My 43 Years of Chelsea!

With the big game on Sunday approaching, let’s look back at our meetings with Chelsea, starting with our very first game against them in the top flight.

1968/1969

This was to be a disastrous first season in the top flight for QPR, with relegation confirmed at a very early stage! A 4 – 0 home trouncing was followed by a 2 – 1 defeat at Stamford Bridge in our last game of the season with ironically, former Chelsea striker Barry Bridges scoring our goal.

1969/1970

FA Cup 6th round this time against a Chelsea side that went on to win the trophy. A Terry Venables penalty and another Barry Bridges goal in front of just under 34,000 spectators at Loftus Road, but Chelsea ran out winners 4 – 2.

1973/1974

We’re back in the top flight and we met Chelsea four times this season.

QPR 1 – 1 Chelsea, King Stanley scoring our goal.

Chelsea 0 – 0 QPR in the FA Cup 3rd round with King Stanley scoring our winning goal in the 1 – 0 replay victory at Loftus Road!

Chelsea 3 – 3 QPR 3, in what was my first live match against our West London rivals. King Stanley scores twice with Don Givens netting the other. The referee blew for full-time just as QPR substitute Ron Abbott put the ball in the net for our fourth!

1974/1975

A brace from Don Givens and one from Gerry Francis secured a 3 – 0 victory for the R’s at Stamford Bridge and Dave Thomas completing a double in the 1 – 0 victory at Loftus Road in what was to be a relegation season for Chelsea.

1977/1978

With Chelsea now back in the top league and QPR in a slow decline,

QPR 1 – 1 Chelsea, Don Masson scoring our goal.

Chelsea 3 – 1 QPR, Leighton James with our consolation.

1978/1979

In what was to be a relegation season for both clubs, a goalless draw at Loftus Road was followed by a surprise 3 – 1 victory for QPR at Stamford Bridge, with Paul Goddard, Glenn Roeder and Martin Busby scoring our goals.

1979/1980

The prolific Clive Allen nets twice in our 2 – 2 draw at Loftus Road, with Martin Busby and Steve Burke securing a 2 – 0 victory in the reverse fixture.

1980/1981

Former Chelsea striker Tommy Langley scores for QPR in the 1 – 1 draw at Loftus Road and scores the winner in the 1 – 0 victory at Stamford Bridge.

1981/1982

With the infamous Omniturf pitch now in place, Chelsea took a liking to it and romped to a 2 – 0 victory at Loftus Road. The grass experience at Stamford Bridge was no better for the R’s, with former QPR manager John Gregory scoring in the first half, only for QPR to go on to lose 2 – 1.

1982/1983

In what was to be our promotion season, Chelsea again enjoyed the plastic pitch, winning 2 – 1, with Tony Sealy scoring our goal. We fared better on grass at Stamford Bridge, with John Gregory and Tony Sealy scoring again in our 2 – 1 victory.

1984/1985

With Chelsea now back with us in the top flight and QPR in the UEFA Cup, a 2 – 2 home draw, with Gary Bannister and Alan McDonald scoring, was followed by a 1 – 0 defeat at Stamford Bridge.

1985/1986

Probably the season to remember for QPR fans, for two reasons.

Starting out with a 1 – 1 draw at Loftus Road in the 5th round of the League Cup, who can forget the Michael Robinson goal from the halfway line in extra time at the replay in our 2 – 0 victory? It doesn’t get any better, or does it? Ten games passed before we met Chelsea at Stamford Bridge again, with David Kerslake scoring in the 1 – 1 draw, but what followed three games later was the never-to-be-forgotten 6 – 0 victory, with Gary Bannister netting a hat trick; John Byrne scoring a pair and Leroy Rosenior giving us the bragging rights for the season. I still remember it like it was yesterday.

1986/1987

A disappointing season for the R’s in terms of playing Chelsea, as John Byrne scores our consolation goal in the 3 – 1 defeat at the Bridge and Gary Bannister scoring in the 1 – 1 draw late on in the season at Loftus Road.

1987/1988

In our last season on the dreaded plastic, a Gary Bannister hat trick saw off Chelsea 3 – 1 at Loftus Road, with David Kerslake scoring in our 1 – 1 draw in front of only 18,000 spectators at Stamford Bridge who saw Chelsea relegated that season.

1989/1990

With Chelsea returning to the top flight at the first attempt, our first away game of the season saw Colin Clarke netting in the 1 – 1 draw, but the reverse fixture saw newly found hero Sir Les Ferdinand score twice, with Mark Falco and Colin Clarke also scoring in our 4 – 2 victory.

1990/1991

In our second home game of the season, former Chelsea man Roy Wegerle secured the points for the R’s with a penalty but a 2 – 0 defeat followed at the Bridge.

1991/1992

A 2 – 2 draw at home with goals from Clive Wilson and the hairy Darren Peacock was followed by a 2 – 1 defeat at the Bridge, with Allen junior Bradley scoring our goal.

1992/1993

The introduction of the Premier League saw Chelsea knock QPR off the top of the league with a 1 – 0 home victory and Bradley Allen scoring again in the 1 – 1 draw at Loftus Road.

1993/1994

Our second away game of the season saw the R’s lose 2 – 0 with the Loftus Road fixture ending 1 – 1, with Sir Les on target in front of only 15,000 spectators.

1994/1995

A Kevin Gallen goal in the 1 – 0 victory at Loftus Road, his only goal against Chelsea and disproving the fact that he scores all night against them, was followed by a 1 – 0 defeat at Stamford Bridge three weeks later.

1995/1996

In our relegation season and with Ferdinand gone; the club in decline and Chelsea very much on the up, a 2 – 1 home defeat in front of less than 15,000 spectators at Loftus Road was followed three weeks later by a 2 – 1 home defeat in the 4th round of the FA Cup. Nigel Quashie netted for the R’s. The reverse league fixture saw Simon Barker scoring in the 1 – 1 draw.

So there we have it. Almost 30 years of continuous fixtures against our West London neighbours, but nothing since 1996, apart from the two 1 – 0 FA Cup defeats in recent years, which only the most optimistic of QPR fans expecting a win.

In the early days, a home game against Chelsea was very much like an away match. There was no real segregation at all and the Chelsea fans pretty much took over Loftus Road. At least we’ll have a spectator advantage for the coming match!

Our last hero against Chelsea was Kevin Gallen, who unfortunately didn’t score all night against them.

Can we find another hero on Sunday?