Jump to content

1975–76 Queens Park Rangers F.C. season

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Queens Park Rangers
1975–76 season
ChairmanJim Gregory
ManagerDave Sexton
StadiumLoftus Road
First Division2nd
FA CupThird round
League CupFourth round
Top goalscorerLeague: Don Givens (13)
All: Don Givens (13)
Highest home attendance31,002 v Leeds United (24 April 1976)
Lowest home attendance16,759 v Birmingham City (17 January 1976)
Average home league attendance23,850
Biggest win5-0 Vs Everton (11 October 1975)
Biggest defeat1-3 Vs Newcastle (11 November 1975)

These are the results of the 1975–76 season for Queens Park Rangers F.C. when they competed in the English Football League First Division. Rangers enjoyed the best season in their history, finishing second in the First Division, a point behind champions Liverpool.

Season summary

[edit]

Following promotion to the First Division in 1973, Rangers had spent two years gradually building a strong squad, and now announced themselves as one of the most skillful, attractive and entertaining sides in the country, under the stewardship of former Chelsea manager Dave Sexton.

Rangers began the season in superb style by beating Liverpool 2–0 at Loftus Road, with the opening goal by Gerry Francis epitomising the free-flowing football the team would play throughout the season - a pass from Frank McLintock to Stan Bowles, a deft flick through the legs to Francis, a one-two with Don Givens and a low shot despatched past goalkeeper Ray Clemence. BBC Match of the Day viewers would later vote it their 'Goal of the Season.' The following weekend, Rangers produced an even more impressive result by beating reigning champions Derby County 5–1 at the Baseball Ground, Bowles scoring a hat-trick, and four matches later a goal by David Webb ended Manchester United's unbeaten start. Indeed, it was not until their eleventh match that Rangers themselves lost for the first time, going down 2–1 at Leeds United, although they bounced back in their next match by thrashing Everton 5–0.

Four defeats in six matches straddling the New Year saw Rangers slip from top of the table to fifth, but a 2–0 win at Aston Villa in late January set in motion an extraordinary run of 11 wins and a draw that pushed them right back into contention for the League title. By the second weekend in April they were once again top of the table, a point ahead of Liverpool with three matches to play. Crucially, Rangers lost their next match 3–2 at Norwich City on 17 April, allowing Liverpool to reclaim the advantage by beating Stoke City. Both teams then won their penultimate fixtures, and after beating Leeds 2–0 on the final Saturday of the season, 24 April, Rangers were left with an agonising wait as Liverpool did not complete their fixtures until 10 days later on 4 May, at relegation-threatened Wolverhampton Wanderers. Liverpool's superior goal average meant they needed just a draw to become champions, but when Steve Kindon fired the home side into a first-half lead after 15 minutes, Rangers' dream was very much alive. The score remained 1–0 until the final quarter of an hour, but Kevin Keegan scored a dramatic equaliser and two further Liverpool goals handed them the title by a margin of just one point.

Rangers qualified for their first season in Europe, but have never since come close to emulating that fine side.

Kit

[edit]

QPR's kit were manufactured by Umbro

League Table

[edit]
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Liverpool (C) 42 23 14 5 66 31 2.129 60 Qualification for the European Cup first round
2 Queens Park Rangers 42 24 11 7 67 33 2.030 59 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round
3 Manchester United 42 23 10 9 68 42 1.619 56
4 Derby County 42 21 11 10 75 58 1.293 53
5 Leeds United 42 21 9 12 65 46 1.413 51
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions

Results

[edit]

QPR scores given first

  Win   Draw   Loss

First Division

[edit]

[1]

