With QPR travelling to Premiership neighbours Chelsea in the League Cup on Wednesday evening LoftforWords brings Ash's Connections and Memories column back for a special 6-0 themed one off return.

With one of the most eagerly awaited games of the season upon us, I thought it be a good chance to dust off the old Connections and Memories column and recall some classic moments between us and neighbours Chelsea.

It may ‘only’ be a Carling Cup tie, but Wednesday night will give Rangers a rare chance of an upset against our old rivals in front on nearly 6,000 R’s fans at Stamford Bridge. After years of first round exits to the likes of Yeovil and Northampton, we’ve been spoilt over the last two seasons with trips to Villa Park, Old Trafford and now Fulham Broadway. So far we’ve given a good account ourselves in these games, winning against Villa and holding our own against the Champions last season and hopefully this will continue under the Stamford Bridge lights this week.

Going into the game Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea side remain the only team in England still with a 100% record and sit top of the Premier League by three points. While they may rest several key players against Rangers, we can still expect a side that contains the names of internationals stars like Joe Cole, Yuri Zhirkov and Paulo Ferreira alongside young stars like Daniel Sturridge. The chances of a famous giant-killing are pretty slim. On the bright side though, the R’s go into the game fresh off the back of a impressive win at Cardiff on Saturday and confidence should be high, especially if Jim Magilton picks the same XI who played at the weekend - minus the cup tied Ben Watson of course. What better way of directing the headlines away from Flavio Briatore and his problems then with a famous victory over that lot in their own back yard.

Our first ever meeting with the Blues was back in September 1968, with Chelsea running out 4-0 winners in the old First Division. And we last met the Blues was in the FA Cup two seasons ago, when Gigi De Canio’s Rangers were unlucky to lose thanks to a Lee Camp own goal. So for the old times sake let’s take a walk down that blue and white path of memory lane and recall a memorable win from the eighties and my three players to have played for both clubs.

Memorable Match
31st March 1986
First Division
QPR 6-0 Chelsea
Few around Chelsea these days know of the rivalry between QPR and Chelsea (just ask Tim Lovejoy). They now see Tottenham and Arsenal as bigger rivalries and Fulham as their West London derby for the season. But back in the mid-eighties the heat between these two West London and South West London rivals was running high as they met on a sunny Easter Monday afternoon, for a game Rangers fans would never forget.

The R's went into this match in 14th place in the table. Chelsea were fourth and needed the points to rekindle their faltering challenge for the championship - especially after a 4-0 defeat against West Ham at Stamford Bridge on the Saturday.

For the first time in the history of this fixture, advance ticketing arrangements meant that there were no Chelsea fans infiltrating the Loft terrace. Cash admission was not permitted on the day so Rangers enjoyed terrific support from the all-ticket home end.

It took the Super Hoops only eight minutes to open the scoring. John Byrne's initial shot was charged down but Gary Bannister followed up to drill into the bottom right hand corner from an acute angle at the School End.

Rangers doubled their advantage on 25 minutes. Byrne was involved again with a right wing cross, Terry Fenwick nodded the ball on and Bannister arrived in the six yard box to head home. A very noisy rendition of "Singing The Blues..." followed from the Loft.

A minute before the break, John Byrne picked up possession just inside the Chelsea half and lost his marker with a deft drop of the shoulder. He then dribbled past another four startled defenders amidst an orgy of skill before lashing into the net from just inside the box.

It was the most spectacular R's goal of the season and our fans rejoiced with versions of "John-ny Byrne, John-ny Byrne, John-ny Byrne" (against using the marching tune) and "Easy...Easy.."

The fourth came on 58 when Bannister tore away from the shambolic Chelsea back line and sent a low bullet-like shot into the right hand corner. Even the QPR stewards on the side of the pitch at the Loft End jumped up and down to celebrate.

Then on 64 minutes, Bannister whipped in a low cross from the right and Byrne provided a crisp finish for goal number five with the Chelsea rearguard in shreds. The sixth blue and white hooped goal in Chelsea's net came in the 82nd minute. Substitute Leroy Rosenior ran from the halfway line through a wide open defence before firing firmly past despairing goalkeeper Steve Francis The jubilant Loft bellowed "We Want Seven...We Want Seven..." as the visiting fans headed for the exits. A great day for Rangers and the biggest win ever in fixtures between these two. URRRS.

Played for both clubs
Ray Wilkins
Chelsea 1973-79
QPR 1989-94 & 1994-96
Rangers hero Ray ‘Butch’ Wilkins started life on the other side of West London at rivals Chelsea. Making his debut for the Blues in October 1973 he became their youngest ever captain as an eighteen year-old just a season later. He was the linchpin of a young Chelsea team that won promotion to the top-flight and consolidated their top-flight status the following year. Unfortunately for them it only lasted one season as they were relegated the next season and after manger Eddie McCreadie left, debt-ridden Chelsea sold their star midfielder Wilkins to Manchester United for £800,000.

