An opening day win for the first time in six years and the only Championship side to score three goals in round one, QPR have a chance to bring more supplies aboard the HMS Piss The League when they face newly promoted Bolton at Loftus Road on Saturday.

QPR (1-0-0 DW 1st) v Bolton (1-0-0 LW 5th)

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There have been too many low moments in the recent history of supporting QPR to catalogue. I’m still not sure how any of us made it through the night we lost 6-1 to Mick McCarthy’s relegation-bound Blackpool. One of ours did end up in the Irish Sea to be fair. If you nail me to the wall (c Ally McCoist) and make me list them though, Steve McClaren’s last game in charge would certainly be up there.

The appointment of McClaren as manager here felt icky to me to start with.

Whatever you thought of Ian Holloway second time around – and, look, nobody would deny that his ever-erratic behaviour had started to border on intervention-worthy at home to Brentford and away at Preston and Millwall – he and Marc Bircham were ostensibly doing the job they’d been employed to do. Big earners like Nedum Onuoha and Jack Robinson were being moved on to hack at the wage bill; youngsters like Ebere Eze, Ilias Chair, Ryan Manning, Bright Osayi-Samuel and Paul Smyth were being fed into the first team; and this was being achieved without being relegated to League One (just about).

McClaren was described by club insiders at that time as “an itch Tony Fernandes needed to scratch”. He’d been de-facto manager here once before - when Harry Redknapp found the business of pre-season and a Championship winter too much of a drag on his golf club membership - and led the team on an 11-game unbeaten run to start the 2013/14 campaign which eventually stretched to one loss in the first 16 games. Rangers at one stage kept a club record eight consecutive clean sheets. After McClaren’s departure to Derby that team collapsed under Redknapp’s sole guidance to such an extent it was lucky to even make the play-offs. Automatic promotion was long gone by the spring and only a string of fortunate events in the knockouts got it - and it’s record busting £80m+ wage bill - promoted in the end at McClaren’s (considerable) expense.

Hair Island had been the Sky studio pundit for a 2-2 draw at Fulham late in Holloway’s reign where the R’s recovered from two goals down to take a point. The editorial angle for the day was clear – we’re here to see if Fulham can beat this idiot scum to bolster their promotion hopes – but McClaren repeatedly diverted the conversation back to QPR and offered insightful, detailed analysis of the collection of youngsters the club had coming through. Holloway, appearing at a subsequent (much-missed) live Open All R’s Podcast recording, fumed at how he’d been talked out of the job he loved more than any other.

McClaren’s subsequent time in charge did have a few highlights – a televised win at home to Jack Grealish’s Aston Villa, a Luke Freeman-inspired victory against Leeds, a home win over Brentford with three goals in ten second half minutes, a run as far as the FA Cup fifth round, a first ever win at Forest – but was largely a disaster.

During our (then) annual trip to the training ground to meet the manager we were treated to the spectacle of Matt Ingram, Toni Leistner and Joel Lynch repeatedly failing to execute his pattern of play drill against themselves, then taken inside for a PowerPoint presentation titled “Quality Professional Relentless” that sparked concerned side-eye among the various journos and podcasters in the room.

Rangers lost their first four games, including a 7-1 at West Brom, at which point McClaren demanded, and was given, four expensive, senior players on loan or short-term deals (Tomer Hemed, Nahki Wells, Geoff Cameron, Angel Rangel). He called them his “team of men” and bar Ebere Eze the players he was brought here to develop (always been a better coach than a manager, remember) were sidelined. Ryan Manning was loaned out altogether to Rotherham and this, along with his steadfast refusal to pick Osayi-Samuel under any circumstances (“who does Bright have to blow to get a game?” as one senior exec of the time put it after another loss up at Middlesbrough), would come back to haunt the club when his successor Mark Warburton decided both were quite good players but neither were at this point disposed to renewing their expiring contracts.

This situation came to a head in March 2019. The team, exhausted through lack of rotation in the first half of the year, had collapsed into a run that would eventually stretch to one win in 17 games – that victory, against Leeds, achieved only because Luke Freeman decided to play every position on the field himself. With injured players coming back, the hope was a double homer against Rotherham and Bolton would at least be a chance to stabilise, put six points on the board, and let us limp into the summer to re-assess. Rotherham were on their usual trip back to League One having flown too close to the sun and hadn’t won a single away game all season; Bolton were mired in a financial collapse and malignant Ken Anderson ownership and about to lose nine of their final ten matches ahead of a seven-year stint in the lower divisions. QPR - and to be honest even I was surprised we managed this – lost both games 2-1.

