ardiles), Coney

Attendance: 15,086

Classic Encounters

LFW regular and AKUTR’s columnist Dave Barton has set up a QPR Memories YouTube channel, with a mixture of clips, classic games, and old highlights packages. His Southampton packages are embedded below, give him a subscribe on YouTube or follow @QPR_Memories on Twitter.

Recent Meetings

QPR 0 Southampton 1, Saturday February 7, 2015, Premier League

QPR’s fairly miserable attempt to stay in the Premier League in 2014/15 was dealt another blow at Loftus Road in February when Southampton won 1-0. After a shambolic transfer window, in which Harry Redknapp had at one point loaned Mauro Zarate and then attempted to send him back so he could loan Callum McManaman instead, the manager resigned on the eve of this game citing a crippling knee problem that required “immediate surgery” – he’s still waiting for that operation incidentally, though I guess that’s the state of NHS waiting lists these days. With Chris Ramsey in caretaker control for the first time, Sadio Mane won a dire encounter with a goal in injury time.

QPR: Green 6; Onuoha 5, Caulker 5, Dunne 6 (Vargas 83, -), Hill 5; Phillips 6, Barton 7, Fer 7, Traore 5 (Isla 73, 6); Austin 6, Taarabt 6 (Zarate 63, 6)

Subs not used: McCarthy, Kranjcar, Henry, Zamora

Bookings: Barton 13 (foul), Hill 57 (foul)

Southampton: Forster 7; Clyne 6, Fonte 7, Yoshida 6, Targett 6 (Gardos 26, 6); Wanyama 6 (Schneiderlin 61, 6), Davis 6; Ellia 8 (Tadic 80, 6), Ward Prowse 6, Mane 8; Pelle 6

Subs not used: Davis, Reed, Flanagan, Seager

Goals: Mane 90+3 (assisted Yoshida)

Bookings: Schneiderlin 74 (foul), Forster 90+5 (dissent)

Southampton 2 QPR 1, Saturday September 27, 2014, Premier League

QPR were beaten at St Mary’s for the first time back in September as their poor start to the season, and Southampton’s lightning fast one, continued apace. Rangers were a good deal better than they had been in four goal defeats at Man Utd and Spurs prior to this trip, and scored a fabulous goal through Charlie Austin’s smooth turn and volley. But that was only an equaliser after Robert Green allowed Ryan Bertrand’s shot to squirm through him and into the net, and the R’s were level for a matter of seconds thanks to Pelle’s outrageous overhead kick which turned out to be the winner. Niko Kranjcar hit the bar with a free kick late on.

Southampton: Foster 6; Clyne 7, Alderweireld 6, Fonte 6, Bertrand 8; Wanyama 7 (Cork 69, 6), Davis 7, Schneiderlin 7; Tadic 8 (Targett 90, -) Mane 7 (Long 68, 6), Pelle¨ 8

Subs: Davis, Mayuka, Reed, McCarthy

Goals: Bertrand 53 (assisted Mane) Pelle 67 (assisted Tadic)

Bookings: Clyne 25 (foul) Mane© 32 (foul)

QPR: Green 6; Isla 4, Caulker 6, Ferdinand 5, Traore 6; Sandro — (Henry 11, 7) Phillips 5 (Hoilett 58, 6), Fer 6, Kranjcar 7; Vargas 6 (Zamora 77, 6), Austin 6

Subs: Hill, McCarthy, Dunne, Onuoha

Goals: Austin 65 (assisted Vargas)

Bookings: Henry 29 (foul)