In his five seasons at Old Trafford, Wilkins became one of the finest English midfielders of his generation, earning international recognition including playing in the 1982 World Cup and winning the FA Cup the following year, scoring a peach of a goal in the final against Brighton. His exploits for club and country got Wilkins noticed and his style of play was perfectly suited to the European game, so it was no surprise that a team like AC Milan signed him in 1984. He spent three years at the San Siro winning the Copa Italia and again represented England at the World Cup in Mexico 86, becoming the first ever England star to be sent off in a World Cup game in the process when he threw the ball at the match official.

After a brief stint at PSG, Wilkins then moved to Rangers nabbing two Scottish League titles and two Scottish cups before he returned to England in 1989 signing for Don Howe’s Queens Park Rangers. Now in his mid-thirties he became the experience head in a young Rangers side for first Howe then Gerry Francis. He may have lost some of his pace but his vision and football brain was an important part of the R’s side that would go on to finish fifth as top London club in the first ever Premier League season. Wilkins left Loftus Road in 1994 for Crystal Palace but didn’t stay long and returned to QPR as player/manager just months after leaving replacing Francis in the hot-seat.

Unfortunately for Ray his spell in charge will be remembered as the manager who was in charge of the side that was relegated from the Premier League in 1996. His failure to replace Les Ferdinand and decision to spend the money on misfits like Simon Osborne and Ned Zelic led to Rangers’ demise. Wilkins was sacked after the R’s relegation and has since managed Fulham and been assistant manager at Watford, and Millwall. He is currently Carlo Ancelotti’s number two at his first club Chelsea.
Magic R’s moment: A rare diving header in a 6-1 romp of Luton in the 1990/91 season under Don Howe

Roy Wegerle
Chelsea 1986-88
QPR 1990-92
To wear the number ten shirt for Queens Park Rangers, you have to have that little something extra, something that made you stand out from the rest. I am unfortunately not old enough or lucky enough to remember Rodney Marsh or Stan Bowles donning the hoops so growing up it was a different number ten that I idolised, one Roy Wegerle. Although born in Pretoria South Africa, it was in the US where Roy began his footballing career at the University of South Florida. His goal scoring exploits at that level-where he still holds the record for goals scored in one season - were soon noticed by teams in the NASL and was drafted by Tampa Bay Rowdies. He scored nine goals and made seventeen assists that season but it was to be the last for Tampa Bay as the league folded. Luckily for Roy his talents were noticed by Tampa coach Rodney Marsh who used his contacts to get him trails in England, proclaiming him to be a future superstar.

QPR actually declined to take Wegerle and it was eventually rivals Chelsea who singed the striker in 1986. Things never really got going at Stamford Bridge though and after a brief loan stint at Swindon, Wegerle signed for Luton Town. It took time for him to settle at Kenilworth Road but his wonderful skill and clever eye for goal soon turned them round and finished as their top scorer. Soon First Division scouts were hovering and with Luton needing the money it was Queens Park Rangers who splashed out a club record £1million to bring him to W12. It wasn’t before long the R’s sensed they had a star on their hands, with Ray Wilkins pulling the strings in midfield, Roy had the freedom to express himself and although the goals struggled to come at first his overall play was getting fans off their seats.

The 1990-91 season, his first full campaign with the R’s, belonged to Roy Wegerle. It started with a goal on the opening day against Nottingham Forest and he would go on to finish as Rangers’ Player of the Season.

There are so many moments you can pick out from that season but the one that I can still watch and get excited about was the goal that won ITV’s goal of the season that year. Rangers were struggling again and in the middle of an awful injury crisis. We travelled to Leeds with new keeper Jan Stejskal making his debut and were soon 2-0 down and set for another defeat. Most of the QPR fans in the stadium were resigned to their fate and a few of the players looked like they had given up as well. Ray Wilkins got us back in the game before half time and then the moment came. Wegerle got the ball out on the right wing and with very little support the danger was zero. Wegerle got the ball under control with a nice shimmy left the first two players looking stupid and then slipped the ball between David Batty's legs, strolled past two more challenges then slipped the ball onto his right foot and majestically placed it into the bottom corner. It’s a goal I’ve watched hundreds of times and it gets better every time, just watch it again…link.

