Was thinking the other day that all those who are given the No.8 at QPR always seem to either be awful or crocked. We have Dyer at the moment whose debut lasted a full 7mins and it's possible that he may never play for us again. Last year we had Clarke who, well, was awful. The year before that we had Rowan Vine who broke his leg and is now infamous if anything (and still at the club!!!) Asides from that I cant really think of anyone else. Im sure Bircham was No.8 and well his career ended early through injury and maybe Langley wore it as well but his departure to Cardiff is hardly held in high esteem! Anyone else to suffer the hands of the apparently cursed shirt? And who will be next!
Lads, Gerry wore 8 and Masson 9 Keith Sanderson wore 8, there's a blast from the past, the last part-timer we had, played for us as well as holding down a day job. I think Mike Flanagan did as well
Gerry Francis never had any problems but they don´t make them like that anymore also remember Don Masson wearing the 8 shirt also made of sterner stuff.
Mind you....Francis did have to retire early from the game with a back injury...so maybe there's something in it?!
Simon Barker and Ian Holloway both wore number 8,as did Gavin Peacock and occasionally Mathew Rose,Richard Langley certainly wore the number 8 shirt as did Bircham and more recently Mickel Leigertwood!
In Keith Sanderson days, the first team was numbered 1 to 11 with the sub (yeah, just one!) no.12. The shirt they slung you determined which position you had to play. Number 8 was a popular position: inside right (channel) in the front line of a five man attack. When 433 and 442 came in in the mid 60s, no.8 was usually a midfielder. Players tended to wear the shirt number of their main position but when replaced in the starting line up, the new player would takeover the shirt number. I preferred that system cos it gave you a better idea of what players were supposed to be doing (especially opposing teams and games between sides you weren't familiar with).
Brixton, you don't look that old; when you get back from the post office collecting your pension crank up the machine "computer" as I must admit to also liking the old numbering (lumbering in your case) system but now we are living in 2011 where the numbers will undoubtedly go like the American footballers and soon before you know it our next big signing will 493! But it's just so much more fun these days because nobody knows where anyone plays, who would of thought that our No.18(2 in old money) is actually the centre forward, well at least last saturday!!