The Bolton game in particular - in which we played with a half fit/arsed Tomer Hemed up front for 70 minutes while Nahki Wells sat on the bench - was one of the worst things I’ve sat through at Loftus Road. So much so I missed Wells eventually pull one back to add a modicum of respectability to the scoreline late on because, with 20 minutes still to play, I’d taken myself away back to the Crown & Sceptre for fear of completely losing the plot and making a spectacle of myself (more so than normal). McClaren’s fate was sealed when his attempted remedy of substituting Pawel Wszolek snapped the patience of even the Championship’s most brow-beaten and tolerant home support and brought abuse raining down from three sides of the ground. McClaren flapped around and changed the number to Angel Rangel’s. Whether it was an error by the fourth official or not we’ll probably never know, but he was sacked halfway through the referee’s three blasts for full time.

It is these experiences, over our lives but particularly in the last decade, that leave the QPR support base ravenous for any vague hint of success and prosperity once more. Just look at our defence that day - Lumley 6; Rangel 5 (Smith 62, 5), Hall 3 (Leistner 49, 4), Lynch 3, Bidwell 4. We have done time. We have been in the padded room at the end of the Green Mile. We have been there for years. In 11 consecutive seasons at Championship level the team has finished in the top half twice, and never higher than ninth. These have been hard yards, up and down the Avanti West Coast, always to, from, or through Preston. We are the guy at the end of Jeepers Creepers, dedicating his life to sitting and staring at the fragmented corpse of a once formidable monster just in case one day it comes back and lives again.

The beast might, (might), finally be twitching. Christian Nourry and Andy Belk were never going to turn around the squad Gareth Ainsworth was left working with after the shambolic 2022/23 campaign in one recruitment cycle, but six transfer windows and no small amount of money later there is a growing consensus that we’re in a much, much better place now. Swings at correcting last season’s defects in goal and at full back have been swung. There’s obviously work still to do on the centre of midfield, where Rangers went in with a winger and a centre back playing out of position at Portsmouth on day one, but Glen Kamara’s cameo promised much usefulness and Nicolas Madsen is back in full training this week. There may be further departures with window left, injuries may yet prove a key factor once more (the team is already missing both first choice left backs and Kealey Adamson may start there tomorrow out of position), but the victory at Fratton Park has done little to quell an optimism that has built through the summer with each new addition and friendly win.

You’ll know a lot about us by that first international break. Portsmouth away was one of the harder fixtures Rangers start with. Pompey finished 18th last season. In the next few weeks the R’s face the sides that finished 21st, 20th, 19th and 14th to go with that and home games against two newly promoted clubs. A homer with Middlesbrough at the start of September is the only fly in that ointment. Julien Stéphan’s team then get three weeks off to prepare for a Friday night at West Ham which they really should go into as part of a developing top six/eight picture at that stage if they’ve genuinely got anything about them.

However, it is often these sorts of games that historically trouble QPR, and bother this iteration in particular. I was amazed to see Portsmouth credited with 54.4% possession last week, it certainly didn’t feel like that to me as we cruised through at 3-1, but it continues a sequence of Rangers not winning a game when holding more possession than the opponent since February 2025 – all 21 victories since then have been accomplished with less of the ball, including last week. When Rangers are required to dominate and dictate the play they often flounder – see both games against Oxford (0-0, 0-0) last season as prime examples. Cardiff, up here next, will want possession and to play under Brian Barry-Murphy; I’m not sure Bolton will tomorrow, and that’s a hurdle this team has yet to clear, even once.

That and shedding the ‘typical bloody Rangers’ trait of seemingly always losing a game you expect them to win, always punching you in the gut just when you’ve finally had a good feed, always waking you up just when you’ve allowed yourself to dream. A first opening day win since 2020, a first away win on day one since 2019, a chance of a first lead off double since 2016, HMS Piss The League taking on supplies before putting to sea, and here comes last year’s League One play off winners with the manager desperately pleading for more signings (plural) in his pre-match press conference. …

Nothing should scare you about tomorrow more than this… With 24 hours(ish) still to go there have been 84 scores entered into our Prediction League for tomorrow and only two of them have gone for a Bolton win. Nearly 86% of you are predicting a QPR victory, ten of you 3-0, six of you 4-1, one of you 5-1.

It’ll be fine, it’s only Rotherham and Bolton next week. At QPR, it is often the farthest thing from fine.

Links >>> Season Preview Full Collection All In One Place >>> Winning start – Oppo Profile >>> A rare Swazzy moment – History >>> Ed the Duck – Referee >>> Bolton Wanderers Official Website >>> Football Ground Guide – Bolton >>> Lion of Vienna – Podcast >>> Wanderers Way – Message Board >>> Bolton News – Local Press

Parish Noticeboard
- Mega tube closures on Saturday. No Hammersmith & City Line, no Circle Line before 10.30am. District Line various closures across the line all day. No Piccadilly Line through town or on the Heathrow branch. No Metropolitan Line south of Harrow-on-the-Hill.
- Blackburn tickets went on sale Thursday, digital tickets not paper. Details.