Southampton 1 QPR 2, Saturday March 2, 2013, Premier League

QPR, destined for relegation, sprung a surprise on their visit to St Mary’s in 2013, recording a 2-1 victory. The R’s only won four times all season, twice away from home, and went into the game on a run of six without a win, fresh from a 4-1 loss at Swansea and 2-0 defeat at home to Man Utd. To compound matters, the papers on the morning of the match carried reports of a warm weather training break the week before descending into a drunken mess. With Southampton baying for the blood of their former manager Harry Redknapp, more closely associated with Portsmouth of course, it seemed like another trashing was in order but Loic Remy confidently strode through on Artur Boruc’s goal to give them an early lead. Typically poor goalkeeper from Julio Cesar allowed Gaston Ramirez to equalise on half time but the R’s secured an unlikely victory when Ji Sung Park remained upright for the first, and only, time in his Super Hoop career just long enough to cross for Jay Bothroyd, and even that useless streak of piss couldn’t miss from four yards out. Rangers won a week later at home to Sunderland as well, their first back-to-back Premier League wins in more than 15 years, sparking hopes of a revival. They took just two points from the final nine matches after that and finished dead last.

Southampton: Boruc 6, Clyne 6, Yoshida 5, Fonte 6, Fox 5 (Shaw 57, 6), Schneiderlin 6, Cork 6, Puncheon 5, Ramirez 6 (Ward-Prowse 74, 6), Lallana 6 (Rodriguez 43, 6), Lambert 6

Subs not used: K Davis, S Davis, Richardson, Do Prado

Goals: Ramirez 45 (assisted Rodriguez)

Bookings: Fonte 45 (foul)

QPR: Cesar 4 (Green 74, 7), Bosingwa 6, Samba 7, Hill 7, Traore 6, Park 6, Granero 5 (Jenas 53, 6), Mbia 6, Remy 7, Hoilett 7, Bothroyd 7 (Fabio 90, -)

Subs not used: Onuoha, Taarabt, Townsend, Mackie

Goals: Remy 14 (assisted Hoilett), Bothroyd 77 (assisted Park)

Bookings: Bothroyd 16 (foul), Mbia 22 (foul), Traore 44 (foul)

QPR 1 Southampton 3, Saturday November 17, 2012, Premier League

Mark Hughes was put out of his well-paid misery at QPR by one of his former clubs Southampton in November 2012. Without a win from the first 11 league games, the Welshman was already under pressure before an insipid display allowed the visitors to win far more comfortably than the 3-1 scoreline suggests and provoke and angry response from the QPR fans. The game was up before half time as Rickie Lambert scored a trademark opener and Jason Puncheon lashed in from long range sparking the first real, concerted, audible protest against Hughes’ reign from the Loftus Road faithful. Junior Hoilett pulled a goal back immediately after half time but it proved to be a false dawn and a typically inept own goal from Anton Ferdinand sealed the match with eight minutes to go. Hughes was sacked prior to the following match at Manchester United.

QPR: Cesar 6, Bosingwa 2 (Fabio 73, 5), Ferdinand 2, Nelsen 8, Traore 2, Granero 4, Faurlin 5 (Mackie 45, 7), Diakite 4 (Derry 71, 6), Hoilett 5, Taarabt 7, Cisse 4

Subs not used: Green, Wright-Phillips, Dyer, Ehmer

Goals: Hoilett 48 (assisted Taarabt)

Bookings: Bosingwa 68 (handball)

Southampton: Gazzaniga 4, Clyne 8, Yoshida 6, Fonte 6, Shaw 7 (Fox 74, 6), Schneiderlin 6, Ramirez 7 (Davis 61, 6), Cork 6, Lallana 8, Puncheon 8, Lambert 8 (Rodriguez 90, -)

Subs not used: K Davis, Hooiveld, Ward-Prowse, Mayuka

Goals: Lambert 22 (assisted Ramirez), Puncheon 45 (unassisted), Ferdinand og 82 (assisted Schneiderlin)

Southampton 0 QPR 0, Saturday March 14, 2009, Championship

These sides hadn’t met since 2009 prior to this season, and the previous meeting between them was about the least memorable game of football ever played. Southampton were about to be relegated after a raft of cost cuts had seen the first team squad merged with the academy one and put under the guidance of little-known Dutchman Jan Poortvliet while Rangers were just starting to find out what they’d let themselves in for by having Flavio Briatore as chairman. Paulo Sousa was the second QPR manager of the season already when the R’s travelled south in March and a dire goalless draw here in which literally nothing of any note happened whatsoever extended the Hoops run of games without a win to nine. They subsequently won two and drew one of the next three but Sousa was sacked anyway after making comments to supporters outside the stadium about the club’s transfer and medical policy that were subsequently posted onto message boards.

