These are the results of the 1975–76 season for Queens Park Rangers F.C. when they competed in the English Football League First Division. Rangers enjoyed the best season in their history, finishing second in the First Division, a point behind champions Liverpool.
Season summary Following promotion to the First Division in 1973, the Rangers had spent two years gradually building up their squad under the stewardship of former Chelsea manager Dave Sexton.
Rangers began the season in superb style by beating Liverpool 2–0 at Loftus Road, with the opening goal by Gerry Francis epitomising the free-flowing football the team would play throughout the season - a pass from Frank McLintock to Stan Bowles, a deft flick through the legs to Francis, a one-two with Don Givens and a low shot despatched past goalkeeper Ray Clemence. BBC Match of the Day viewers would later vote it their 'Goal of the Season.' The following weekend, Rangers produced an even more impressive result by beating reigning champions Derby County 5–1 at the Baseball Ground, Bowles scoring a hat-trick, and four matches later a goal by David Webb ended Manchester United's unbeaten start. Indeed, it was not until their eleventh match that Rangers themselves lost for the first time, going down 2–1 at Leeds United, although they bounced back in their next match by thrashing Everton 5–0.
Four defeats in six matches straddling the New Year saw Rangers slip from top of the table to fifth, but a 2–0 win at Aston Villa in late January set in motion an extraordinary run of 11 wins and a draw that pushed them right back into contention for the League title. By the second weekend in April they were once again top of the table, a point ahead of Liverpool with three matches to play. Crucially, Rangers lost their next match 3–2 at Norwich City on 17 April, allowing Liverpool to reclaim the advantage by beating Stoke City. Both teams then won their penultimate fixtures, and after beating Leeds 2–0 on the final Saturday of the season, 24 April, Rangers were left with an agonising wait as Liverpool did not complete their fixtures until 10 days later on 4 May, at relegation-threatened Wolverhampton Wanderers. Liverpool's superior goal average meant they needed just a draw to become champions, but when Steve Kindon fired the home side into a first-half lead after 15 minutes, Rangers' dream was very much alive. The score remained 1–0 until the final quarter of an hour, but Kevin Keegan scored a dramatic equaliser and two further Liverpool goals handed them the title by a margin of just one point.
This season marked the first year of European football qualification in the club's history.
Kit QPR's kit were manufactured by Umbro
League Table
Results QPR scores given first
First Division
DateOpponentsVenueResultF–AScorersAttendancePosition16 August 1975LiverpoolH2–0Francis 44', Leach 72'27,113419 August 1975Aston VillaH1–1Francis 59'21,986323 August 1975Derby CountyA5–1Thomas, Bowles 3 (1 pen), Clement27,590326 August 1975Wolverhampton WanderersA2–2Givens 9', 31'19,380330 August 1975West Ham UnitedH1–1Givens28,40836 September 1975Birmingham CityA1–1Thomas27,305413 September 1975Manchester UnitedH1–0Webb 3'29,237320 September 1975MiddlesbroughA0–024,867323 September 1975Leicester CityH1–0Leach 57'19,292227 September 1975Newcastle UnitedH1–0Leach 39'22,98114 October 1975Leeds UnitedA1–2Bowles (pen)30,943211 October 1975EvertonH5–0Givens 1', Masson 30', Francis 63', 82', Thomas 68'23,022118 October 1975BurnleyA0–120,409225 October 1975Sheffield UnitedH1–0Givens21,16111 November 1975Coventry CityA1–1Givens17,84538 November 1975Tottenham HotspurH0–028,454315 November 1975Ipswich TownA1–1Givens25,540422 November 1975BurnleyH1–0Bowles17,390229 November 1975Stoke CityH3–2Masson, Clement, Webb22,32826 December 