Below the fold

Team News: QPR have problems at left back where Boy Kemper’s league debut lasted only 20 minutes at Portsmouth thanks to an ankle injury and fellow new arrival Dennis Cirkin has not had a pre-season. Kealey Adamson filled in out of position at Fratton Park and may do so again with Ziyad Larkeche apparently so out of favour he’s not being considered despite the shortage in his position. We may get a good indication of Esquerdinha’s standing in this current squad as well. Larkeche, Rayan Kolli and Kieran Morgan could all leave the club on loan in the final week of the transfer window according to West London Sport.Better news for Nicolas Madsen who is back in full training.

Former Liverpool right back Luca Stephenson is a doubt for the visitors after leaving their opening day win against Preston early with his own ankle knock. Ruben Rodrigues is a medium term absentee and Xav Simons is suspended.

Elsewhere: Along with QPR, Sheffield United were the team the season previewers seemed to find hardest to predict with potential outcomes ranging from promotion to surprise relegation candidates. They were in mostly play-off form once Chris Wilder returned to Bramall Lane last year, hamstrung on the league table by losing eight of their first nine games under Ruben Selles, and with a decent team on paper there was seemingly no reason to think they wouldn’t be able to push for an expanded play-off picture this year. And yet, something just didn’t smell right about them when we were writing them up.

This week it became clear why. The club’s current owners Helmy Eltoukhy and Steven Rosen, through their COH Sports vehicle, owe former owner Prince Abdullah bin Mosaad Al Saud a further £35m instalment of the £100m fee they agreed when purchasing the club from him. Prince Abdullah has chased this amount through the courts via a winding up petition but, in the meantime, Eltoukhy and Rosen have quietly passed ownership of the Blades from their left hand to their right hand and a new company based in the wild west of tax and corporate law Delaware called 1919 Partners. COH Sports was duly wound up in the High Court on Wednesday in a hearing that lasted barely ten seconds and was not attended or contested by any Eltoukhy and Rosen reps.

Eltoukhy and Rosen say the former owner is grandstanding, the club is financially secure and operating normally. Prince Abdullah says he wants his money, and it’s ridiculous to think you can buy a football club, renege on the payments, and avoid punishment by just moving the club from one off-the-shelf company to another. He wants the EFL’s standard 12-point penalty imposed on the Blades. The EFL say “urggggggggggggggh it’s a bit early yet innit? Gimme five minutes fella.” Eltoukhy and Rosen never front up and give interviews, leaving Chris Wilder to face the press and explain Delaware tax law (like some sketch from Big Train). The current owners’ claim that it’s business as usual somewhat undermined by the Blades pulling out of a £10m move for Leicester centre back Harry Souttar (now likely Wrexham bound) and telling Wilder he must rely on frees and loans for the rest of the window. On the pitch it’s Swansea away on Saturday.

We’re back to the dreaded trio of 12.30 kick offs in the Championship for reasons known only to Sky. The first line-up sees Birmingham host Bristol City, Lincoln open their campaign at home with a visit from Portsmouth, and Millwall hosting Norwich. Not quite sure which Bristol City seem so keen to give up 20+ goal contributions a season by getting rid of Scott Twine to replace him with Sam Greenwood. You’d worry about Pompey if they went to Sincil Bank and lost having conceded three in each of their first two games.

Eight afternoon fixtures including our own. Tony Mowbray’s summer optimism has already given way to a full Moany Towbray press conference prior to Blackburn hosting Middlesbrough – working for The Venky’s will get you like that – despite a positive performance and result on opening night at Wolves. Wanderers, for their part, go to Preston with Jordan James added to the midfield but Kieran Trippier already sidelined with a knee injury (can’t believe it).

Derby v Cardiff, Southampton v Stoke and Wrexham v Watford complete the Saturday line up.

That James arrival at Wolves shows why, despite us having little good to say about any of the relegated sides in the season preview, we still rated them highly in our predicted league table. West Ham, for their part, have added Joel Piroe to their attack from Leeds ahead of a visit from Charlton, while Burnley have brought in former Sheff Utd defender Anel Ahmedhodvic ahead of Sunday’s trip to West Brom. The Baggies got a surprise 2-1 win at Norwich last week but Aune Heggebo’s handballed winner has seen him retrospectively banned for two games.

Referee: Preston’s Edward Duckworth is the man in the middle for this Saturday’s top of the table clash. Made his Championship debut in our 2-1 win at Bristol City last season. Details.

