To the Manor Ground - History Tuesday, 8th Apr 2025 11:20 by Clive Whittingham A wave of optimism that greeted Chris Wright's takeover of QPR in the mid-1990s quickly descended into a financial nightmare and relegation to the Second Division - decay perfectly illustrated across Rangers' last three visits to Oxford's Manor Ground. Memorable MatchOxford United 2 QPR 3, Saturday March 29, 1997, First Division QPR were relegated from the Premier League in 1995/96. For years they’d successfully sold their best player each summer (Paul Parker, Andy Sinton, Darren Peacock) but been able to replace well on a tight budget — Trevor Sinclair from Blackpool to replace Sinton arguably the outstanding example. But the loss of Les Ferdinand, the team’s talismanic centre forward, to be replaced by Mark Hateley and the inexperienced Danny Dichio, allied to Clive Wilson leaving for Spurs after a contract wrangle and David Bardsley getting a long term injury, was too much quality going out of the side all at once without adequate replacement. Richard Thompson’s failure to invest in a team arguably only a goalkeeper and Ray Wilkins replacement away from serious tilts at league, cups and European football cost him and the club dearly, as they departed the top table for the first time since the early 1980s just as the television money started to get astronomical. Optimism, nevertheless, was high going into the first season back in the second tier. There would be new grounds to visit, and we’d be doing it with a team that would almost certainly be coming straight back. The hated boards of the past had finally been prised out of the club after years of protest, and QPR fan and Chrysalis boss Chris Wright was finally in charge willing to spend money to rebuild the team. Kevin Gallen and Trevor Sinclair had remained, Wilkins was kept on as manager, and Loftus Road expected.
Oxford were an awkward first opponent. Denis Smith was leading them on a climb up the Football League for which he’d be rewarded with a bigger gig at West Brom. They’d given QPR a fright over two legs in the League Cup a year prior, and gone on to win promotion from the Second Division in second place, a point ahead of Blackpool in third courtesy of a remarkable run of one loss in their final 17 fixtures. They won 13 of those, including the last four to clinch the promotion, and along the way beat hated local rivals Swindon 3-0, Peterborough 4-0, Burnley 5-0 and Shrewsbury 6-0. This was a team with Matt Elliott at centre half, who would go on to win League Cup and play in Europe with Leicester, former Forest starlet Nigel Jemson in attack, and perennial scourge of QPR Joey Beauchamp on the wing, fresh from blowing up his big money move from Swindon to West Ham. That momentum, and QPR’s hangover, looked like it might produce an upset on day one when Jemson made the most of a fast start with the opening goal. Wilkins’ blind faith in Hateley had stretched into a second season, with the old carthorse started up top ahead of Danny Dichio, and QPR were labouring until Kevin Gallen got in on Trevor Sinclair’s assist on a narrow angle and finished sharply across the goalkeeper into the far corner. Dichio replaced Hateley soon after and scored the winner with ten to play, striding onto a back post cross and bulleting a header into the top corner.
The partnership of Dichio, and especially Gallen, was another great hope for that season. Man Utd had been linked with the latter and it was seen as a coup for QPR to hang onto both him and Sinclair at the lower level. The following Friday, in a televised away game at Portsmouth, Gallen scored twice in another 2-1 win to leave Rangers six for six at the start of the season. Sadly, infamously, he blew his knee out in the process of turning home the winning goal and didn’t play again that season. A draw at Wolves, with a spectacular Dichio goal, followed before Bolton won at Loftus Road. Backroom politics between the new board, Wilkins and CEO Clive Berlin saw the manager depart after that game. Stewart Houston was recruited at great expense from Arsenal where he’d impressed in prolonged caretaker spells, but his decision to bring his old boss Bruce Rioch with him as a role-reversal assistant was not a conspicuous success and he took too long to spend the money available to him, costing the R’s the permanent addition of impressive loanee Matt Jackson and leaving too much ground to make up when Gavin Peacock