ONE of the most glorious aspects of my football club Queens Park Rangers is our wonderful shirt design…blue and white hoops.
These colours are synonymous with great QPR teams who played vibrant attacking football. They repeatedly challenged the best whilst upsetting football odds throughout sports betting.
Here are my favourite shirts worn by the R’s:
1) GUINNESS
The first shirt sponsorship for Queens Park Rangers was launched in 1983/84 with beer manufacturers Guinness, who had a local brewery at Park Royal.
QPR issued a ‘Special Celebration Issue’ match programme for our opening home game of that campaign versus Aston Villa to mark the sponsorship.
In his ‘Bush Telegraph’ editorial notes, club secretary Ron Phillips wrote: “Rangers have already won the first prize of the new season by signing the largest ever sponsorship with Guinness – a feat that has staggered other giants of the First Division.
“The linking of the name Queens Park Rangers with one of the most famous brand-names in the world is a notable achievement which will have far-reaching significance for us all. We extend to Guinness our thanks for the superb support they are giving to the club and we trust that the link between our two organisations will prove to be a mutually beneficial one.
“The ‘Guinness’ logo on our shirts looks both smart and attractive – let’s look on this as a very good omen...We welcome to our Board Mr Ernest Saunders who is the Chief Executive of Guinness and we view his appointment as a fine way to cement the union between us.”
The deal with Guinness lasted until 1986.
2) CLASSIC 1975/76 HOOPS
Shirt sponsorship was not permitted in English football until the late 1970’s. However, subtle acknowledgments of kit manufacturers’ logos were allowed in the preceding years. The companies involved with Queens Park Rangers during that time were Admiral, Umbro and then Adidas.
During our greatest ever season in 1975/76, the QPR shirts carried a small diamond shaped logo for Umbro. That kit coincided with our magnificent challenge for the League title.
Playing a delightful style of ‘total’ football by building up moves from the back, Rangers captured the hearts of the nation. We finished our First Division fixtures on top of the table, although second placed Liverpool still had one game left to play…
| Team | Played | Points |
| QPR | 42 | 59 |
| Liverpool | 41 | 58 |
| Manchester United | 41 | 54 |
R’s boss Dave Sexton said: “We’ve had a fantastic run, winning 27 points from our last 30. That is a wonderful effort. We’re in first position in the League where we deserve to be. Whatever happens now, I feel we have won the prize.”
However the history books show that Rangers eventually lost the title by a point to Liverpool, who played their final match of the campaign 10 days later and won 3-1 at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
3) BROOKS SPORTS
At the end of the 1990/1 season, Queens Park Rangers attracted new shirt sponsors in Brooks Sports.
A two page launch in the club’s matchday programme versus Everton on Saturday 11th May 1991 showed R’s stars Ray Wilkins and Andy Sinton resplendent in their newly designed kits. A headline declared:
“QPR AND BROOKS. The winning team for the 1991/92 season.”
The narrative stated: “Brooks Sports, leaders in innovative sports shoes and clothing, is pleased to announce its exclusive contract to produce the Official 1991/92 Rangers kit collection.
“The stunning new designs for home and away strips featuring the QPR badge stylishly imprinted into the polyester fabric will be available in replica form from June 1st 1991.
“From that date, the complete new Rangers strips as modelled here by Ray Wilkins and Andy Sinton can be purchased from the club shop, or by mail order…
“So, wear the Rangers colours with pride and be a part of Britain’s best looking team.”
This sponsorship saw pale blue hoops on our shirts for the first time. The deal between Brooks and Queens Park Rangers ended after 12 months.
4) JD SPORTS
Rangers embarked on a sponsorship with sports fashion retailer JD Sports in the summer of 2001.
This was a critical period for QPR as we were in financial administration and had just been relegated to the third tier of English football. A number of well-paid players left the club so manager Ian Holloway only had seven squad members to work with on the first day of pre-season training.
Our opening friendly at home to Celtic on 14th July saw multiple trialists and free transfer men drafted in to play for the R’s. Players were still being introduced to each other in the dressing room just before kick-off time.
A full page advert in the club programme read:
“We are proud to be the new official club sponsors of QPR…JD SPORTS…Now open at West 12 Shopping Centre, Shepherds Bush”
This was originally a one year sponsorship and there were benefits for Rangers fans who visited the JD Sports stores.
Queens Park Rangers came out of administration on 30th May 2002 and JD Sports renegotiated their sponsorship for another year. A new advert in the programme declared:
“JD …KING OF TRAINERS…PROUD TO SPONSOR QPR”
Our contract with JD Sports expired in 2003.
5) BINATONE
In the 2003 close season, Queens Park Rangers signed a sponsorship agreement with Binatone.
A full page programme advert for our opening home game of the season against Blackpool on 9th August 2003 read:
“Perfect Match…Binatone Telecom, manufacturers of great value, high quality telecom products, are proud to announce that they are now the official club sponsors of Queens Park Rangers FC.
“As fans and sponsors of QPR they wish the club every success for the upcoming season and hope to see the team go that one step further and gain promotion this season to Division One.
“Look out for player of the month competitions and the various free give aways each week…Binatone and QPR the winning combination.”
This sponsorship with Binatone lasted for three years before ending in the summer of 2006.
*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Tony Incenzo*