That summer Gerry Francis replaced Don Howe as manager and despite glimpses of his magic, Wegerle struggled to fit into Francis workmanlike style of play and with the emergence of Les Ferdinand was sold to Blackburn Rovers in March 1992. He didn’t last long at Ewood Park though and joined Coventry City just six months later. And although he was back among the goals, his three year spell with the Sky Blues was blighted by injuries and was never quite the same player we’d seen at Loftus Road. Soon after Roy went back to America to play in the MLS with Colorado Rapids and DC United before retiring in 1998. He has since tried his hand at another sport, golf and been seen as a pundit on US TV. My all time favourite player, I still have the 1990 Rangers shirt and wear it most Thursday nights down my local 5-a-side, although I don’t think I do it the same justice.
Magic R’s moment: It could only be THAT goal.

Paul Furlong
Chelsea 1994-96
QPR 2002-2007
One of the true modern heroes at Loftus Road, Paul Furlong was born in Wood Green, London and got his first taste of football at non-league Enfield after being rejected by QPR as a junior. At the North London Club he earned six caps for the England C team and his goal scoring exploits soon got noticed by several league clubs. It was Coventry who swooped to sign Paul but after some early promise the big striker failed to settle in the area and after just one season was back in London with First Division Watford. It was at Vicarage Road Furlong really found his feet and became one the best frontmen outside the top flight. He scored nearly 40 goals in 80 appearances in two seasons for the Hornets before he got his big chance when Glen Hoddle brought him to Chelsea for just over a million pounds. Hoddle hoped to pair Paul up with Mark Stein in a little and large partnership. Things never quite clicked for him at Stamford Bridge though and the inconsistency of the team was matched Furlong’s form-although he did score against QPR in the derby.

He soon moved back down to the First Division with Birmingham City and stayed with the Midlands club for seven seasons helping the club reach the play off semi finals in 2000 losing out to Barnsley. The following season Furlong struggled to hold down a regular first-team spot and was loaned out first to QPR and then Sheffield United, both spells though were ruined by injury and he was soon back at Birmingham. At the start of the 2002/03 season after newly promoted Birmingham had seen Furlong surplus to requirements he returned to Rangers now in the Second Division. A section of the Loftus Road crowd was not best pleased to see the former Chelsea man, and even those that got past the whole Chelsea thing were unsure of the merits of an ageing old pro with a worrying injury record as a signing, but he soon won those over with a memorable spell in W12.

In his first season at QPR he helped Rangers reach the play offs and it was Furlong who scored the vital goal in the semi-final against Oldham that rocked Loftus Road to its very core. Unfortunately the R’s went on to lose to Cardiff in the final but bounced back the season after gaining promotion on the last day with a win at Sheffield Wednesday and Furlong getting on the score sheet again. His partnership with Kevin Gallen in the R’s attack was proving to be a hit and they continued their success the season after in the newly named Championship. Now one of the veterans of the team Furs rolled back the years to score 19 goals back at the level he was always best including a brilliant goal at Sunderland. He achieved hero status at the club and stayed until 2007, signing off with a last minute winner to relegate Luton. He has since gone to play for the Hatters, Southend and is still playing aged 41 for League Two side Barnet.
Magic R’s Moment That goal against Oldham, never felt an atmosphere like it at the Loft.

Others:
Brian Nicolas QPR 1950-55, Chelsea 1955-58. Now unknown
Les Allen Chelsea 1954-59, QPR 1965-69. Now a model manufacturer
John Mortimore Chelsea 1957-65, QPR 1965-66. Now unknown
Sylvan Anderton Chelsea 1959- 62, QPR 1962-63. Now a poet
Terry Venables Chelsea 1960-66, QPR 1969-74. Now a TV pundit
Ian Watson Chelsea 1962-65, QPR 1965-74. Now retired
Andy Malcolm Chelsea 1962, QPR 1963-65. Now lives in South Africa
John Hollins Chelsea 1963-75 and 1983-84, QPR 1975-79. Now unemployed
Alan Harris Chelsea 1966-67, QPR 1967-71. Now retired
David Webb Chelsea 1968-74, QPR 1974-77. Now retired
Tommy Langley Chelsea 1974-80, QPR 1980-81. Now a fax salesman
Steve Wicks Chelsea 1974-79, QPR 1979-81. Now retired
Clive Walker Chelsea 1974-1984, QPR1986-87. Now a pundit on Chelsea TV
Mike Fillery Chelsea 1978-82, QPR 1983-86. Now works on Chelsea TV
Clive Allen QPR 1978-80 and 1981-84, Chelsea 1991-92. Now a coach at Tottenham
Mark Falco Chelsea (loan) 1982, QPR 1988-91. Now retired
Nigel Spackman Chelsea 1983-87, QPR 1989. Now a TV pundit in Singapore
Gavin Peacock QPR 1984-87 and 1996-02. Now training to be a pastor
Clive Wilson Chelsea 1987-90, QPR 1990-95. Now a teacher in Epping
Paul Parker QPR 1987-1991, Chelsea 1997. Now a TV pundit
Mark Stein QPR 1988-89, Chelsea 1993-98. Now physio at Barnet
Vinnie Jones Chelsea 1991-92, QPR 1995-96. Now a ’film star’
John Spencer Chelsea 1992-97, QPR 1996-98. Now assistant coach at Houston Dynamo
Mick Harford Chelsea 1992-93, QPR (caretaker manager) 2007. Now manager at Luton
Rhys Evans Chelsea 1998-03, QPR (loan) 2001-02. Now at Bristol Rovers
Leon Knight Chelsea 1999-03, QPR (loan) 2001. Now at Hamilton
Jimmy Smith Chelsea 2005-09, QPR (loan) 2006-07. Now at Leyton Orient
Scott Sinclair Chelsea 2005-present, QPR (loan) 2007. Now on loan at Wigan
Ben Sahar Chelsea 2006-09, QPR (loan) 2007. Now at Espanyol
Michael Mancienne Chelsea 2006-present, QPR (loan) 2006-08. Now on loan at Wolves