Southampton: Davis 6, James 6, Saeijs 6, Perry 6, Skacel 7, Lallana 6 (Thomson 74, 6), Gillett 6, McGoldrick 7, Surman 6, Euell 5, Saganowski 5 (Wright-Phillips 77, 6)

Subs Not Used: Forecast, Wotton, Liptak

Booked: James (foul), McGoldrick (foul)

QPR: Cerny 6, Ramage 7, Stewart 6, Gorkss 7, Connolly 6, Ephraim 6 (Taarabt 78, 7), Miller 5 (German 71, 6), Lopez 6 (Mahon 87, -), Leigertwood 6, Routledge 5, Blackstock 5

Subs Not Used: Hall, Alberti

Booked: Gorkss (kicking ball away), Stewart (obstructing goalkeeper)

QPR 4 Southampton 1, Sunday September 14, 2008, Championship

Easy to forget, given how short his reign as QPR manager was, but Iain Dowie actually won eight of his 15 matches in football’s hottest seat. The best of those arguably came against Southampton at Loftus Road live on Sky. Dexter Blackstock slammed in from close range against his former club in the opening minute and when Jan Poortvliet’s naïve young Saints team was reduced to ten men before half time — debutant Olly Lancashire dismissed for a rash lunge — the points seemed assured. But the visitors took the game to rangers after half time and scored a fabulous equaliser thanks to a mazy dribble and finish from Adam Lallana. The Loftus Road faithful are used to seeing their team crumble under the pressure of such situations but to be fair the R’s rallied, took the lead thanks to a header from a suspiciously offside Damion Stewart, and then picked off the short-handed visitors on the counter with further goals for Blackstock and Patrick Agyemang.

QPR: Cerny 6, Ramage 5, Stewart 7, Connolly 7, Delaney 7, Mahon 5, Leigertwood 7, Ephraim 6 (Rowlands 8), Parejo 6 (Agyemang 8), Cook 6, Blackstock 8

Subs Not Used: Camp, Gorkss, Balanta

Booked: Leigertwood (foul), Delaney (foul)

Goals: Blackstock 1 (assisted Mahon), Stewart 63 (assisted Rowlands), Blackstock 77 (assisted Agyemang), Agyemang 90 (assisted Cook)

Southampton: Davis 9, Wotton 6, Lancashire 4, Cork 5, Gillett 6, James 6, Surman 6, Holmes 6 (Dyer 23, 7), Schneiderlin 6 (Pekhart 69, 6), Lallana 7, McGoldrick 6

Subs Not Used: Bialkowski, Perry, John

Sent Off: Lancashire (30) (two footed tackle)

Booked: Schneiderlin (foul), Dyer (foul)

Goals: Lallana 53 (unassisted)

Southampton 2 QPR 3, Saturday February 9, 2008, Championship

By the time Rangers went down to St Mary’s for the return fixture in 2007/08, they’d changed manager, chairman and essentially the entire team from the first meeting between the sides earlier in the season. Luigi De Canio was in the hot seat and had just completed a busy transfer window of six new signings. One of those, Patrick Agyemang from Preston, was in the midst of a once-in-a-career run of eight goals from six starts and he got another two here along with a Martin Rowlands strike as Rangers recovered from conceding in the first minute of the game to eventually win 3-2.

