Hogan Ephraim says QPR’s 3-0 romp at Sheffield United in August gave the players the belief to push on ahead of the return fixture this Monday night.

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Ephraim told the Kilburn Times: “The other key thing was that last summer the manager brought in players he knew and trusted and they’ve added experience and knowhow. I think the Barnsley result was a bit flattering – they hit the woodwork and were certainly in it until late on. But to go to Sheffield United and be 3-0 up inside 25 minutes was incredible. Every time I’d been there before then we’d lost – and usually been well beaten. That really gave us confidence and it’s been weird this season, going away from home and expecting to win. But it’s been a nice pressure and we’ve responded well.

“I’d never have expected Sheffield United to be down there at the start of the season. Don’t forget, though, Micky Adams was the manager of Port Vale when they came to Loftus Road and beat us in the Carling Cup. I’m sure he’s going to get them up for the challenge, as he did with Port Vale, and they’ll scrap for their lives. But hopefully we can produce the sort of performance we’ve been showing of late. After two and a half tough years, I’m glad the fans have finally had something to enjoy. They were promised a lot and, until this season, that’s never been delivered.”

Elsewhere stars of QPR’s past have been remembering the 6-0 hammering of Chelsea at Loftus Road from 1986 on the 25th anniversary of the game.

Former centre back Steve Wicks told the Kilburn Times: “I used to mix with some of the Chelsea players when I was at QPR and some of them were full of themselves, they thought they were better than they were. But QPR always used to beat them and, when we had our best side of that period under Terry Venables, with players like Simon Stainrod, Clive Allen and John Gregory, they weren’t even in our division. We were the established First Division side and Chelsea were the new kids on the block, but they still felt they were the bigger club. That day, though, we just played brilliantly from the first whistle.

“Everything we tried came off and I felt that, the way we were playing, it could be a real rout. I remember looking at the clock when the fifth goal went in and realising we’d still got well over 20 minutes to go. It was a great day for all QPR fans. In all the years I played for QPR, that game and the 5-5 draw with Newcastle are the two I’ll always remember. Chelsea were actually going quite well at that time – David Speedie and Kerry Dixon were scoring regularly, but our team was based on a strong defensive unit and we felt if we kept them quiet we could take the game by the scruff of the neck.”

Loan Watch

Midfielder Gavin Mahon hopes his experience will help Crystal Palace escape relegation from the Championship after signing for the Eagles until the end of the campaign. Mahon told the Croydon Guardian: “There is a difficult period coming up which is a challenge for me, for Dougie and for all the players and we are all ready for it. Dougie knows what he is going to get with me, an experienced professional and an experienced footballer around the ground and the training ground. At this time of the season you just need a bit of guile and an old head around the place to calm it down in games when you are winning one nil and need to shut up shop. You need little things like that, a bit of experience in knowing how to kill games off, and I think that is what I can bring to the team.

“The last 12 months have been frustrating for me with on and off little niggles. But now I am back training fully I am just looking forward to the games coming up. I told Dougie that I’d come in and show him what I’m all about as a player and as a man and if he likes that then hopefully I can extend into next season as well. I’m looking at it as a mini-trial. It’s a different environment, different coaching and a chance for me to show what I can do.”

Former R’s

Lee Camp says he is determined to keep his place in the Northern Ireland team and believes they have a great chance of making it to Euro 2012 after a goalless draw against Slovenia earlier this week. Camp told the Guardian: “We're still in a very good position in the group, especially with the other game being drawn as well. We've got a game in hand, and it's the Faroes at home next. If we win that we'll be pushing hard for that second spot. We've still got a wonderful chance of qualifying.

"The squad looks stronger than last year and there's a lot more maturity. The belief is there and we've added one or two players to give us a bit more strength in depth. I think last year was a steep learning curve for one or two of the lads. They're stronger for it. I got a chance and I've done all I can to try and take it. I'm always pretty honest with what I say and I've made no bones about it: I want the shirt, and I want to play every game."