1975Manchester CityA0–036,066113 December 1975Derby CountyH1–1Nutt25,465120 December 1975LiverpoolA0–239,182426 December 1975Norwich CityH2–0Masson, Bowles21,774327 December 1975ArsenalA0–239,021510 January 1976Manchester UnitedA1–2Givens 10'58,312517 January 1976Birmingham CityH2–1Masson 216,759524 January 1976West Ham UnitedA0–126,677531 January 1976Aston VillaA2–0Hollins 76', Francis 89'32,22357 February 1976Wolverhampton WanderersH4–2Givens 13', 63', Thomas 21', Francis 49' (pen)17,153314 February 1976Tottenham HotspurA3–0Givens, Francis 228,200321 February 1976Ipswich TownH3–1Wark (og), Webb, Thomas22,593225 February 1976Leicester CityA1–0Thomas24,340228 February 1976Sheffield UnitedA0–021,94926 March 1976Coventry CityH4–1Thomas, Francis, Givens, Masson19,731113 March 1976EvertonA2–0Bowles 29', Leach 80'25,186120 March 1976Stoke CityA1–0Webb22,848127 March 1976Manchester CityH1–0Webb 81'29,88313 April 1976Newcastle UnitedA2–1McLintock 20', Bowles 90'30,134110 April 1976MiddlesbroughH4–2Francis 59' (pen), 80',Givens 65''Bowles 86'24,342117 April 1976Norwich CityA2–3Thomas, Powell (og)31,231219 April 1976ArsenalH2–1McLintock, Francis (pen)30,362224 April 1976Leeds UnitedH2–0Thomas 62', Bowles 8231,0022
Football League Cup
DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance9 September 1975Second RoundShrewsbury Town (Third Division)A4–1Webb 50', Masson , Thomas 82', Leach 87'11,2507 October 1975Third RoundCharlton Athletic (Second Division)H1–1Bowles20,43413 October 1975Third Round ReplayCharlton Athletic (Second Division)A3–0Thomas, Masson, Bowles31,58311 November 1975Fourth RoundNewcastle United (First Division)H1–3Leach 9'21,162
FA Cup
DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance3 January 1976Third RoundNewcastle United (First Division)H0–020,1027 January 1976Third Round ReplayNewcastle United (First Division)A1–2Masson 60'37,225
Friendlies DateLocationOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance20 July 1975West GermanyBorussia MönchengladbachA4-1Bowles 29', ?, Webb 27,50025 July 1975West GermanyWuppertal FCA27 July 1975West GermanyPaderborn FCA8 August 1975Athletic Bilbao Tournament SpainBenficaN9 August 1975Athletic Bilbao Tournament SpainAlthletic BilbaoA1 October 1975Jimmy Wallbanks TestimonialReadingA2 February 1976Mike Leach TestimonialRed Star BelgradeH2 March 1976Moscow DynamoH10 March 1976Ian Morgan TestimonialWatfordA3 May 1976Mike Channon TestimonialSouthamptonA
Squad
PositionNationalityNameLeague AppearancesLeague GoalsCup AppearancesF.A.Cup GoalsLeague.Cup GoalsTotal AppearancesTotal GoalsGKPhil Parkes42648GKDerek RichardsonGKRichard TealeDFRon Abbott5 (1)17DFDave Clement4026462DFTommy CunninghamDFIan Gillard41546DFDanny WestwoodDFFrank McLintock34 (1)26412DFDon Shanks22DFDavid Webb38561446DFSteve JonesDFTony Tagg44DFKeith PritchettMFJohn Beck325MFMartyn Busby11MFGerry Francis361264212MFMick Leach29(3)462386MFDon Masson426612489MFJohn Hollins27(5)11331FWStan Bowles3710624312FWDon RogersFWDon Givens411364713FWDave Thomas419524611FWPeter EastoeFWPhil Nutt(3)131FWSteve Adams
Transfers Out NamefromDateFeeDateClubFeeDanny WestwoodBillericay TownJuly 1974November 1975Gillingham£17,500Don RogersCrystal Palace18 September 1974 Ian Evans & Terry VenablesMarch 1976SwindonPlus £100,000 for Peter EastoeRichard TealeSlough TownJuly 1973June 1976FulhamJohn BeckQueens Park Rangers JuniorsMay 1972June 1976Coventry City£40,000
Transfers In NamefromDateFeeSteve AdamsQueens Park Rangers JuniorsJuly 1975 Phil NuttQueens Park Rangers Juniors1 July 1975 John HollinsChelsea10 July 1975 £85,000 Steve JonesQueens Park Rangers Juniors25 July 1975 Tony MartinQueens Park Rangers Juniors12 September 1975 Peter EastoeSwindon11 March 1976 Don Rogers & £100,000Derek RichardsonChelsea29 April 1976 Free
Notes and references