Southampton: Davis 5, Thomas 4 (Viafara 52, 6), Powell 5, Davies 6, Wright 3, Hammill 7 (Saganowski 46, 6), Safri 5, Euell 4, Surman 7, Wright-Phillips 5 (Lallana 68, 6), John 6

Subs Not Used: Bialkowski, Idiakez

Sent Off: Safri (78) (violent conduct)

Booked: Powell (foul) , Viafara (foul)

Goals: Powell 1 (assisted Hammil), John 90 (assisted Viafara)

QPR: Camp 7, Mancienne 7, Rehman 8, Connolly 7, Delaney 8, Lee 6 (Buzsaky 46, 7), Mahon 7, Rowlands 8, Ephraim 7 (Leigertwood 83, -),Vine 8, Agyemang 8 (Blackstock 79, 7)

Subs Not Used: Pickens, Stewart

Booked: Buzsaky (dissent), Delaney (foul)

Goals: Rowlands 38 (assisted Vine), Agyemang 45 (assisted Ephraim), 60 (assisted Camp)

QPR 0 Southampton 3, Saturday September 1, 2007, Championship

QPR’s lousy start to the 2007/08 season continued with a comprehensive 3-0 home defeat by Southampton, but the game was completely overshadowed by the death f young striker Ray Jones the week before. Rangers’ previous match away at Burnley had been postponed at the eleventh hour after Jones was killed in a car crash the night before and this was the first time his team mates took to the field. Southampton will forever be fondly remembered for the respectful behaviour of their players and fans on the day, but once the play was underway they were streets ahead of their bereaved hosts. Two goals Grzegorz Rasiak and another for Bradley Wright-Phillips sealed a 3-0 win that could have been at least twice as heavy had the Saints really wanted to twist the knife.

QPR: Camp 7, Curtis 4, Stewart 3, Mancienne 6 (Cullip 84, -), Barker 3, Rowlands 4, Leigertwood 5, Bolder 4, Ephraim 4, Blackstock 4 (Nygaard 69, 6), Sahar 4 (Nardiello 69, 5).

Subs Not Used: Cole, Bignot.

Booked: Camp (foul), Cullip (foul).

Southampton: Davis N/A, Wright 7, Thomas 7, Makin 8, Vignal 7, Dyer 9, Viafara 8, Safri 7, Surman 7 (Euell 64, 7), Wright-Phillips 8 (Saganowski 73, 7), Rasiak 8 (John 83, -)

Subs Not Used: Bialkowski, Ostlund.

Goals: Rasiak 18, 45, Wright-Phillips 49.

Previous Results

Head to Head >>> Southampton wins 29 >>> Draws 21 >>> QPR wins 27

2014/15 QPR 0 Southampton 1

2014/15 Southampton 2 QPR 1 (Austin)

2012/13 Southampton 1 QPR 2 (Remy, Bothroyd)

2012/13 QPR 1 Southampton 3 (Hoilett)

2008/09 Southampton 0 QPR 0

2008/09 QPR 4 Southampton 1 (Blackstock 2, Agyemang, Stewart)

2007/08 Southampton 2 QPR 3 (Agyemang 2, Rowlands)

2007/08 QPR 0 Southampton 3

2006/07 QPR 0 Southampton 2

2006/07 Southampton 1 QPR 2 (Blackstock, Jones)

2005/06 QPR 1 Southampton 0 (Langley)

2005/06 Southampton 1 QPR 1 (Shittu)

1995/96 QPR 3 Southampton 0 (Brevett, Dichio, Gallen)

1995/96 Southampton 2 QPR 0

1994/95 Southampton 2 QPR 1 (Ferdinand)

1994/95 QPR 2 Southampton 2 (Barker, Gallen)

1993/94 Southampton 0 QPR 1 (Ferdinand)

1993/94 QPR 2 Southampton 1 (Penrice, Wilson)

1992/93 Southampton 1 QPR 2 (Sinton, Channing)