Date Opponents H / A Result
F – A
Scorers Attendance Position
16 August 1975 Liverpool H 2–0 Francis, Leach 27,113 5
19 August 1975 Aston Villa H 1–1 Francis 21,986 3
23 August 1975 Derby County A 5–1 Thomas, Bowles 3 (1 pen), Clement 27,590 2
26 August 1975 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 2–2 Givens 2 19,380 3
30 August 1975 West Ham United H 1–1 Givens 28,408 5
6 September 1975 Birmingham City A 1–1 Thomas 27,305 5
13 September 1975 Manchester United H 1–0 Webb 29,237 4
20 September 1975 Middlesbrough A 0–0 24,867 4
23 September 1975 Leicester City H 1–0 Leach 19,292 3
27 September 1975 Newcastle United H 1–0 Leach 22,981 3
4 October 1975 Leeds United A 1–2 Bowles (pen) 30,943 3
11 October 1975 Everton H 5–0 Givens, Masson, Francis 2, Thomas 23,022 3
18 October 1975 Burnley A 0–1 20,409 4
25 October 1975 Sheffield United H 1–0 Givens 21,161 3
1 November 1975 Coventry City A 1–1 Givens 17,845 4
8 November 1975 Tottenham Hotspur H 0–0 28,454 5
15 November 1975 Ipswich Town A 1–1 Givens 25,540 5
22 November 1975 Burnley H 1–0 Bowles 17,390 5
29 November 1975 Stoke City H 3–2 Masson, Clement, Webb 22,328 4
6 December 1975 Manchester City A 0–0 36,066 5
13 December 1975 Derby County H 1–1 Nutt 25,465 5
20 December 1975 Liverpool A 0–2 39,182 6
26 December 1975 Norwich City H 2–0 Masson, Bowles 21,774 5
27 December 1975 Arsenal A 0–2 39,021 5
10 January 1976 Manchester United A 1–2 Givens 58,312 6
17 January 1976 Birmingham City H 2–1 Masson 2 16,759 5
24 January 1976 West Ham United A 0–1 26,677 6
31 January 1976 Aston Villa A 2–0 Hollins, Francis 32,223 5
7 February 1976 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 4–2 Givens 2, Thomas, Francis (pen) 17,153 5
14 February 1976 Tottenham Hotspur A 3–0 Givens, Francis 2 28,200 3
21 February 1976 Ipswich Town H 3–1 Wark (og), Webb, Thomas 22,593 4
25 February 1976 Leicester City A 1–0 Thomas 24,340 1
28 February 1976 Sheffield United A 0–0 21,949 2
6 March 1976 Coventry City H 4–1 Thomas, Francis, Givens, Masson 19,731 1
13 March 1976 Everton A 2–0 Bowles, Leach 25,186 1
20 March 1976 Stoke City A 1–0 Webb 22,848 1
27 March 1976 Manchester City H 1–0 Webb 29,883 1
3 April 1976 Newcastle United A 2–1 McLintock, Bowles 30,134 1
10 April 1976 Middlesbrough H 4–2 Francis 2 (1 pen), Givens, Bowles 24,342 1
17 April 1976 Norwich City A 2–3 Thomas, Powell (og) 31,231 1
19 April 1976 Arsenal H 2–1 McLintock, Francis (pen) 30,362 2
24 April 1976 Leeds United H 2–0 Thomas, Bowles 31,002 1

Football League Cup

[edit]

[2]

Date Round Opponents H / A Result
F – A
Scorers Attendance
9 September 1975 Second Round Shrewsbury Town A 4–1 Webb, Masson, Thomas, Leach 11,250
7 October 1975 Third Round Charlton Athletic H 1–1 Bowles 20,434
13 October 1975 Third Round Replay Charlton Athletic A 3–0 Thomas, Masson, Bowles 31,583
11 November 1975 Fourth Round Newcastle United H 1–3 Leach 21,162

FA Cup

[edit]

[3]

Date Round Opponents H / A Result
F – A
Scorers Attendance
3 January 1976 Third Round Newcastle United H 0–0 20,102
7 January 1976 Third Round Replay Newcastle United A 1–2 Masson 37,225

Squad

[edit]
Position Nationality Name League Appearances League Goals Cup Appearances F.A.Cup Goals League Cup Goals Total Appearances Total Goals
GK England Phil Parkes 42 6 48
GK England Derek Richardson
GK England Richard Teale
DF England Ron Abbott 5 (1) 1 7
DF England Dave Clement 40 2 6 46 2
DF England Tommy Cunningham
DF England Ian Gillard 41 5 46
DF England Danny Westwood
DF Scotland Frank McLintock 34 (1) 2 6 41 2
DF England Don Shanks 2 2
DF England David Webb 38 5 6 1 44 6
DF England Steve Jones
DF England Tony Tagg 4 4
DF Scotland Keith Pritchett
MF England John Beck 3 2 5
MF England Martyn Busby 1 1
MF England Gerry Francis 36 12 6 42 12
MF England Mick Leach 29(3) 4 6 2 38 6
MF Scotland Don Masson 42 6 6 1 2 48 9
MF England John Hollins 27(5) 1 1 33 1
FW England Stan Bowles 37 10 6 2 43 12
FW England Don Rogers
FW Republic of Ireland Don Givens 41 13 6 47 13
FW England Dave Thomas 41 9 5 2 46 11
FW England Peter Eastoe
FW England Phil Nutt (3) 1 3 1
FW England Steve Adams

Transfers Out

[edit]
Name from Date Fee Date Club Fee
Danny Westwood Billericay Town July 1974 November 1975 Gillingham £17,500
Don Rogers Crystal Palace September 1974 Ian Evans & Terry Venables March 1976 Swindon Plus £100,000 for Peter Eastoe
Richard Teale Slough Town July 1973 June 1976 Fulham
John Beck Queens Park Rangers Juniors May 1972 June 1976 Coventry City £40,000
Keith Pritchett Doncaster Rovers March 1974 July 1976 Brentford

Transfers In

[edit]
Name from Date Fee
Peter Eastoe Swindon March 1976 Don Rogers & £100,000
Derek Richardson Chelsea April 1976

Notes and references

[edit]
  1. ^ "Queens Park Rangers match record: League Division One 1976".
  2. ^ "Queens Park Rangers match record: League Cup 1976".
  3. ^ "Queens Park Rangers match record: FA Cup 1976".