QPR's first Championship fixture list for three seasons was released this morning, laying bare the challenge facing Harry Redknapp and Tony Fernandes as they attempt to arrest the recent decline at Loftus Road.

Given that of the 42 senior players on the books at Loftus Road at the end of last season only loanees Fabio Da Silva and Andros Townsend, along with perennial loanee Rob Hulse, have left the club and no new arrivals have yet been confirmed one would hope a busy two months of activity lies ahead. Since the new money arrived QPR have always revelled in a clutch of late deals at the end of transfer windows and with Harry Redknapp now on board as well, presumably bringing that friendly fax machine from the Spurs training ground that used to break down at convenient moments at about three minutes to 11 every deadline day, this summer promises to be no different.

For that reason Rangers could certainly have hoped for an easier August than the one they've been given. Four away matches, and all of them over long distances, will sap not only Redknapp's time but also the resources of Rangers' long suffering supporters. The die hards, and the team, will have travelled 1,588 miles before we've even got to September after Rangers were handed trips to Huddersfield, Bolton and Leeds in the league and a League Cup first round tie at Exeter City that will almost certainly be screened live on Sky.

Regardless of logistics, it's about as tough a start football wise as Rangers could have asked for. Huddersfield struggled last season but have a full summer under new manager Mark Robins and will be a difficult proposition in their opening home match while Bolton, resurgent under Dougie Freedman last season and a good bet for the title this, and Leeds away rather speak for themselves. Mick McCarthy turned Ipswich around last season and will aim for the play offs this time. Only Dave Jones' miserable, and skint, Sheffield Wednesday team can be put down as a win I the prediction column with any semblance of confidence. A rude awakening could await.

September looks kinder. Three home matches of which only the season's first Tuesday night league match at home to Brighton is against a team that troubled the scorers last season and a trip to Yeovil who will, by some distance, operate with the Championship's lowest playing budget next season. A game sure to be billed as the Haves v the Have Nots and one that will go a long way to telling us whether Redknapp has succeeded in changing the festering attitude and mentality around W12.

October starts with a Tuesday night trip to Wigan, and there's another midweeker at Blackburn later in the campaign as well – needlessly unkind to the travelling supporters.

December is as busy as ever with eight matches between November 30 and January 1. Rangers will go to Nottingham Forest on Boxing Day where they're yet to win in 29 attempts and then last season's beaten play off finalists Watford on Sunday 29. Doncaster come to town on New Year's Day.

The run in is frantic. Championship clubs play 14 matches between March 1 and May 3, including two over the Easter weekend when the R's go to Leicester on Saturday then host Watford on the Monday. Wigan will probably have more players than travelling support for a Tuesday night match on March 25. Finishing the season with the Hornets and a final day trip to Barnsley will bring back memories of the 2010/11 promotion season when Neil Warnock's side won at Oakwell and Vicarage Road at the business end of the season to seal a return to the Premier League. Much work to do before similar success can even dare be hoped for in 2013/14 one fears.

3 Aug Sheffield Wednesday H

6 Aug Exeter City CC A

10 Aug Huddersfield Town A

17 Aug Ipswich Town H

24 Aug Bolton Wanderers A

31 Aug Leeds United A

14 Sep Birmingham City H

17 Sep Brighton and Hove Albion H

21 Sep Yeovil Town A

28 Sep Middlesbrough H

1 Oct Wigan Athletic A

5 Oct Barnsley H

19 Oct Millwall A

26 Oct Burnley A

2 Nov Derby County H

9 Nov Reading A

23 Nov Charlton Athletic H

30 Nov Doncaster Rovers A

3 Dec AFC Bournemouth H

7 Dec Blackburn Rovers H

14 Dec Blackpool A

21 Dec Leicester City H

26 Dec Nottingham Forest A

29 Dec Watford A

1 Jan Doncaster Rovers H

11 Jan Ipswich Town A

18 Jan Huddersfield Town H

25 Jan Sheffield Wednesday A

28 Jan Bolton Wanderers H

1 Feb Burnley H

8 Feb Derby County A

15 Feb Reading H

22 Feb Charlton Athletic A

1 Mar Leeds United H

8 Mar Birmingham City A

11 Mar Brighton and Hove Albion A

15 Mar Yeovil Town H

22 Mar Middlesbrough A

25 Mar Wigan Athletic H

29 Mar Blackpool H

5 Apr AFC Bournemouth A

8 Apr Blackburn Rovers A

12 Apr Nottingham Forest H

19 Apr Leicester City A

21 Apr Watford H

26 Apr Millwall H

3 May Barnsley A

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Photo: Action Images

Royboy48 added 00:19 - Jun 20 As there's no indication whatsoever that the wounds have been healed, the only expectation is for the agony to continue - makes no difference who we play Until the dressing room is fixed, no one will care and we'll just carry on where we left off
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Roller added 07:41 - Jun 20 Looking at those fixtures really brings home what an almighty mess "we" have made of this golden opportunity.
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francisbowles added 07:46 - Jun 20 We will definitely need to get points on the board before we face those two tough away games at the end of August. Home on the opening day? Let's hope it's totally different than the last two! Much work to be done but we all now need to finally put last season's misery behind us and get behind whoever is managing or playing. Come on u Rrrrrrr's
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