1992/93 QPR 3 Southampton 1 (Ferdinand 2, Bardsley)

1991/92 Southampton 2 QPR 1 (Ferdinand)

1991/92 Southampton 2 QPR 0*

1991/92 QPR 2 Southampton 2 (Barker, Thompson)

1990/91 QPR 2 Southampton 1 (Ferdinand 2)

1990/91 Southampton 3 QPR 1 (Falco)

1989/90 Southampton 0 QPR 2 (Maddix, Wegerle)

1989/90 QPR 1 Southampton 4 (T Francis)

1988/89 Southampton 1 QPR 4 (Falco 2, M Allen, Barker)

1988/89 QPR 0 Southampton 1

1987/88 QPR 3 Southampton 0 (Bannister, Falco, Fereday)

1987/88 Southampton 0 QPR 1 (Brock)

1986/87 QPR 2 Southampton 1 (Byrne, Bannister)

1986/87 Southampton 5 QPR 1 (M Allen)

1985/86 QPR 0 Southampton 2

1985/86 Southampton 3 QPR 0

1984/85 QPR 0 Southampton 4

1984/85 QPR 4 Southampton 0**(Fenwick 2, Waddock, Neill)

1984/85 QPR 0 Southampton 0**

1984/85 Southampton 1 QPR 1**(Fenwick)

1984/85 Southampton 1 QPR 1 (Fereday)

1983/84 QPR 4 Southampton 0 (Wicks, Mickelwhite, C Allen, Waddock)

1983/84 Southampton 0 QPR 0

1978/79 QPR 0 Southampton 1

1978/79 Southampton 1 QPR 1 (Goddard)

1973/74 Southampton 2 QPR 2 (Bowles, Francis)

1973/74 QPR 1 Southampton 1 (Givens)

1968/69 Southampton 3 QPR 2 (Marsh, Bridges)

1968/69 QPR 1 Southampton 1 (L Allen)

1959/60 QPR 0 Southampton 1

1959/60 Southampton 2 QPR 1 (Bedford)

1958/59 Southampton 1 QPR 0

1958/59 QPR 0 Southampton 1*

1958/59 QPR 2 Southampton 2 (Longbottom, Petchley)

1957/58 QPR 3 Southampton 2 (Longbottom 2, Woods)

1957/58 Southampton 5 QPR 0

1956/57 Southampton 1 QPR 2 (Hellawell, Longbottom)

1956/57 QPR 1 Southampton 2 (Hellawell)

1955/56 QPR 4 Southampton 0 (Shepherd 2, Smith, Angell)

1955/56 Southampton 4 QPR 0

1954/55 Southampton 2 QPR 2 (Clark, Shepherd)

1954/55 QPR 2 Southampton 2 (Smith, Wilkins og)

1953/54 Southampton 3 QPR 1 (Hawkins)

1953/54 QPR 0 Southampton 1

1951/52 QPR 2 Southampton 1 (Addinall, Hold)

1951/52 Southampton 1 QPR 1 (Smith)

1950/51 Southampton 2 QPR 2 (Addinall 2)

1950/51 QPR 2 Southampton 0 (Farrow, Smith)

1949/50 Southampton 1 QPR 2 (Neary 2)

1949/50 QPR 1 Southampton 0 (Hudson)

1948/49 QPR 1 Southampton 3 (Pointon)

1948/49 Southampton 3 QPR 0

1945/46 QPR 4 Southampton 3*(Addinall 3, Stock)

1945/46 Southampton 0 QPR 1* (Addinall)

1921/22 Southampton 1 QPR 1 (Birch)

1921/22 QPR 2 Southampton 2 (Birch, Chandler)

1920/21 QPR 0 Southampton 0

1920/21 Southampton 2 QPR 2 (Manning, Gregory)

* - FA Cup

** - League Cup

Connections

Colin Clarke >>> Southampton 1986-1989 >>> QPR 1989-1990

Colin Clarke is a bit of an odd one, as far as QPR history goes. He came, he scored frequently, and then he left. The QPR fans didn’t much like him, and he didn’t much like being at QPR.