and the superb John Spencer were belatedly recruited in November. Spencer and Peacock sparked a run of five wins from five through December, and the team went on another hot streak through the latter third of the season. Rangers won seven of ten games through March and April, including a memorable 3-0 at Maine Road against Man City. This run included a chaotic Easter Saturday trip to Oxford’s Manor Ground. Jemson caught Rangers cold once more, chopped down in the box by Steve Yates after just ten minutes and up off the deck to calmly convert the penalty himself. Yates atoned for that mistake soon after when Dichio climbed and nodded on Simon Barker’s free kick allowing the centre back to touch and shoot past oxford understudy goalkeeper Elliott Jackson. Rangers always struggled with Beauchamp’s set piece deliveries in these games, and although Paul Moody claimed a touch on the line it still looks to this day like the winger’s high arcing corner delivery deceived Sommer and went all the way in at the far post by itself. Oxford back in front within a minute of Rangers drawing level. By half time, improbably, QPR were in front. They equalised for a second time when Rufus Brevett closed down a clearance and the ball rebounded favourably for Dichio who picked up his second assist of the game by laying the ball into the path of Spencer to bury into the bottom corner. And two became three on the stroke of half time when Dichio flicked on to Sepncer and he laid Peacock through to draw the keeper and chip into the empty net from the edge of the box. Five goals in the first half gave way to a scoreless second period and 3-2 QPR away win. Sadly the earlier poor runs meant the gap was too great and QPR ended up ninth in the First Division with a team that included Spencer, Peacock, Sinclair, Rufus Brevett, Paul Murray, Andy Impey, Danny Dichio, Alan McDonald, Simon Barker and others. Oxford finished seventeenth and would stay in the division another two seasons under first Smith and later Malcolm Shotton. They haven’t been back at this level since, until now. That would prove a terrible waste of an opportunity that would come back to haunt QPR as the Wright-era quickly unravelled in mismanagement and financial catastrophe. The 1997/98 season started well, with the R’s joint top at the end of September after five wins in six, but a long losing run say Houston and Rioch dismissed and replaced by Ray Harford who walked out on West Brom for the job having infamously promised Chris Wright he’d easily get Rangers promoted with the strikers at his disposal – Spencer, fit again Gallen, Sinclair and Slade had now been joined by club record purchase Mike Sheron. One of Harford’s first games saw the R’s well beaten 3-1 at The Manor Ground by Oxford in a live Sky game, with Beauchamp once again running riot. A dreadful 1-1 at Loftus Road, secured with a late Gallen equaliser, was one of six consecutive draws that ultimately secured QPR’s startus in the First Division for another year that April. Things would only get worse still. The team won only one of its first nine games in 1998/99 and Harford’s reign came a grisly end when Oxford went one better than the year before and beat them 4-1 in the last ever meeting between the sides at the old ground. Beauchamp, Murphy, future QPR striker Andy Thomson and a young Dean Windass put the U’s 4-0 up before a spectacular late consolation from Tony Scully. Harford returned to find his car had been trashed in the car park outside, and he resigned as manager soon after. Gerry Francis returned for a second spell in charge and Rangers survived on the final day of the season with a 6-0 home win against hapless Crystal Palace. Once again, a late home result against Oxford – Rob Steiner winning a dreadful game 1-0 – proved crucial. Oxford went down instead, finishing second bottom three points and goal difference worse off. 1996/97 Oxford: E Jackson, L Robinson, M Ford, D Smith, C Whyte, P Gilchrist, J Beauchamp, M Gray (M Murphy, 82), P Moody, N Jemson, S Massey (M Aldridge, 82) Subs not used: D Purse Goals: Jemson pen 10, Moody 21 QPR: J Sommer, D Maddix, R Brevett, S Barker, A McDonald, S Yates G Peacock, A Impey, P Murray, D Dichio, J Spencer Subs not used: N Quashie, A Roberts, S Slade Goals: Yates 21, Spencer 28, Peacock 41 1997/98 Oxford: P Whitehead (C Remy, 90), M Gray, M Ford, L Robinson, D Purse, P Gilchrist, S Massey, D Smith, M Aldridge (N Banger, 67), N Jemson, J