Form

- QPR started the season with a 3-1 win at Portsmouth, their first win at Fratton Park in seven visits going back to the final day of the 1999/00 season when they also won 3-1.

- It’s QPR’s first win on the opening day of a campaign since Mark Warburton’s Rangers beat Forest 2-0 at Loftus Road during lockdown in 2020, and the first away win on day one since the 2-1 at Stoke the year before that. They haven’t won the first two games since 2016 when Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s savage pre-season did at least yield a 3-0 win against Leeds and 2-0 at Cardiff to begin with.

- The win also moves QPR into positive goal difference for, we think, the first time since December 2022 (!!). Hat tip @J_J_Burke).

- Ilias Chair is the first QPR player to record three goal contributions in the first half of an away game since Martin Rowlands vs Watford in December 2007 (also two goals, one assist). Chair is the first QPR player to score two goals in a league season opener away from home since Clive Allen at Wrexham in 1981-82. @JTSupple

- Portsmouth’s 54.4% possession on day one means Blackburn H (2-1) in February 2025 remains the last time QPR won with more of the ball than the opponent. They have won 21 games since, always with an inferior possession stat.

- QPR's 3-1 win at Portsmouth was the first time they'd scored three goals in a league season opener away from home since beating West Ham 3-0 in 1987 (also August 15). It’s the first time the R’s have scored three goals in the first half of an away game since April 2015 vs West Brom in the Premier League. @JTSupple

- Bolton are back in the Championship for the first time since 2018/19 and also began with a win, defeating near neighbours Preston 2-1 on opening day having lost their League Cup tie 1-0 to League One Sheff Wed. Sam Dalby and Thierry Gale got the goas in the first half before a late consolation from Jusef Erabi.

- Bolton haven’t won their first two games of the season in the top two divisions since 2001/02 when Sam Allardyce’s side won their first three Premier League games 5-0 at Leicester, then 1-0 and 2-1 at home to Boro and Liverpool respectively. They haven’t won their first two games in the second tier since 1977/78 when they won 1-0 at Burnley and 2-1 at home to Millwall as part of a sequence of five wins and a draw to begin a campaign that ended with promotion.

- Amidst a financial collapse, Bolton only won eight of their 46 games when last at this level and were relegated in 23rd, 12 points shy of safety. They lost nine of their final ten games at this level. However they did, infamously, win the other one – 2-1 at Loftus Road on their last visit to W12 with goals from Will Buckley and Callum Connolly. One of only three away wins all season for the Trotters, Steve McClaren was dismissed as Rangers manager afterwards.

- There have been 17 meetings between the sides at Loftus Road and only one has finished in a draw - QPR have won ten and Bolton six. Rangers were unbeaten in seven meetings between the sides home and away (W5 D2) prior to the Trotters’ win here in the last meeting.

- QPR have won only two of their last nine fixtures at Loftus Road, winning just two (Portsmouth 6-1, Watford 2-1). They drew with Millwall in the League Cup first round before losing on penalties – the first time in club history (16 shoot outs) they’d failed to score in such a situation.

- Steven Schumacher is yet to concede a goal to QPR as a manager – drawing 0-0 here with Plymouth and winning a Valentine’s Day classic 1-0 while Stoke manager.

Prediction

In our Prediction League for 2026/27 we’ll once again be handing out prizes for being top at Christmas and overall winner from The Art of Football - sample the merch from our sponsor’s newly extended QPR collection here. Six of you called last week at Portsmouth spot on – lot of optimism in the air. JB007007 won both prizes last year and has kindly agreed to keep up tradition and offer his thoughts in this year’s match previews…

“I mentioned last week my (often irrational) dislike of most teams – well here goes for Bolton.

- A crucial away game in a relegation battle and Clint Hill scores a perfectly good goal = not given.

- El Hadji Diouf = scum bag.

“Ok, both of these are a while back and the “ghost” goal wasn’t their fault as such but you get my drift and I don’t let go easily, particularly when that could have been the difference at the end of season. A few years on and the high experienced with JET’s injury time winner at home made for a brilliant ending. More recently, I thought their chairman gave an almost arrogant interview a couple of years back just before their play-off final against Oxford. It was as if they had got to the Championship already. Didn’t quite go to plan…

“As far as this weekend goes, Bolton will be buoyed by their opening day derby win over Preston so will travel south with some confidence. With our fantastic win at Fratton Park last week, feel good factor, home advantage against a recent promoted side it all points to… bumping back down to earth. However, I do think there’s a real determination within this group. Player for player we’re better and I believe we win this as well so am I’m going for a 2-0 victory and Kone hitting his first of the season after a rest last week.”

JB’s Prediction: QPR 2-0 Bolton. Scorer – Richard Kone

LFW’s Prediction: QPR 2-0 Bolton. Scorer – Ilias Chair

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