This despite him scoring a last minute winner at Newcastle on his debut in a relegation six-pointer against the team manager Jim Smith had walked out on QPR earlier in the season to join. He then scored a week later on his home debut as well, curling home a late free kick to snatch a draw at home to Luton Town. And he subsequently bagged goals in a 4-3 home win against Wimbledon and a 3-0 success against Coventry. The following season he opened his account with an equaliser at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea.

So here we have a player who arrived, albeit for a then club record fee of £800,000, at a time when QPR were struggling, scored crucial goals to lift us up the league, scored goals to prevent defeats against Luton and Chelsea, and yet struggled to win over the QPR fans. Having been signed originally by Trevor Francis he left at the end of the 1989/90 season to join Portsmouth for £400,000 after Francis had been replaced by Don Howe.

Clarke was originally a trainee with Ipswich but began his career with Fourth Division Peterborough United in 1981/82. Some 18 goals and 84 appearances later he moved to fellow bottom division side Tranmere Rovers in 1984 and scored 22 goals in his first season as the Merseysiders narrowly missed out on promotion. While Tranmere weren’t able to take up a spot in the Third Division, Clarke was thanks to a transfer to Bournemouth where again he was prolific (26 goals in 46 appearances in 1985/86) but again the team narrowly missed out on a promotion.

Once more a team in a higher division came calling for his services regardless. This time it was Southampton — a fine side at the time with the likes of the Wallace brothers and Matthew Le Tissier progressing through the ranks — and he was the Saints top scorer in the First Division in 1986-87 with 20 goals. Three of those came on the opening day of the season when QPR lost 5-1 at The Dell on David Seaman’s debut for the club. Another 16 goals followed in 1987/88 but he lost form and fitness the following year and was transferred to Loftus Road.

It’s maybe this fitness issue that prevented him from being a roaring success in W12. The LFW message board regulars say:

“Clarke got a lot of unfair stick. My dad used to scream “take that piano off your back” as he ran so slow it was if, errrrr, well he was carrying a piano on his back. He was a decent finisher, came in under Trevor Francis and his goals kept us up including the winner at Newcastle when the Martin Allen thing kicked off. He replaced Bannister though and for us kids of the 1980's it was a bit like replacing Ferdinand with Dichio, although the latter was fine and scored goals he was never as good as the previous guy.” — Dave Barton

“Colin Clarke, if memory serves me well, was a bit of a Heidar-lite...'cept he wasn't that light, always looked a bit on the tubby side to me. A poor man's Mark Falco may be another comparison. He played in a less than exciting R’s team (though what would we give for its top flight mid-table security now), and coming after Bannister and Byrne but before Les, is understandably forgotten when strikers from the 80s & 90s are recalled.” — Nick Gordon-Brown

“My best memory of Colin Clarke is in a home game against Norwich where he got a last minute winner - went in two footed in a 50-50 with Bryan Gunn, took him out and tapped into an empty net. Norwich proceeded to go mental, but the goal stood. Would never have been even close these days...” — QueensParker

“Colin Clarke scored a hat trick against us on Seaman’s debut. He was also the boo boys favourite target at one point and was the reason for my only fisty cuffs at football when some idiot booed him before he even got on the pitch at Highbury. He also once won me a tidy wedge when he slid in in Bryan Gunn of Norwich, stole the ball off him, casually walked the ball into an empty net to win the game 2-1 which I had done on my coupon.” — Loftboy

“Colin Clarke was always known as "Burgers Clarkie". I vaguely remember a game where he was lumbering down the flanks, forlornly carrying his excess timber down the channels in an aimless pursuit of a long ball. Some guy near me shouted out "Clarkey...Clarkey...burgers Clarkey!" in the same way you'd try and coax a dog to come to you. It was a very funny moment, and burnt on my memory.” — Real Loftus

Clarke was also a Northern Ireland international, amassing 38 caps and 13 goals between 1986 and 1993. His tally puts him one ahead of Iain Dowie and Gerry Armstrong, four ahead of George Best but 23 behind David Healy in the nation’s national goalscoring records.