Fans’ Memories
We asked supporters on the LFW message board for their memories of this fixture and best three players to have played for both clubs. Feel free to add your own to the thread or using the commenting facility below.

A league cup game back in the early 90's. Memorable for the two huge Skinheads (Chelsea) in the Lower Loft whom everyone was doing their level best to ignore as they were huge. I was standing on the raised bit where St John's are now, overlooking them. Think the game was a draw and Spencer scored for them, or us I forget. Spencer, Peacock, Mancienne -Metallica Hoop

Wilkins , Hollins, Peacock -bob566

Just after they built that monstrosity of a stand facing the wrong way. Harris and Bowles pretending to kick lumps out of each other resulting in a punch up, equally unreal which completely confused the ref, game finished 1-1. Venables, Wilkins, Wicks -BazWot

Rodders trying to get Chopper Harris into trouble by faking a dive in front of us and the cameras SAR touchline during an FA Cup game (We got done) Rod looked very sheepish,Chopper amused,ref not amused..... Wegerle, Tommy Langley, Allan Harris.-The Blob

Being taken to Stamford Bridge in the early nineties by my dad (Chelsea fan) and just remember that I hated the place, no atmosphere, miles away from the pitch and was always half empty. Couldn't wait to go back to Loftus Road again. Furlong.-RBlock

The first time we played them after the 6-0 we lost 3-1, we were 3.0 in no time and thought pay back time,we piled on the pressure and scored, then with 15 minutes left Michael Robinson missed the worst sitter i have ever seen from two yards,had that gone in i was convinced we would of won. Wilkins, Wegerle, Wilson -Loftboy

Wilkins, Wicks, Wilson -zranger

My first ever away game back in 1983. My mum wouldn't let me go so me and a mate pretended we were going to the park. Won 2-0 -hayesender

Too many to recall, spooky half empty LR in 86 obviously. Every QPR supporter i've ever talked to about the scum says the same; they came across a wrong 'un chelsea scrote long before they knew about the hatred. QED. Wilkins, Hollins, Spencer. -Brightonhoop

Nigel Quashie's goal that night, an absolute belter that had goal written all over It. Get In you son of a bitchhhhhhhhhhhhh -Ted Hendrix

October 1973 at Loftus Road: Gordon Jago's QPR drew 1-1 with Dave Sexton's Chelsea. Bowles for QPR. And a few months later - FA Cup 3rd Replay at Loftus Road (played in the afternoon, midweek because of the "Three Day Week", QPR 1 Chelsea 0 - Bowles again. Our First of several big victories against Chelsea -qprreport

North stand - freezing and a million miles from the pitch. Getting beaten up in Chelsea pub after mouthing off when we won 2-0 in league cup replay in the 80's. Dave Webb legend. -Bushman

Home game 68/69 when Osgood kicked the ball onto the hand of an unconcious Booby Keetch in the penalty area and winning a penalty (at least that's my memory of it!) The away game at the end of that season when I realised me and my black mate were in the wrong end when Barry Bridges scored the opener. Same game, passing people selling NF News outside the ground. The 6-0 job sitting in South Africa Road and finding out that there were only about ten other QPR fans in our block after the first goal went in. We had the place to ourselves an hour or so later. Anyone remember Mickey Droy's sliding tackle on Stan Bowles at the Bridge where he managed to catch Stan in the stomach? Worst high tackle I have ever seen and he didn't even get booked. -QPRSteve

Photo: Action Images

Colchester United Polls