1988–89 Queens Park Rangers F.C. season

During the 1988–89 English football season, Queens Park Rangers competed in the First Division for the sixth year running.

Season summary QPR dropped from their fifth-place finish the previous season to ninth in the First Division. Jim Smith resigned as their manager in December 1988, to take over as manager of Newcastle United, and was replaced by the former England international Trevor Francis as player-manager. The team's league form improved in the new year, and they lost just two of their last fifteen league matches. They reached the fifth round of the League Cup but were knocked out of the FA Cup in the third round.

Kit Adidas continued as QPR's kit manufacturers. Airline KLM remained front of shirt kit sponsors.

Omniturf The artificial pitch of Omniturf that was installed at Loftus Road was removed in April 1988 prior to the season starting. Souvenir swatches of the pitch were later sold at the club's retail store.

League table

Results Queens Park Rangers' score comes first

Football League First Division DateOpponentsVenueResultF–AScorersAttendancePosition 27 August 1988Manchester UnitedA0–0 46,37711 3 September 1988SouthamptonH0–1 9,45415 10 September 1988Norwich CityA0–1 11,17417 17 September 1988Sheffield WednesdayH2–0Francis (2; 1 pen)8,01111 24 September 1988Derby CountyA1–0Stein14,00811 1 October 1988MillwallA2–3Francis, M. Allen14,10312 8 October 1988Nottingham ForestH1–2Stein11,29517 15 October 1988West Ham UnitedH2–1Stein, Maddix14,5669 22 October 1988ArsenalA1–2Falco33,20212 29 October 1988Luton TownA0–0 8,45315 5 November 1988Newcastle UnitedH3–0Maddix, M. Allen, Falco11,01312 12 November 1988MiddlesbroughA0–1 20,56514 19 November 1988LiverpoolH0–1 20,06514 26 November 1988Tottenham HotspurA2–2Falco, Francis26,69813 3 December 1988Coventry CityH2–1Francis, Falco9,85313 10 December 1988Charlton AthleticA1–1Francis6,01213 17 December 1988EvertonH0–0 10,06714 26 December 1988Aston VillaA1–2Francis 73'25,10615 31 December 1988SouthamptonA4–1M. Allen, Barker, Falco (2)15,08612 2 January 1989Norwich CityH1–1Falco12,46114 14 January 1989WimbledonA0–1 7,11815 21 January 1989Derby CountyH0–1 9,51616 4 February 1989MillwallH1–2Falco (pen)10,88116 11 February 1989Nottingham ForestA0–0 19,69216 18 February 1989ArsenalH0–0 20,54316 25 February 1989West Ham UnitedA0–0 17,371164 March 1989Luton TownHpp 11 March 1989Newcastle UnitedA2–1Stein, Clarke21,5551418 March 1989Manchester UnitedHpp 21 March 1989Luton TownH1–1Clarke9,07212 25 March 1989Sheffield WednesdayA2–0Falco, M. Allen18,80412 27 March 1989Aston VillaH1–0Sinton 70'11,37812 1 April 1989EvertonA1–4Falco (pen)23,02812 8 April 1989WimbledonH4–3Clarke, Spackman, Falco, Reid9,56912 15 April 1989MiddlesbroughH0–0 10,34712 22 April 1989Coventry CityA3–0Clarke (2), Channing11,31911 29 April 1989Charlton AthleticH1–0Sinton13,452106 May 1989LiverpoolApp 8 May 1989Manchester UnitedH3–2Sinton 21', Gray 60', 90'10,0179 13 May 1989Tottenham HotspurH1–0Falco21,8738 16 May 1989LiverpoolA0–2 38,3689

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultF–AAttendanceScorersR37 January 1989Manchester United (First Division)A0–036,222R3 replay11 January 1989Manchester United (First Division)H2–2 aet22,236Stein, McDonaldR3 2nd replay23 January 1989Manchester United (First Division)A0–347,257