Beauchamp Subs not used: M Angel Goals: Jemson 3, Beauchamp 36, 49 QPR: T Roberts, M Perry (D Maddix, 79), K Ready, S Yates, R Brevett (M Brazier, 79), P Murray, G Peacock, N Quashie, M Sheron, T Sinclair, J Spencer Subs not used: S Barker Goals: Peacock 19 1998/99 Oxford: P Whitehead, L Robinson, S Marsh, M Gray, P Whelan (M Murphy, 55), P Gilchrist, P Powell, D Smith (D Hill, 81), A Thomson, D Windass (J Cook, 83), J Beauchamp QPR: L Harper, A Heinola (A Scully, 53), I Baraclough, S Yates, K Ready, D Maddix, P Murray (M Rose, 63), G Peacock, G Kulcsar (M Sheron, 70), K Gallen, S Slade Goals: Scully 89 Classic EncountersLFW 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 Norwich packages are embedded below, give him a subscribe on YouTube or follow @QPR_Memories on Twitter. Recent MeetingsQPR 2 Oxford United 0, Wednesday December 11, 2024, Championship One of the worst halves of football ever seen at Loftus Road mercifully gave way to a comfortable QPR victory thanks to a quickfire double after halftime from unlikely goal scorer Sam Field. The result continued Rangers’ recovery from a dire start to the season, but for popular Oxford manager Des Buckingham it meant the end of the road despite winning promotion from League One just a few months prior. QPR: Nardi 6; Dunne 6, Cook 7, Morrison 6 (Chair 84, -), Ashby 4; Varane 6 (Morgan 76, 6), Field 7; Smyth 7 (Fox 76, 5), Madsen 5 (Andersen 67, 6), Saito 7; Kolli 6 (Lloyd 66, 5) Subs not used: Santos, Dixon-Bonner, Bennie, Walsh Goals: Field 53 (assisted Kolli), 68 (assisted Saito) Yellow Cards: Fox 90+1 (foul), Lloyd 90+3 (kicking ball away) Oxford: Cumming 5; Kioso 3 (Dale 88, -), Moore 5, Brown 5, Leigh 3; Brannagan 6; Phillips 4 (Rodrigues 58, 6), Goodrham 6, El Mizouni 5 (McEachran 70, 5), Placheta 4 (Edwards 58, 5); Harris 5 (Scarlett 70, 5) Subs not used; Ingram, Thorniley, Vaulks, Avest Yellow Cards: Brannagan 13 (foul), Moore 27 (foul) QPR 2 Oxford United 0, Tuesday August 24, 2021, League Cup Second Round QPR, and Rob Dickie in particular, were absolutely flying at the start of a 2021/22 season we all hoped would result in a promotion push from Mark Warbuton’s side. Big away wins at Hull and Middlesbrough had got the season up and running, and a 2-0 home win against Coventry waited on the other side of this cup tie. Rangers had beaten Orient on penalties in the first round. One of the big storylines within the overall picture, though, was the goalscoring form of former Oxford centre back Rob Dickie. He’d banged in a 30 yard screamer on the opening day against Millwall, headed in the opening goal at Brisbane Road, scored the third at Hull, and here against his former club again scored an astonishing goal from long range. Sadly, for Dickie, and the team, things would go badly awry after Christmas. They did see the Oxford cup tie through though thanks to Leon Chalmers-Parillon’s own goal, on the way to knocking out Premier League Everton in round three. QPR: Archer 7; Odubajo 6, Kakay 6, Dickie 8 (Gubbins 88, -), Dunne 7, McCallum 6 (Duke-McKenna 64, 6); Thomas 6, Dozzell 6, Chair 7 (Alfa 75, 6); Willock 7, Kelman 6 Subs not used: Walsh Goals: Dickie 26 (unassisted), Chambers-Parillon og 40 (assisted Chair) Bookings: Chair 66 (kicking ball away) Oxford: Eastwood 7; Chambers-Parillon 5, McNally 6, Moore 6, Seddon 7; Sykes 6, Rodriguez 6, McGuane 5 (Brannagan 46, 7); Agyei 6, Winnall 5 (Johnson 69, 6), Holland 6 (Whyte 46, 6) Subs not used: Taylor, Stevens, Mousinho, Cooper Bookings: Sykes 59 (foul), Johnson 76 (foul) QPR 1 Oxford United 0, Wednesday March 3, 1999, First Division Gerry Francis’ attempt to rescue QPR from relegation to the Second Division. Stricken by financial problems and beset with injuries, Francis had been called back in the autumn for a second spell in charge, and quickly picked up six invaluable wins against Barnsley, Bolton, Crewe, Bradford, Port Vale and Norwich. The latter was on Boxing Day, and sadly it was the last the team managed for three months. By the time fellow strugglers Oxford came to town for a midweek game in early March, Rangers were nine games without a win. They did, crucially, win this one though. Rob Steiner, a super signing from Bradford to cover Chris Kiwomya’s injury and Iain Dowie’s crapness, got in goallside and onside onto a hooked through ball just after half time and just got enough power on the shot to bundle it under Paul Gerrard for a scrambled winner. Rangers subsequently