As expected the early bird renewal deadline for season ticket holders has been extended for a second time although the reasons given for this by the club are frankly laughable. Meanwhile various rumours about signings continue to circulate.

Fans wanting to secure their seat for next season had until today to renew their season tickets at the five per cent discounted price however take up is still widely said to be very slow. The club claimed to have sold 10,000 season tickets for 2008/09 but with the football often dull, managers removed at an alarming rate, the relationship between the board and supporters strained to breaking point, no strikers signed and no manager appointed renewals to date have almost certainly fallen a long way short of that number.

The reasons for the slow uptake are obvious to everybody but rather than admit the problems the club has chosen to do as it did last summer and attempt to spin their way out of it all and increase anger amongst supporters as a result. After Amit Bhatia on Thursday claiming he was already missing the football we then had Heider Helguson promising that this squad is capable of winning promotion without further additions. Now, to go with the extension to May 22, we have the frankly embarrassing claim that the decision has been taken because of a “backlog of applications”.

According to the club’s official website the “feel good factor ahead of the new campaign is continuing to build” leading LFW to wonder just how bloody stupid they think we are?

Helguson said: "I believe this season was a disappointment. I think all the players feel that way because we should have done better. With the squad we have here, we should have made the play-offs, there's no doubt about that and if we made no changes to this current squad I am confident we would finish in the top-six next year.

"The target next season is simple - promotion. That has to be the aim. They have got a very big role to play in how we do. When they support us it makes a massive difference, it really does. It gives everyone a lift when the fans are singing and getting behind us. Supporters might not realise just how important they are. Some people might say you can't hear anything because you are focused on the match - believe me, you can hear. We need the fans."

According to The Sunday People QPR are looking at making additions to the squad and are looking at Sheff Utd’s Danny Webber And Blackburn’s Turkish midfielder Tugay. Webber has made a habit of scoring against Rangers in the past for Sheffield United and Watford but has fallen down the pecking order at Bramall Lane recently and has more often than not been used as a right winger by Kevin Blackwell this season. Tugay is due to retire this season, although he did play for Rovers at Chelsea today, but is said to be reconsidering that decision to take up an offer from Rangers.

One player who may well be heading out of Loftus Road this summer is Jake Cole. The young keeper spent the end of last season on loan at League Two side Barnet and may move to Underhill permanently this summer – if the Bees manager Ian Hendon can find out who exactly to deal with at Loftus Road.

Barnet assistant boss Lee Harrison told PA Sport: “It's a difficult one at QPR, you never know if to go through the manager or the chairman. Jake Cole is definitely one of the ones we'll be looking at. Ian has already spoken to him and his agent about coming here. He's played 10 games here already and it's not so hard to introduce him to the squad. He did ever so well during that time but he's got to sort out the financial side and whether he's happy to come here."

Finally in former QPR news Gillingham goalkeeper Simon Royce hopes success in next weekend’s League Two play off final could earn him a new deal at Priestfield. Royce said: “I have not been offered anything yet. I would love to stay here, I have made that clear to the manager but obviously finances dictate whether it be here or somewhere else." He added: "I want to carry on playing, but if I don`t get offered a contract, my last game will be at Wembley, so how bad is that?"

Elsewhere in the Championship this weekend you won’t be surprised to hear that Cardiff City will not be punished at all for the incident that saw referee Mike Dean hit in the face with a coin thrown from the home end during the derby with Swansea City earlier this season. Cardiff still ridiculously get their appeals heard by the Football Association of Wales and despite Dean’s bloody cut being treated at length live on television the FA has written to the club to say: “After taking all matters into consideration, the FA of Wales has determined formal action against Cardiff City on this occasion would not be warranted.”

Finally Doncaster Rovers have told Leicester and other potential suitors of midfielder Richie Wellens that it will take £1.5m to prise him away from the Keepmoat Stadium.

Photo: Action Images via Reuters

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