1981–82 Queens Park Rangers F.C. season explained

Club:Queens Park Rangers
Season:1981–82
Chairman:Jim Gregory
Manager:Terry Venables
League:Second Division
League Result:5th
Cup1:FA Cup
Cup1 Result:Runners-up
Cup2:Milk Cup
Cup2 Result:Fourth round
League Topscorer:Simon Stainrod (17)
Season Topscorer:Simon Stainrod (24)
Highest Attendance:24,653 v Crystal Palace (FA Cup sixth round, 6 March 1982)
Lowest Attendance:8753 v Grimsby Town (Second Division, 6 February 1982)
Average Attendance:12,574
Pattern La1:_bluelines
Pattern B1:_bluehoops
Pattern Ra1:_bluelines
Pattern Sh1:_blue_stripes_adidas
Pattern So1:_color_3_stripes_blue
Pattern La2:_3_stripes_border_white
Pattern B2:_3_stripes_vneck_white
Pattern Ra2:_3_stripes_border_white
Pattern Sh2:_white_stripes
Pattern So2:_3_stripes_white
Leftarm2:FF0000
Body2:FF0000
Rightarm2:FF0000
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Socks2:000000
Prevseason:1980–81
Nextseason:1982–83
Largest Win:7-1 Vs Bolton Wanderers (1 May 1982)
Stadium:Loftus Road
Largest Loss:0-4 Vs Watford (9 March 1982)

During the 1981–82 English football season, Queens Park Rangers competed in the Second Division and finished in 5th position. They also reached the FA Cup final for the first time in their history, losing the final after a replay to Tottenham Hotspur.[1]

Season summary

During the summer of 1981, Rangers installed an artificial Omniturf pitch at their Loftus Road ground. The opening match on the new surface - the first of its kind in British professional football - was a 2–1 defeat to Luton Town, who would install a synthetic pitch of their own a few years later. Despite this setback, Rangers proved difficult to beat at home, but away results were indifferent by comparison and they ultimately fell two points short of the third promotion spot.[2]

In the FA Cup, Rangers beat Middlesbrough, Blackpool, Grimsby Town, Crystal Palace and West Bromwich Albion en route to the final at Wembley, where their opponents were holders Tottenham. Terry Fenwick's header salvaged a 1–1 draw after Glenn Hoddle had put Spurs in front, both goals coming in the second half of extra-time,[3] but Hoddle converted a penalty in the sixth minute of the replay which proved decisive despite Rangers enjoying much of the possession for the remainder of the game.[4]

Omniturf

During the summer of 1981 an artificial pitch of Omniturf was installed at Loftus Road, the first such surface to be used in British professional football.The surface was not favoured by everyone, with QPR keeper Peter Hucker describing it as "basically a bit of carpet over two feet of concrete", and stated that as a goalkeeper, he strongly disliked diving onto it saying that "I'd have close to third degree burns because the pitch would totally rip the skin off."Rangers lost the first league match played on the new surface 1-2 versus Luton Town on 1 September 1981. During the time that Loftus Road had the Omniturf pitch installed, QPR reached two cup finals and became Second Division champions, something that critics claimed was caused by the advantage the pitch presented,

Badge

A new centenary badge was unveiled on the FA Cup Final shirt, which remained in use until 2008

Kit

Adidas remained as QPR's kit manufacturers.

Results

QPR scores given first

Second Division

DateOpponentsH / AResult
F – A		ScorersAttendancePosition
29 August 1981WrexhamA3–1King, Allen 246615
1 September 1981Luton TownH1–2King18,7036
5 September 1981Newcastle UnitedH3–0King, Roeder, Stainrod14,1763
12 September 1981Grimsby TownA1–2Gregory94908
19 September 1981Crystal PalaceH1–0Stainrod17,0396
22 September 1981Oldham AthleticA0–264218
26 September 1981Derby CountyA1–3Gregory11,24614
3 October 1981Blackburn RoversH2–0Gregory, Allen954110
10 October 1981Norwich CityH2–0Gregory, Stainrod11,8067
18 October 1981OrientA1–1Gillard81926
24 October 1981Leicester CityH2–0Stainrod, Gregory12,4194
31 October 1981Charlton AthleticA2–1Stainrod, Allen11,3334
7 November 1981Rotherham UnitedH1–1Flanagan10,9494
14 November 1981Sheffield WednesdayA3–1Stainrod 317,0243
21 November 1981Shrewsbury TownA1–2Flanagan47654
24 November 1981Oldham AthleticH0–094774
28 November 1981Cardiff CityH2–0Stainrod 210,2253
5 December 1981Bolton WanderersA0–160765
12 December 1981BarnsleyH1–0Flanagan10,9724
26 December 1981ChelseaH0–222,0225
16 January 1982WrexhamH1–1Stainrod10,0664
30 January 1982Crystal PalaceA0–015,2676
6 February 1982Grimsby TownH1–0Gregory87535
9 February 1982Cambridge UnitedA0–148226
16 February 1982Blackburn RoversA1–2Allen68847
20 February 1982Derby CountyH3–0Hazell, Fenwick, Flanagan88906
27 February 1982Norwich CityA1–0Roeder15,9287
9 March 1982WatfordA0–416,8627
13 March 1982Leicester CityA2–3Currie, Stainrod17,8219
20 March 1982Charlton AthleticH4–0Fenwick, Allen 313,1187
27 March 1982Rotherham UnitedA0–110,4729
29 March 1982Sheffield WednesdayH2–0Flanagan, Stainrod11,7107
6 April 1982OrientH3–0Hazell, Flanagan, Stainrod10,5317
10 April 1982ChelseaA1–2Gregory18,3657
12 April 1982WatfordH0–022,0917
17 April 1982Shrewsbury TownH2–1Flanagan, Allen11,1486
24 April 1982Cardiff CityA2–1Allen, Micklewhite59796
1 May 1982Bolton WanderersH7–1Gregory, Micklewhite, Flanagan 2, Fenwick (pen), Stainrod, Allen10,0025
5 May 1982Newcastle UnitedA4–0Gregory, Allen, Flanagan, Stainrod10,6705
8 May 1982BarnsleyA0–310,5796
11 May 1982Luton TownA2–3Fenwick, Stainrod16,6576
15 May 1982Cambridge UnitedH2–1Allen, Fenwick (pen)10,4675

