MY own club Queens Park Rangers have fielded some illustrious midfielders over the years.
Many of these guys earned international caps and were heavily backed to score in football betting amongst the betting markets.
Here is a selection of the top QPR midfield men of all-time listed in alphabetical order…
MARC BIRCHAM
Grew up in a QPR supporting family. Midfielder Bircham signed for the R’s in July 2002.
His 167 appearances at Rangers delivered seven goals. He dyed his hair blue and white whilst playing for us.
LEE COOK
Quicksilver on the left flank, Cook was a Queens Park Rangers supporter who scored 13 times for our club in three spells covering 2002-2003 (loan), 2004-2007 (permanent) and 2008-2012 (loan then permanent).
What I really liked was that Cook gave a donation of £250,000 to cash-strapped QPR on finalising his £2.5 million move from Loftus Road to Fulham in July 2007.
TONY CURRIE
A lavish midfield man who was an England squad member when he signed for QPR from Leeds United in August 1979 for £400,000.
Made 98 appearances in a hooped shirt and scored six times. Captained our team at Wembley in the 1982 FA Cup Final Replay against Spurs.
ALE FAURLIN
The gifted midfield maestro graced 40 League appearances for Rangers in the 2010/11 Championship promotion winning season.
GERRY FRANCIS
A dynamic midfielder who won 12 England caps as a Queens Park Rangers man and was selected as the national team’s captain. Francis appeared 352 times in two spells for us – mostly as skipper - and scored 65 goals.
He was a pivotal cog in the best ever QPR team of 1975/76 which missed out on the League title by one point to Liverpool.
JOHN GREGORY
An elegant attacking midfield man who won six England caps during his time as a Queens Park Rangers man. He played 190 times for the R’s and scored 43 goals.
One of his most dramatic efforts was hitting the crossbar with a lobbed volley in the 1982 FA Cup Final Replay against Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley Stadium.
ANDREW IMPEY
Impey was a marauding right winger recruited from local Non-League side Yeading FC in August 1990. He eventually fulfilled 215 appearances for the R’s and scored 18 goals.
His famous strike sealed a 1-0 win at Coventry City in August 1992 to take QPR top of the newly launched Premier League.
MIKE KEEN
Keen remains the only R's captain to have lifted a piece of major silverware at Wembley Stadium. This came at the end of the 1967 League Cup Final when Rangers beat West Bromwich Albion 3-2.
Wing half Keen played 440 matches for QPR spanning September 1959 to January 1969.
RICHARD LANGLEY
Langley enjoyed two spells in midfield for Rangers and once scored with an audacious left footed volley from near the corner flag at Loftus Road.
There was an audible gasp before the crowd celebrated!
MARK LAZARUS
Netted 84 goals in 235 appearances across three separate spells for QPR on the wing.
He scored our winning goal in the 1967 League Cup Final against West Bromwich Albion at Wembley Stadium.
EVELYN LINTOTT
QPR’s first ever England international.
A left-half, he won three full caps in 1908 when we were a Southern League club.
DON MASSON
Bagged 14 international caps for Scotland during his Queens Park Rangers career.
Masson was an exceptional passer of the ball in midfield and was part of the eminent QPR title challenging team of 1975/76.
PAUL MURRAY
Murray joined the R’s from Carlisle United in 1996. He had a five year spell with our club, chalking up 140 League appearances and scoring seven goals.
His great form at Loftus Road even led to calls for a full England call-up at one point.
GAVIN PEACOCK
Another midfielder who had two separate spells at QPR contributing 42 goals.
He is now a Pastor at a church in Canada.
NIGEL QUASHIE
Quashie progressed via the youth set-up at Rangers and merited his debut as a 17 year old on 30th December 1995 away to Manchester United in the Premier League.
Went on to play 62 times for the R’s and scored five goals before a £2.5 million transfer to Nottingham Forest in August 1998.
He later returned to Queens Park Rangers for a short spell in 2010, embracing four appearances before being released.
MARTIN ROWLANDS
A very skilful technician who could operate in central midfield or out wide. ‘Rowly’ was immense in our 2003/04 promotion winning campaign up to the Championship.
Overall, he scored 37 QPR goals between 2003 and 2012. Is still a regular in the stands at Loftus Road due to his football agent work.
TREVOR SINCLAIR
The winger’s 20 yard overhead kick against Barnsley in 1997 was the best goal I have ever seen in 51 years of worship at Loftus Road.
Trevor played 190 times for Rangers and scored 21 goals. He moved to West Ham for £2.3 million in January 1998 and won 12 England caps in his post-QPR career.
BARRY SILKMAN
A winger, ‘Silky’ spent just under a year at Rangers but I vividly remember cheering his important goal in the 3-0 home victory against West Ham United on Boxing Day 1980.
He is a very successful football agent nowadays.
ANDY SINTON
Left winger Andy Sinton won ten England caps on the books at Queens Park Rangers.
He amassed 190 appearances for the R’s and scored 25 goals – including a sizzling shot as Rangers drew 1-1 at Manchester City in the historic first live televised game when the new Premier League was launched in 1992/93.
IAN STEWART
Stewart graduated through the QPR youth system. He subsequently completed 82 appearances on the wing for our club and won 31 Northern Ireland caps.
I recall Stewart turned down a big pay rise at Loftus Road because he didn’t feel it was justified! Also scored with a volley from the halfway line against Stoke City at the Loft End.
ADEL TAARABT
A majestic maverick attacking from midfield.
Adel was the main man in QPR’s 2010/11 promotion to the Premier League scoring 19 mainly spectacular goals.
DAVE THOMAS
A flying winger who was rewarded with eight England caps as a Queens Park Rangers star.
He featured in our marvellous Hoops team of the mid-1970’s, making 220 appearances and scoring 34 times.
GARY WADDOCK
A flame-haired midfielder who became the most popular player of his era with the Loftus Road crowd due to incessant sliding tackles.
After coming through the youth ranks, he made 240 appearances for Rangers and scored 10 times. Also won 18 caps for the Republic of Ireland as a QPR man.
RAY WILKINS
A former England midfielder who joined the R’s from Glasgow Rangers in December 1989. Played 207 times for QPR in two spells and scored 10 goals.
Was player-manager at Loftus Road from November 1994 to September 1996. A class act on and off the pitch.
*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*