"There was a suggestion about me hoping for an England call but nothing could be further from the truth. That was just someone else banging the drum, and I want that on the record. It was probably someone being a bit mischievous," he said. "Playing for Northern Ireland is a real feather in my cap. Hindsight is a wonderful thing and maybe I should have done it earlier, but I'm here now.”

Jim Magilton says he is itching to get back into management after his legal dispute with former club Ipswich was resolved last week. Magilton hasn’t worked since being sacked by QPR in late 2009 following an alleged dressing room bust up after a 3-1 defeat at Watford. He told Sky: “I am glad the issue with Ipswich has now been finally resolved and I feel the time is right to get my management career back on track. Like any manager out of work I want to get back into it as soon as possible as I miss the day-to-day involvement with the players and staff. I have had a break now for 14 months and I am refreshed and ready to go again.

"Despite some of the things that happened at Ipswich and QPR I have not lost my appetite for management. I really enjoyed my time at Ipswich and QPR and if the right opportunity comes along it would be something that I would be keen on exploring. I am an ambitious person and want to manage at the highest level, but I would have no problem managing a team at a lower level. If a chairman or board of a team shares the same ambition as myself and has a long-term plan I would have no hesitation in taking on the challenge. It is not nice to see fellow managers lose their jobs, but I am ready to see what options come my way over the next few months asI want to make up for lost time since leaving QPR."

Stefan Bailey and Keiron St Aimee have joined Conference outfit Kettering until the end of the season, offering to play for free in an effort to earn professional deals for next season. Bailey was most recently with Telford where Andy Sinton is the manager while St Aimee has been playing for Hornchurch after being released by Maidenhead. Kettering have been struggling for cash since chairman Imran Ladaak slashed their budget at Christmas and recently allowed striker Iyseden Christie to join Nuneaton on loan.

Manager Marcus Law told the Northants Evening Telegraph (home of some fine reporters): “They have both had experience at Conference Premier level and they have been given an opportunity. This is the way we are having to do things at the moment. They have agreed to come here and play for nothing because they want to impress and earn a contract for next season. We have the likes of Nick McKoy, Liam McDonald and Jon Challinor who are also playing for virtually nothing. It’s an open book for these lads. They have the chance to impress and I am sure they will be keen to do so. It’s a tough situation we are in at the moment but I am not going to complain. I will get my head down and do what I feel is best.”

Championship Shorts

- Scunthorpe have confirmed that their former skipper Alan Knill will be their new manager after he resigned from his position at League Two high flyers Bury. Knill has eight matches to save second bottom Iron from the drop, and starts with a daunting trip to Norwich and home match against QPR. He said: “It was a very difficult decision, I'm really close with the players and the board and it's one that I haven't taken lightly. I had the opportunity to go and manage in the Championship. Even if they came down I feel they are going to be a strong side in League One."

- Derby boss Nigel Clough has defended the decision to loan goalkeeper Brad Jones from Liverpool rather than recall his own keeper Stephen Bywater from Cardiff after Hull ended Matt Duke’s loan at Pride Park early. Clough said: “If something happens to Brad in the last eight games, we can still recall Stephen. Stephen wants to stay at Cardiff. He was keen to go there. We still have that as an option as well and it's important we do have it. If we had recalled Stephen and something happened to him then we would have been left with Ross Atkins and James Severn. And the extenuating circumstances may not have covered us because they are both young, professional goalkeepers."

- Swansea will recall Garry Monk to their side for this weekend’s trip to Preston after an 11 week injury absence. Manager Brendan Rodgers said: “Garry has been a wonderful player for me since I've been here. The other players have done really well but Garry has leadership qualities that nobody else brings to the team. He is fully fit now and will play against Preston.”

- Nicky Barmby will miss a month of action for Hull after pulling a calf in training. Manager Nigel Pearson said: “It could be three or four weeks. He's been very good, and he's really disappointed, but there's not a lot you can do about it."

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