AKUTR's
An alternative look at QPR FC
Statement
from editor & publisher Dave Thomas, July 2025
As has been well documented, back in mid-March I spent a total of 11 days in hospital fighting infection and other complications caused by a leaky gallbladder. Although needing to have surgery at the end of August to remove the miscreant once and for all, I am delighted to be back to something resembling full health now.
Having had almost four months to rest and recover, in that time I have given a great deal of thought to the future of AKUTR’s. Despite having a fantastic team of contributors, producing it is very much my domain. It has always been hard work, and likely to remain so. Is this perhaps the right time to call it a day? After all, thirty-eight years of continuous publication is what you might call a ‘good innings’. I was already in my thirties when, following the failed merger between QPR and Fulham, I first put finger to keyboard, publishing Issue One in August 1987. I thought it might last six months at best. How wrong was I?
There was no direct correlation between the constant deadlines, the stresses of putting each edition together, and the many motorway miles driven to distribute it to a largely indifferent QPR support, and ending up in intensive care – but my general health was clearly affected by the non-stop nature of that role. No-one would surely blame me if I said enough was enough.
However, without wishing to sound like some kind of martyr, an enforced publishing break of over four months, in which I have had time to reassess my entire work/life balance, I have decided I am more than fit and prepared enough to carry on for a few more seasons yet!
In fact, I have already started work on Issue 395, which will be available at the opening home game, against Preston North End, on August 9. At the same time, I am working on updating this website, which behind this page is slowly taking shape. It’s never going to be an all-singing, all-dancing QPR resource – but it has needed to be improved for a long while, and that’s now in hand.
Not surprisingly, I have left access to the subscription pages – a choice of
print or
digital versions. Your continued support will be most appreciated. All the information you need can be found on the respective pages.
After four months’ respite, the whole AKUTR’s team is chomping at the bit to get back to it – and we have a bumper edition planned, and already in production, for the start of the 2025/26 season. I hope you will continue to support us.
Kind regards
Dave Thomas - Editor
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A Kick Up The Rs
