13 - Jake Cole
Friday, 27th Jun 2008 00:01

A product of QPR's youth set up, Jake stepped into the first team for the first time at the end of last year and impressed the fans with a series of all action displays.

DOB - 11/09/85
6ft 2ins
13st
Contract Expires - 2009

Jake is a product of the QPR youth set up but how much longer he is to remain at the club is unclear. After three appearances in 05/06 and five in 06/07 he appeared to be making progress at QPR but during an injury hit 07/08 season, during which he failed to make a single appearance, he slipped behind new arrivals Lee Camp and Matt Pickens in the pecking order. With Radek Cerny arriving in the summer of 2008 Jake's prospects of first team football at Loftus Road looked increasingly bleak.

Jake first came to the attention of QPR fans in 2004 when he featured in a friendly win over Crystal Palace but he found himself way down the pecking order during the season as Chris Day, Simon Royce, Nick Culkin and Generoso Rossi fought for the number one spot. He earned good reviews from spells on loan at AFC Wimbledon, Farnborough and Hayes and Ian Holloway showed a lot of faith in him last summer, releasing Day, Culkin and Rossi and allowing Cole a chance to prove himself as second choice to Simon Royce.

Cole started the 2006/07 season behind Simon Royce and Paul Jones in the pecking order but with injuries biting, and Gary Waddock starting to feel the heat, he came into the side for the trip to Colchester. Rangers were beaten 2-1, and then again 3-2 at Port Vale in the cup the following Tuesday. Cole did little to win over any doubters in either game and vanished from the team for the rest of the season.

Rangers secured their safety with two games to spare and with the pressure off and Lee Camp back at Derby after the end of his loan spell Cole was given a recall. He performed magnificently in a defeat at Wolves, keeping the score down with some breathtaking saves before eventually conceding a couple and losing the game - even the first goal only went in after a wonderful save to deny Keogh in the first instance.

He made a full home league debut the week after against Stoke and again impressed, racing from his line to deny Fuller after a poor back pass from Shimmin.

It's hard to tell after such brief and varied glimpses of Jake but judging by his form at the end of last season, Rangers could have a good prospect on their hands this season. Whether he'll get a chance to fulfill his potential at Loftus Road or not remains in doubt.