Hoop Dreams - QPR FC

QPR welcome Middlesbrough to Loftus Road tomorrow with both clubs keen to get a much needed win after recent dips in form. If you're keen to bone up on Rangers' opponents but pressed for time, the quick guide below will fill you in on all the vital information.


Boro aren't overwhelmed by injury problems at the moment with Gary O'Neil likely to come back into the side after suffering with a groin injury. The one doubt is Marcus Bent, a recent loan addition who it was hoped would bring goals back to a misfiring side.


Boro flirted with the notion of turning professional for much of the late 19th century to the extent that a breakway team was formed - with the spectacular title of Middlesbrough Ironopolis. In fact, the breakaway side made it to the Football League before the real Boro, but the world wasn't ready for such an elaborate moniker and they went bust in 1893. The more factually named Middlesbrough Football Club stepped up to the league in 1899. In 1905, they sign centre-forward Alf Common and to borrow the style of British Pathe, "there was nothing common about the transfer fee", as he was the first £1,000 player. They achieve their best-ever top flight finish in 1914, when they reach third.

A rather big-headed striker named Brian Clough sets about a phenomenal scoring record in the 1950s when he reaches 197 goals in just 213 games and a similarly big-mouthed manager, Jack Charlton, leads the club back into the first division in 1974. Note no trophies or final appearances up until this point.

The early 90s see the club drop in and out of the top flight on a regular basis but the surge in money in the game in the mid-90s extends to the North East and Boro go on a splurge, building a new stadium and signing, amongst others, Juninho and Fabrizio Ravanelli. The club come fleetingly close to glory in 1996-7 when they reach two cup finals but are also relegated - more on that below. And it takes the intervention of the much maligned Schteve McClaren for the club to win their first trophy in 2004 when they land the Carling Cup in 2004.


Clear evidence here on 22 seconds that goalkeepers didn't get the protection they do nowadays: http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=82745.


I'm a sucker for synchronicity and to my mind, Boro were close to both their greatest achievements and their lowest ebb in the same season. Can many other clubs have experienced as rollercoaster a season as Boro did in 1996-7? For a start, Boro had two of the most entertaining players in the Premier League that season. From the midfield, they could call on the unpredictable talents of Juninho whilst up front, they had a former Champions League winner on their books in the shape of Fabrizio Ravanelli, who provided 17 goals over the course of the season.

Their talents were allied to a steely spine of experienced players that included Nigel Pearson, Neil Cox and Clayton Blackmore. Somehow, despite dire league form and the deduction of three points, they still collectively reached both cup finals. Their route to the FA Cup Final was far from the hardest and they were particularly lucky to scrape past Chesterfield, needing two games to beat them in the semi-final whereas in the League Cup, they had a couple of noteable scalps including Liverpool.

Of course, neither run to Wembley ended in glory. The task of beating Chelsea in the FA Cup final was always a tall order but defeat to Leicester City over two games in the League Cup would have been particularly hard to swallow. But after years of dormant slumber, to explode to life in such a way in just one season must surely take some beating.


And yet, in exactly the same season, the club were relegated from the top flight, in no small part thanks to a three point deduction when the club called off a league game against Blackburn because too many of their players were ill. In short, the modern history of Boro could have been quite different had that season turned out slightly differently. Had they won both or one of their cup final visits and managed to avoid the drop, there would have been no tears from Juninho on the final day, no immediate departure from him and Ravanelli and potentially the club would have been taken far more seriously in England and abroad.

It's a very Premiership-centric way to look at their history and admittedly, the club have since been in and out of the Premiership and have added their first trophy but it did feel like they were on the verge of greatness over those memorable twelve months.


Clearly, Boro fans feel slightly aggrieved on a regular basis with quite a few saying it's hard to be a Boro fan because results 'always go against us'. Arnoldsballboy on the Footy Mad forum said the level of support from Boro fans at home games can be fairly mixed but away from home, they normally try to make as much noise as possible. The decibel levels at Loftus Road could do with being raised a few notches so it will be interesting to see if they live up to this prediction tomorrow.


Defenders don't always catch the eye, particularly of neutral viewers, but one of Boro's most important players so far this season has been Sean St Ledger, a Republic of Ireland international and a current loan signing from Preston North End. The centre-back has clearly done enough to impress because he is now linked with a permanent move to the club in January. He cemented a reputation as a reliable performer at Deepdale and became a firm fan favourite, so he could be a significant capture for Boro should they finally get him for good.