After leaving for Portsmouth he played on for another three years, reaching an FA Cup semi-final in 1992 but losing to Liverpool on penalties, and then retired in 1993 due to a knee injury.

Since then he has embarked on an eclectic coaching career based mostly in the US with first the Richmond Kickers, then San Diego Flash and then MLS side FC Dallas with whom he won the Western Conference and was beaten in the play offs in both 2005 and 2006.He then coached the Virginia Beach mariners for four months until the club folded and most recently he’s been in charge of the Puerto Rico Islanders (club side) and the Puerto Rico national team.

Others >>> Ryan Manning, Southampton 2023-present, QPR 2015-2020 >>> Joe Lumley, Southampton 2023-present, QPR 2013-2021 >>> Mark Hughes, Southampton (manager) 2018, 1998-2000, QPR (manager) 2012 >>> Harry Redknapp, QPR (manager) 2012-2015, Southampton (manager) 2004-2005 >>> Jason Puncheon, Southampton 2010-2013, QPR (loan) 2011 >>> Martin Cranie, Southampton 2004-2007, QPR (loan) 2007 >>> Fitz Hall, Southampton 2003-2004, QPR 2008-2012 >>> Inigo Idiakez, Southampton 2006-2008, QPR (loan) 2007 >>> Dexter Blackstock, Southampton 2003-2006, QPR 2006-2009 >>> Paul Jones, Southampton 1997-2004, QPR 2006-2007 >>> Leon Best, Southampton 2004-2007, QPR (loan) 2004-2007 >>> Andrew Davies, QPR (loan) 2005, Southampton 2007-2008 >>> Christer Warren, Southampton 1995-1997, QPR 2000-2002 >>> Peter Crouch, QPR 2000-2001, Southampton 2004-2005 >>>Iain Dowie, Southampton 1991-1995, QPR 1998-2001, (manager) 2008 >>> Paul Murray, QPR 1996-2001, Southampton 2001 >>> Nigel Quashie, QPR 1995-1998, 2010, Southampton 2005-2006 >>>Mark Hughes, Southampton 1998-2000, QPR (manager) 2012-present >>> Jim Magilton, Southampton 1994-1997, QPR (manager) 2009 >>> Neil Ruddock, Southampton 1989-1992, QPR (loan) 1998 >>> Tim Flowers, Southampton 1986-1993, QPR (coach) 2008 >>> Mark Dennis, Southampton 1983-1987, QPR 1987-1988 >>> Sammy Lee, QPR 1986-1987, Southampton 1990 >>> Tony Sealy, Southampton 1977-1979, QPR 1981-1983 >>> John Burridge, QPR 1980-1982, Southampton 1987-1989 >>> Frank Saul, Southampton 1968-1970, QPR 1970-1972 >>> Joe Mallett, QPR 1937-1947, Southampton 1947-1953 >>> Len Hill, QPR 1920-1925, Southampton 1925-1926 >>> Herbert Lock, Southampton 1907-1909, QPR 1921-1922 >>> Albert Brown, Southampton 1901-1902, QPR 1902-1904

With credit to Bushman on QPR Report for some of the older ones.

Tweet @loftforwords

Pictures — Action Images

Action Images

RsinWales added 22:49 - Aug 23 That game in 88 is one I remember very well. Freezing cold day, an away end with more fencing than Colditz and a wonderful game. Was never a 4-1 game, which made it all the more enjoyable. Me and a mate came alongside the team bus on the way back to London, giving it large with scarves out the windows and celebrating a great awayday.
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