DERRY: 'FRIDAY IS ICING ON CAKE' Wed 15 Jun 2011 Shaun Derry has described Friday's release of the 2011/12 Barclays Premier League fixtures as the 'icing on the promotion cake.' Little over a month has passed since QPR booked their place in the top-flight, with the R's FA inquiry fate confirmed just 45 minutes before their final day showdown with Leeds United. Speaking exclusively to www.qpr.co.uk before Friday's big release, Derry said: "I'm really excited. It's always the first date you look for in the close season. "It's even more special now that we've been promoted, because we'll be playing a whole group of new teams. "Friday, for me, is when the icing gets put on the promotion cake. "It means that the fixtures are all highlighted on Sky Sports and in various newspapers. "You know then that you've arrived in the Premier League - and that's the topping on the cake." Regardless of when they do, promotion to England's top division means that QPR are certain to face the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United. Derry, however, is looking forward to matches less further afield. "There are a number of fixtures that I'm looking forward to," Derry added, "none more so than the London derbies. "When you're coming up against Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham, you think to yourself 'can it get any better?' And it can't. "They're going to be fantastic occasions." Neil Warnock's charges return for pre-season training in early July, with the new season around two months away. And the R's midfield general can't wait to get started. "I miss it all the time," he said. "I've been working for a few weeks to get ready for the new season. "When you move up a level you've got to be even more professional, dedicated and fitness levels have got to increase as well. "When you've had a few weeks off you want to get back into it. "You have a couple of weeks off doing whatever people do to relax and then you're back into the swing of trying to prepare your mental state, ready for another long, hard season ahead." And what about the R's chances for that long season ahead? Derry, as ever, remains full of optimism. "We'll be as confident as ever going into next season," he told www.qpr.co.uk. "I think that there are a lot of factors that come into the equation - none more so than playing at Loftus Road. "The fans are always such a tight-knit and volatile crowd when they get behind the home team - and that can play to our advantage a number of times next year. "We're probably going to be one of the bookmakers' favourites to go down but that's what football is all about - proving people wrong. "We did that astutely last year by winning the Championship - and who says that we can replicate that in a different fashion next year? "The celebrations at the end of last season were brilliant and when you're getting plaudits for what you've achieved during the season, you've got to grasp and make the most of them because they're few and far between. "It's important the fans savour these times. "I've only been here for a year but just by talking to the fans and people that work at QPR, you can tell that they've been waiting a very long time for this to come around. "Everyone must jump on the bandwagon and enjoy it. "We want this to last - but for it to do so, everyone's got to be together, like last year."
Bit of summer diversion! It's an anagram aimed at Billionth, he set a few for us earlier. Have to accept it's only barely related to the thread. Sorry for obscurity.
Spot on,Brixton. Sometimes it gets quiet and the mind wanders. Have to think of something a lot trickier to challenge you I see!
