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When Ferdinand ripped apart newly promoted Hammers — history

Ahead of QPR’s trip to Upton Park this Saturday, LFW looks back at a meeting between the two sides on this ground in 1993 when Les Ferdinand was in typically formidable form.

Recent Meetings

QPR 1 West Ham 2, Monday October 1, 2012, Premier League

West Ham won the first competitive meeting between these sides in eight years by the odd goal in three back in October, although in truth the final scoreline flattered QPR. Optimism was still high around Loftus Road at this stage, despite a winless start to the season stretching to five league matches, but a midweek cup defeat by newly promoted Reading had set alarm bells ringing the week before and Sam Allardyce delivered a tactical lesson to Mark Hughes in this televised Monday night game. The Hammers took an early lead through a scrappy Matt Jarvis goal and doubled it before half time through Ricardo Vaz Te as their three man midfield completely trampled on QPR’s lightweight central foursome. Hughes brought Adel Taarabt in from his latest exile and was rewarded with a stunning goal to halve the deficit with his first touch of the ball but when Samba Diakite, another substitute, fell foul of card-happy referee Mark Clattenburg and was sent off the game was up. Decent performances against Chelsea and Spurs just prior to this long forgotten, this was the game when it really started to unravel for Mark Hughes at Loftus Road.

QPR: Cesar 6, Onuoha 4 (Hoilett 84, -), Nelsen 5, Mbia 4, Hill 4, Park 3 (Diakite 56, 5), Granero 5, Faurlin 5, Wright-Phillips 4 (Taarabt 56, 8), Cisse 6, Zamora 6

Subs not used: Green, Mackie, Ephraim, Ehmer

Goals: Taarabt 57 (unassisted)

Bookings: Taarabt 57 (over celebrating), Diakite 58 (foul), 74 (foul)

Red Cards: Diakite 74 (two yellows)

West Ham: Jaaskelainen 7, Demel 6, Collins 6, Reid 6 (Tomkins 23, 7), O’Brien 6 (McCartney 35, 6), Noble 8, Diame 8, Nolan 8, Jarvis 7, Vaz Te 7, Cole 7 (Carroll 72, 7)

Subs not used: Henderson, Benayoun, O’Neil, Maiga

Goals: Jarvis 3 (assisted Nolan), Vaz Te 35 (assisted Tomkins)

Bookings: (Deep breath) Diame 38 (foul), Noble 45 (foul), McCartney 62 (foul), Jaaskelainen 66 (time wasting), Cole 68 (repetitive fouling), Nolan 68 (dissent), Collins 77 (time wasting), Tomkins 90 (time wasting)

QPR 1 West Ham 0, Saturday October 16, 2004, Championship

West Ham were the newly relegated title favourites and QPR the freshly promoted upstarts when they last met before this season, but the spoils went the way of Ian Holloway’s men as part of a remarkable seven match winning run. The campaign had started badly for Rangers who took four games to record a win and pressure was being applied to Ian Holloway by the board of directors, with new Italian investor Gianni Paladini apparently engineering a move for Argentinean Ramon Diaz behind the scenes. A 3-2 win against Plymouth at Loftus Road got Rangers going and away wins at Crewe, Brighton and Stoke sandwiched home successes against Leicester and Coventry. A capacity crowd was inside Loftus Road to see Matthew Rose maraud forward from left back and slot in the only goal of the game to stretch the run out to seven matches.

QPR: C Day, M Bignot, D Shittu (S Branco, 89), G Santos, M Rose, M Rowlands , M Bircham (G Padula, 89), K Gallen, L Cook, P Furlong, J Cureton (K McLeod, 85)

Subs not used: R Edghill, M Bean

West Ham: S Bywater, H Mullins, T Repka, A Ferdinand, C Powell, L Chadwick (C Cohen, 66), N Reo-Coker, S Lomas, M Harewood, S Rebrov , B Zamora (D Hutchison, 81) Subs not used: T McClenahan, R Brevett, J Walker

West Ham 2 QPR 1, Saturday November 6, 2004, Championship

The return fixture came less than a month later at Upton Park, and the old saying about familiarity breeding contempt certainly seemed to hold water on this occasion as a vile challenge from Tomasz Repka through the back of Tony Thorpe left the striker nursing an injury from which his career never recovered. With Repka still on the pitch West Ham opened the scoring with a Marlon Harewood penalty before half time but QPR pegged them back in the second half when Kevin McLeod netted from close range. Sadly for the R’s Harewood, who has always enjoyed scoring against QPR, bagged a winner six minutes from time.