won well at home to Swindon and West Brom, but they were their only successes in the final 12 games and when the lost five in a row through to the final day of the season relegation seemed certain. A highly suspicious 6-0 victory against Crystal Palace on the final day saved their bacon. Oxford went down with Bury and Bristol City. QPR: L Miklosko, T Breacker, I Baraclough, M Rose, K Ready, D Maddix (C Plummer 44), G Kulcsar, G Peacock, R Steiner, K Gallen, L Jeanne (P Murray 87) Subs not used: I Dowie Goals: Steiner 46 Bookings: Breacker, Jeanne Oxford: P Gerrard, L Robinson, C Remy (M Murphy, 81), M Gray, M Watson, P Gilchrist, N Banger, P Tait, K Francis (A Thomson, 66), D Windass, J Beauchamp Subs not used: A Rose Bookings: Watson Attendance: 9040 Oxford United 4 QPR 1, Saturday September 26, 1998, First Division There are many pub debates about the lowest moments in QPR’s recent history, and obviously Vauxhall Motors is always front of mind, but Oxford away in September 1998 is right up there. The Chris Wright money had been spent by Stuart Houston, Ray Harford’s promise that he’d definitely win promotion with a strikeforce of Spencer, Sheron and Gallen had turned into a disaster, and Rangers were circling the drain financially and football-wise. They’d won only one of the first 11 games, at home to lowly Stockport, and were soundly trounced by Oxford, and regular foe Joey Beauchamp, in a defensive horror show. Andy Thomson, who’d later help spark the revival of the club as part of Ian Holloway’s Second Division side, bagged the third. The second is one of the worst goals you’ll ever see a professional football team concede. Randomly, Tony Scully’s last minute consolation, was QPR’s Goal of the Season. Harford’s car was vandalised by disgruntled supporters in the car park and he resigned after the match. Oxford: P Whitehead, L Robinson, S Marsh, M Gray, P Whelan (M Murphy, 55), P Gilchrist, P Powell, D Smith (D Hill, 81), A Thomson, D Windass (J Cook, 83), J Beauchamp Goals: Beauchamp 15, Murphy 64, Thomson 72, Windass 75 QPR: L Harper, A Heinola (A Scully, 53), I Baraclough, S Yates, K Ready, D Maddix, S Slade, G Peacock, G Kulcsar (M Sheron, 70), K Gallen, P Murray (M Rose, 63) Goals: Scully 90 Attendance: 7849 Previous ResultsHead to Head >>> Oxford wins 9 >>> Draws 6 >>> QPR wins 16 2024/25 QPR 2 Oxford 0 (Field 2) ConnectionsJim Smith >>> QPR (manager) 1985-1988 >>> Oxford (manager) 1982-1985 When Jim Smith, The Bald Eagle, passed away in December 2019 it left QPR fans to reflect on his Loftus Road legacy. Smith is rarely mentioned in conversations about the club’s greatest managers, with Gordon Jago, Alec Stock, Dave Sexton and Terry Venables obviously out in front, and then a second tier behind them including but not limited to Gerry Francis, Ian Holloway first time around and Neil Warnock. The reason for that, and the elephant in the room all the way through this midweek round of History, is the 1986 League Cup, QPR’s last major trophy final at Wembley. Rangers had beaten Brian Clough’s storied cup specialists Nottingham Forest, bitter near neighbours Chelsea with an extra time goal from the halfway line by Michael Robinson, and the Liverpool of the 1980s over two legs including an extraordinary 2-2 draw in the second game at Anfield. They were red hot favourites to beat unfancied Oxford in the final, but choked and were beaten 3-0 thanks to goals from Trevor Hebberd, former QPR man Jeremy Charles, and nearly QPR man Ray Houghton. Smith had built that Oxford team. He’d won leagues early in his managerial career with Boston, Blackburn and Birmingham before pitching up at Oxford having been unceremoniously dumped by the Blues in favour of Ron Saunders despite promoting them and consolidating them in the top flight. With Oxford he took them from Third Division to First, the first time in the club’s history it had played in the top flight. He only left the Manor Ground to move to QPR after a contract wrangle with club owner Robert Maxwell and when Rangers were beaten at Wembley by his old side his comments pre and post game angered many in Shepherd’s Bush, with it almost seemingly like Smith was pleased the team he’d built at a club he loved had won the cup even though it was at the expense of his then employer. His decision midway through 1988/89 to walk out and join Newcastle, who he tried and failed to save from First Division relegation, possibly also counts against him.
