On 1st March 2010 Amit Bhatia and Ishan Saksena finally got their man. Saksena could barely disguise his delight as he announced that Neil Warnock would be the new Q.P.R. manager, a man, he said, whose passion for the game and desire to win he greatly admired. The long, patient hours spent convincing Warnock that his future laid at Q.P.R. and the long, patient hours negotiating with Crystal Palaceâs administrator to secure his release finally bore fruit. Personally I was deeply concerned. Warnockâs teams had a reputation for playing dour, attritional football, completely at odds with Q.P.R.âs tradition. He arrived to find Q.P.R. in turmoil. He was incredibly the ninth managerial change in less than two seasons. Rangers were sliding down the table have only collected 4 points from the previous 9 matches and were only 3 points above the relegation positions. The club had passed beyond a laughing stock, supporters from opposing sides had started to pity Q.P.R.âs long suffering supporters. Warnockâs impact was immediate. In his first match in charge promotion chasing West Bromwich Albion were dispatched 3 â 1 at Loftus Road, Q.P.R. didnât look back. Warnock guided the club away from danger to mid table security. The football wasnât especially aesthetically pleasing, but the results were reassuring. The summer months beckoned and we all awaited the opening of the transfer window to give an indication of what the following season would offer. The initial signings seemed to confirm my worst fears, a dogged midfielder, a knackered left back and two strikers who teams had been relegated in the previous season! Goalkeeper Paddy Kenny was clearly a very good keeper, but was that an area that needed strengthening? Radek Cerny had won the Championshipâs golden gloves award at the end of the 2008/09 season (ironically shared with Kenny). A couple more solid signings arrived followed by the one that every Q.P.R. supporter wanted, Adel Taarabt. Warnock had even flown to Morocco in an attempt to persuade him to sign, his persistence finally paid off. The new season started and Q.P.R. were off and running with a bang. Opposition sides were swept away. Q.P.R.âs 4-2-3-1 formation allowed Taarabt to drift around into dangerous attacking positions without any responsibility for tracking back, Argentinean Alejandro Faurlin was afforded space and time to prompt attacks and switch play as he saw fit. The interchanging play between Taarabt, Mackie and Ephraim was a joy to watch and typified by Ephraimâs sublime goal against Middlesbrough as he raced in from the left wing to calmly volley Taarabtâs inch perfect cross passed the hapless goalkeeper. Warnockâs plan were working superbly, most of the new signings were playing brilliantly, who was I to have doubted him? Loftus Road started to buzz and by the time Cardiff were beaten it was rocking, the Q.P.R. faithful were starting to believe that finally their team were going to return to the Premier League. Warnock seemed to be a changed man. Gone was the snarling, bitter Yorkshireman to be replaced by a jovial, avuncular figure who was clearly thoroughly enjoying himself. As players were injured or lost form they were replaced either from the squad or by inspired loan signings such as up and coming Kyle Walker and enigmatic Wayne Routledge. As the season wore on the Faurlin affair exploded with the threat of all his hard work being undone by an F.A. imposed points deduction. Warnock carried himself and represented our club with dignity throughout the whole sorry business, miraculously keeping the players focused on the next match for two torturous months, all the way up until a few minutes before the final match of the season when the âno points deductionâ was finally announced. I cannot overstate what an incredible job he did during this period, a lesser man would have crumbled taking the team with him. Warnock had won us the Championship trophy and promotion to the Premier League at his first opportunity. In just one season Neil Warnock had restored pride to Q.P.R. to earn the eternal gratitude of the Rangerâs long suffering faithful supporters. He was instantly hounded by stories of a the sack and a new manger being appointed. This did not materialise but it soon became very clear that he had been allocated no transfer budget. Although he had been badly let down by Briatore and Ecclestone, Warnock didnât publicly complain, he just knuckled down and tried to sign the best free transfer players he could. After the new season had started Q.P.R. were taken over by Malaysian entrepreneur given Warnock just days to try to assemble a squad capable of surviving in the Premier League. Many, if not all, of the transfer target he had identified by the summer were now unavailable, but he wheeled and dealed to improve the team and squad in the short time he had. These players appeared to gel quickly and produced a few good performances, but a series of injuries and suspension harshly revealed the lack of depth and quality in the squad. This was not Warnockâs fault, the timing of events during the summer had transpired against him, but he still paid the price. Maybe it is for the best that he was sacked now before the memories of the success, pride and joy he brought to our club fade. I hope that we can still find another chorus of âThereâs only one Neil Warnockâ to let him know he will never be forgotten. Neil Warnock, please accept my heartfelt gratitude.
Ah who cares. Follow it with one for Hughsie and all would be done with a bow on it and we can all move on. To not give any recognition would be wrong.
Roller, you are a gentleman. You write from the heart and with compassion. I'll be on my feet with you and Scotland, belting it out, but col's right - let's pick our moment!
Very nicely put Roller. I agree that by leaving now the Warnock reputation and his part in our history are secured - couldn't see that if he had stayed and taken us back down. I hope to hear a rousing chorus of his name when we are three up against MK Dons.
Great piece Roller as usual, great memories too. It had been a long time since QPR fans had ridden the crest of a wave, and we did, pretty much as soon as Neil came on board. We're Queen's Park Rangers, We're top of the league! Never tired of singing it. I'll never forget last season and the pride, the pride. As for the old war horse, well if I was Leicester City or Nottingham Forest...