West Ham: S Bywater, H Mullins, T Repka , C Davenport, C Powell , D Hutchison (A Ferdinand, 88), C Fletcher, S Lomas, M Etherington, M Harewood, L Chadwick (B Zamora, 75)

Subs not used: S Rebrov, J Walker, R Brevett

QPR: C Day, D Shittu, M Rose, G Santos, M Bircham, T Thorpe (G Ainsworth, 29), J Cureton, L Cook (K McLeod, 62), F Simek (G Padula, 87), K Gallen, P Furlong

Subs not used: S Branco, M Bean

Previous Results

Head to Head >>> West Ham wins 21 >>> Draws 18 >>> QPR wins 19

2012/13 QPR 1 West Ham 2 (Taarabt)

2004/05 West Ham 2 QPR 1 (McLeod)

2004/05 QPR 1 West Ham 0 (Rose)

1995/96 QPR 3 West Ham 0 (Gallen 2, Ready)

1995/96 West Ham 1 QPR 0

1994/95 West Ham 0 QPR 0

1994/95 QPR 1 West Ham 0* (Impey)

1994/95 QPR 2 West Ham 1 (Ferdinand, Sinclair)

1993/94 QPR 0 West Ham 0

1993/94 West Ham 0 QPR 4 (Ferdinand 2, Peacock, Penrice)

1991/92 West Ham 2 QPR 2 (B Allen 2)

1991/92 QPR 0 West Ham 0

1988/89 West Ham 0 QPR 0

1988/89 QPR 2 West Ham 1 (Maddix, Stein)

1987/88 QPR 3 West Ham 1* (Pizanti, Bannister, M Allen)

1987/88 West Ham 1 QPR 0

1987/88 QPR 3 West Ham 0 (Bannister, Brock, Stewart og)

1986/87 West Ham 1 QPR 1 (Fenwick)

1986/87 QPR 2 West Ham 3 (James, Byrne)

1985/86 QPR 0 West Ham 1

1985/86 West Ham 3 QPR 1 (Byrne)

1984/85 QPR 4 West Ham 2 (Bannister 2, Byrne, Fenwick)

1984/85 West Ham 1 QPR 3 (Byrne, Bannister, Waddock)

1983/84 West Ham 2 QPR 2 (C Allen 2)

1983/84 QPR 1 West Ham 1 (Stainrod)

1980/81 West Ham 3 QPR 0

1980/81 QPR 3 West Ham 0 (Silkman, Currie, Stainrod)

1979/80 West Ham 2 QPR 1 (Goddard)

1979/80 QPR 3 West Ham 0 (C Allen 2, Goddard)

1977/78 QPR 1 West Ham 0 (Cunningham)

1977/78 QPR 6 West Ham 1*(Busby 2, Bowles, Givens, Hollins, James)

1977/78 West Ham 1 QPR 1*(Howe)

1977/78 West Ham 2 QPR 2 (Eastoe, Lock og)

1976/77 QPR 1 West Ham 1 (Eastoe)

1976/77 West Ham 0 QPR 2** (Bowles, Clement)

1976/77 West Ham 1 QPR 0

1975/76 West Ham 1 QPR 0

1975/76 QPR 1 West Ham 1 (Givens)

1974/75 West Ham 2 QPR 1* (Clement)

1974/75 West Ham 2 QPR 2 (Bowles, Masson)

1974/75 QPR 0 West Ham 2

1973/74 West Ham 2 QPR 3 (Givens 2, Abbott)

1973/74 QPR 0 West Ham 0

1968/69 QPR 1 West Ham 1 (Clarke)

1968/69 West Ham 4 QPR 3 (Leach 2, Bridges)

1951/52 West Ham 4 QPR 2 (Gilberg, Hatton)

1951/52 QPR 2 West Ham 0 (Addinall, Shepherd)

1950/51 QPR 3 West Ham 3 (Clayton, Farrow, Duggan)

1950/51 West Ham 4 QPR 1 (Addinall)

1949/50 West Ham 1 QPR 0

1949/50 QPR 0 West Ham 1

1948/49 West Ham 2 QPR 0

1948/49 QPR 2 West Ham 1 (Hatton, Hudson)

1938/39 QPR 1 West Ham 2*(Cheetham)

1909/10 West Ham 0 QPR 1*(Steer)

1909/10 QPR 1 West Ham 1*(Steer)

1908/09 West Ham 1 QPR 0*

1908/09 QPR 0 West Ham 0*

* - FA Cup

** - League Cup

Memorable Match

West Ham 0 QPR 4, Saturday August 28, 1993, Premier League

QPR had finished fifth in the inaugural Premier League in 1992/93, the top placed London club, but endured a tough pre-season prior to the 1993/94 campaign with Alan McDonald picking up an Achilles injury before a ball had even been kicked and Ian Holloway leaving the field early on the opening day of the season at Aston Villa after taking a knee to the back which would keep him out until October. Andy Sinton had also been sold to Sheffield Wednesday, with a young Trevor Sinclair coming in from Blackpool as his replacement.