Milk Cup

DateRoundOpponentsH / AResult
F – A		ScorersAttendance
6 October 1981Second Round First LegPortsmouthH5–0Ellis (og), Gregory 2, Micklewhite 213,502
27 October 1981Second Round Second LegPortsmouthA2–2Flanagan, Micklewhite7677
10 November 1981Third RoundBristol CityH3–0Flanagan, Stainrod, Allen9215
1 December 1981Fourth RoundWatfordA1–4Stainrod (pen)18,276

FA Cup

DateRoundOpponentsH / AResult
F – A		ScorersAttendance
2 January 1982Third RoundMiddlesbroughH1–1Stainrod12,100
18 January 1982Third Round ReplayMiddlesbroughA3–2 (aet - 2–2 at 90 mins)Stainrod 2, Neill14,819
23 January 1982Fourth RoundBlackpoolA0–010,227
26 January 1982Fourth Round ReplayBlackpoolH5–1Allen 4, Stainrod (pen)11,712
13 February 1982Fifth RoundGrimsby TownH3–1Stainrod, Allen, Howe13,344
6 March 1982Sixth RoundCrystal PalaceH1–0Allen24,653
3 April 1982Semi-FinalWest Bromwich AlbionN1–0Allen45,015
22 May 1982FinalTottenham HotspurN1–1 (aet - 0–0 at 90 mins)Fenwick100,000
27 May 1982Final ReplayTottenham HotspurN0–190,000

Pre-Season

DateCountryOpponentsH / AResult
F – A		Scorers
25 July 1981SwedenStugens BKA6-0Stainrod 2, King 2, Burridge, Sealy
27 July 1981SwedenSandviks IKA8-1Flanagan, Micklewhite 2, Stainrod, Waddock, Sealy 2, Muir
29 July 1981SwedenSpanga ISA1–0
30 July 1981SwedenEnkopingsA9-1Flanagan 3, Micklewhite, Stainrod 2, Allen 2, Muir
2 August 1981SwedenLudvika BKA4-1Flanagan, Stainrod 2, Gregory
16 August 1981IrelandAthlone TownA4-3Flanagan, Stainrod 3
18 August 1981 IrelandBohemians A3-0Stainrod 2, Allen

Squad

Pos.Nat.NameLeague AppearancesLeague GoalsMilk Cup AppearancesMilk Cup GoalsF A Cup AppearancesF A Cup GoalsTotal AppearancesTotal Goals
GKPeter Hucker22931
GKJohn Burridge20424
GK Graham Benstead
DFIan Dawes55
DFTerry Fenwick365481486
DFIan Gillard33(2)14946(2)1
DF JamaicaBob Hazell23(1)24431(1)2
DFErnie Howe16151221
DFAlan McDonald
DFWarren Neill113(1)114(1)1
DFGlenn Roeder41248532
DFSteve Wicks99
MFTony Currie20117281
MFMartin Duffield
MFGerry Francis77
MFJohn Gregory3494274511
MFAndy King4343
MFGary Micklewhite24(2)23(1)34(1)31(4)5
MFMark O'Connor11
MFGary Waddock353947
MFDean Wilkins(1)11(1)
FWClive Allen36(1)13217745(1)21
FWSteve Burke2(10)1(1)(1)3(12)
FWMartyn Busby
FWWayne Fereday2(2)0(1)2(3)
FWMike Flanagan36(1)1032948(1)12
FWIan Muir
FWTony Sealy4(3)15(3)
FWSimon Stainrod391742955224
FWIan Stewart2(1)0(2)1(1)3(4)

Transfers Out

NamefromDateFeeDateClubFee
Don ShanksLuton TownNovember 1974£35,000August 1981Brighton & Hove AlbionFree
Barry SilkmanBrentfordOctober 1980£20,000September 1981Leyton Orient£15,000
Andy KingEvertonSeptember 1980£400,000September 1981
Dean NealQueens Park Rangers JuniorsJanuary 1979October 1981Millwall£80,000
Gordon HillDerby CountyNovember 1979£150,000November 1981Montreal Manic
Gerry FrancisCrystal PalaceFebruary 1981£150,000January 1982Coventry£145,000
Tony SealyCrystal PalaceMarch 1981£80,000February 1982Port Valeloan
Ian GillardQueens Park Rangers JuniorsOctober 1968July 1982Aldershot

Transfers In

NamefromDateFee
Alan McDonaldQueens Park Rangers JuniorsAugust 1981
Martin DuffieldQueens Park Rangers JuniorsJanuary 1982
Steve WicksCrystal PalaceMarch 1982£325,000

References

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Dreams Can Come True – The 1982 FA Cup Semi-Final at Highbury. Independent R's.
  2. Web site: When El Tel's QPR installed Britain's first artificial pitch. PressReader.
  3. Web site: Tottenham Defeat QPR To Win 1982 FA Cup Final. Hotspur HQ.
  4. Web site: FA Cup 1982. My Eyes Have Seen The Glory.

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