But when judged overall, his record at Loftus Road was very creditable. He inherited a shambles after the brilliance of Terry Venables’ reign in W12 had collapsed into the farce of Alan Mullery’s mismanagement, and took that on not only to the club’s last domestic cup final, but also a fifth-placed finish in the top flight in 87/88 for which Gerry Francis is revered having repeated in 1993. QPR were top that season heading to Liverpool in October after registering their best ever start to a league season — eight wins, a draw and a loss to… Oxford away. Many of the players that formed the basis of great sides for Don Howe and Francis later on were brought in during Smith’s reign. Chief among them, a young Les Ferdinand from Hayes, and Paul Parker on the cheap from Fulham, and David Seaman from Birmingham but also Simon Barker, Danny Maddix, Trevor Francis, Mark Falco and others. Much is made of the buy-low-sell-high recruitment during Francis’ time, and Bobby Gould’s ‘little black book’ that bailed Don Howe out of an injury-riddled hole, but the signings made by Smith don’t get nearly as much coverage. He was an early pioneer of wing backs, utilising the pace of Wayne Fereday, the sweeping ability of Terry Fenwick, and the outright angry violence of Mark Dennis. Though how much of that was down to assistant Peter Shreeves is up for debate. He was also in charge for the 6-0 Easter win at home to Chelsea. Later in his career he won promotion to the Premier League, and consolidated there, with Derby County. He was Harry Redknapp’s assistant for Portsmouth’s ascent from First Division to Premier League mainstay and FA Cup winner. He took on Oxford again, at a low ebb, and lost narrowly in the Conference play-offs prior to his retirement. Others >>> Matt Phillips Oxford 2024-present, QPR 2013-2016 >>>Jordan Archer, QPR 2021-2024, Oxford 2019-2020 >>> Mide Shodipo, QPR 2015-2022, Oxford (loan) 2020-2021 >>> Rob Dickie, QPR 2020-2023, Oxford 2018-2020 >>> Todd Kane, QPR 2019-2022, Oxford (loan) 2018 >>> Jamie Mackie, Oxford 2018-2020, QPR 2015-2018, 2010-2013 >>> Steve McClaren, QPR (manager) 2018-2019, Oxford 1989-1992 >>> Gary Waddock, Oxford (manager) 2014, QPR (manager) 2006, 1991-1992, 1979-1987 >>> Jim Magilton, QPR (manager) 2009, Oxford 1990-1994 >>> Stefan Bailey, QPR 2005-2008, Oxford (loan) 2007 >>> georges Santos, Oxford (loan) 2007, QPR 2004-2006 >>> Rufus Brevett, Oxford 2006-2007, QPR 1991-1998 >>> Eric Sabin, Oxford 2005-2006, QPR 2003-2004 >>> DouDou, Oxford 2005, QPR 2001-2004 >>> Andy Thomson, QPR 2001-2003, Oxford 1998-1999 >>> David Bardsley, QPR 1989-1998, Oxford 1987-1989 >>> John Byrne, Oxford 1993-1995, QPR 1984-1988 >>> Gary Bannister, Oxford (loan) 1992, QPR 1984-1988 >>> Mark Stein, Oxford 1989-1991, QPR 1988-1989 >>> Kevin Brock, QPR 1987-1989, Oxford 1979-1987 >>> Peter Hucker, Oxford 1986-1989, QPR 1980-1986 >>> Jeremy Charles, Oxford 1985-1987, QPR 1983-1985 >>> Billy Hamilton, Oxford 1984-1987, QPR 1978-1979 >>> Andy McCulloch, Oxford 1974-1976, QPR 1970-1972 If you enjoy LoftforWords, please consider supporting the site through a subscription to our Patreon or tip us via PayPal Pictures - Reuters Connect Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
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