Rangers lost that first fixture at Villa Park 4-1 but had dominated for long periods, scoring a fabulous equaliser through Les Ferdinand and then seeing a second that would have given them the lead ruled out incorrectly with the England striker flagged offside when level. Villa subsequently ran their own goal of the season competition in the final four minutes of the game, scoring three outrageous long range goals to record a flattering opening day win. Liverpool then came to Loftus Road four days later and won 3-1 with their only three shots on goal. The R’s rallied to beat Southampton 2-1 with goals from Gary Penrice and Clive Wilson but lost 2-0 at Chelsea and there was plenty of frustration to get out of their systems in the second away match of the campaign at Upton Park.

West Ham meanwhile were newly promoted. They’d finished second in the First Division the year before on goal difference ahead of Portsmouth after winning the final four matches of the season and took their place in the Premier League alongside champions Newcastle and play off winners Swindon Town. But having won that promotion manager Billy Bonds and his team found the going tough at the higher level initially and had already lost at home to Wimbledon (2-0) and away to Leeds (1-0) before a 1-1 draw at Coventry and first win at home against Sheffield Wednesday (2-0) thanks to a brace from veteran former QPR forward Clive Allen.

With one end of Upton Park reduced to rubble as work on a new stand progressed there was a strange atmosphere as the teams took to the field, and QPR silenced the home fans further by taking the lead early in the first half. A delicate chipped corner from Ray Wilkins in the twelfth minute tempted Ludek Miklosko from his line into an area he should never have considered occupying and Darren Peacock duly met the ball with a firm header at the near post and guided the ball into the empty net.

A narrow lead at half time then and no real indication of the massacre to come. Things were all too easy for Rangers initially as Bardsley played a ball forwards for Wilkins to chest into the path of Penrice – all three in acres of space in the West Ham half – and when Penrice then lofted a speculative ball in behind a static back line Les Ferdinand reacted quickest to beat Miklosko to the ball, and then force it beyond him and into the net with the power of his shot and double QPR’s lead with just two minutes played.

The Wilkins and Peacock set piece combination worked well again in the fifty third minute when the ageing midfielder dollied a free kick up to the back post for Peacock to nod back into the danger area. Penrice controlled the ball on the edge of the six yard box with his back to goal, swivelled and struck a third goal that once again the goalkeeper probably should have done better with.

And the mood of the home fans wasn’t improved much 20 minutes from time when Sinclair punted a ball forwards for Ferdinand to chase and, despite being easily third favourite behind Colin Foster and Miklosko, seize possession on the edge of the area, turn a full 360 degrees to bamboozle the ragged home defence, and then finish into the open net for 18 yards out.

Manager Gerry Francis sent on striker Bradley Allen as a late substitute to join his brother Clive and cousin Martin on the field. No fewer than five of the West Ham players that day either played for QPR previously, or went on to join the R’s later including Miklosko despite his horror show here.

The teams shared a goalless draw at Loftus Road later in the season as the Hammers rallied to finish thirteenth. QPR finished ninth.

West Ham: Miklosko, Breaker, Potts, Foster, Dicks, M Allen, Robson, Butler, Rowland, Morley, C Allen

Subs not used: Gale, Peyton, Holmes

QPR: Roberts, Bardsley, Peacock, McDonald, Wilson, Sinclair, Wilkins (Ready 76), Barker, Impey, Penrice (B Allen 83), Ferdinand

Sub not used: Stejskal

Attendance: 18,084

Highlights >>> West Ham 2 QPR 2, 91/92 >>> QPR 3 West Ham 1, 1988 >>> West Ham 2 QPR 2, 1983/84 >>> QPR 3 West Ham 0, 1980/81 >>> West Ham 0 QPR 2, 1976 League Cup >>>QPR 3 West Ham 4, 1968/69

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Pictures – Action Images

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