Littlewoods Challenge Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultF–AAttendanceScorersR2 1st leg28 September 1988Cardiff City (Third Division)H3–06,078Francis 12', Fereday 26', Allen 90' R2 2nd leg12 October 1988Cardiff City (Third Division)A4–1 (won 7–1 on agg)2,692Stein 10', Falco (2) 56' 81', Maddix 59' R32 November 1988Charlton Athletic (First Division)H2–18,701Francis (2)R430 November 1988Wimbledon (First Division)H0–010,504R4 replay14 December 1988Wimbledon (First Division)A1–06,585FalcoR518 January 1989Nottingham Forest (First Division)A2–524,065Stein 22', Kerslake 79'

Mercantile Credit Centenary Trophy RoundDateOpponentVenueResultF–AScorersAttendanceQF31 August 1988 ArsenalH0-2 10,019

Simod Cup RoundDateOpponentVenueResultF–AScorersAttendanceSimod Cup 3rd Rd1-Feb-1989Sheffield WednesdayASimod Cup 4th Rd14-Feb-1989WatfordASimod Cup SF28-Feb-1989 Everton A

Friendlies DateCountryOpponentsVenueResultF–AScorersAttendance25-Jul-1988SwedenNässjö FF A27-Jul-1988SwedenFalkenbergs FF A28-Jul-1988SwedenÖrgryte IS A31-Jul-1988SwedenRydöbruks IF A2-Aug-1988DenmarkAarhusA10-Aug-1988WeymouthA13-Aug-1988AFC BournemouthA16-Aug-1988Yeovil TownA19-Aug-1988AldershotA21-Aug-1988Al-AhlyH1-1McDonald 16', 3,4713-May-1989TrinidadTrinidadA5-May-1989TrinidadTrinidadA

Football Combination DateOpponentsVenueScore F–A30 August 1988PortsmouthA1-33 September 1988TottenhamA0–214 September 1988ChelseaA0–424 September 1988ReadingA0-14 October 1988SouthamptonA1-212 October 1988NorwichA2-418 October 1988WatfordA0-025 October 1988NorwichH1-02 November 1988West HamH0-15 November 1988ArsenalA1-29 November 1988Luton TownH0-116 November 1988BrightonH3-126 November 1988Luton TownA2-06 December 1988FulhamH2-28 December 1988Oxford UnitedA0-213 December 1988IpswichA2-320 December 1988FulhamA1-34 January 1989Crystal PalaceA0-010 January 1989MillwallA0-317 January 1989Oxford UnitedH4-331 January 1989PortsmouthPP7 February 1989TottenhamH0-114 February 1989ChelseaH0-428 February 1989ReadingH1-27 March 1989SouthamptonA1-514 March 1989CharltonA2-221 March 1989SwindonH23 March 1989MillwallH29 March 1989WatfordH1 April 1989West HamA4 April 1989Crystal PalaceH11 April 1989ArsenalH19 April 1989BrightonA25 April 1989CharltonH2 May 1989WimbledonH9 May 1989IpswichH16 May 1989SwindonA

Squad PositionNationalityNameLeague AppearancesLeague GoalsCup AppearancesLittlewoods Challenge Cup GoalsF.A.Cup GoalsTotal AppearancesTotal GoalsGKDavid Seaman351146GKNicky Johns325DFRoberto Herrera15DFJustin Channing914131DFBrian Law6410DFAlan Mcdonald27101411DFPaul Parker361248DFMark Fleming13DFAlan McCarthy11DFGavin Maguire7111DFDanny Maddix282101463DFDavid Pizanti13824DFMark Dennis16522MFOsvaldo Ardiles4312MFDavid Kerslake1171301MFSimon Barker2119361MFMartin Allen26461345MFPeter Reid141141MFColin Clarke123125MFNigel Spackman162181MFKevin Brock12519FWAndy Gray112112FWDean Coney11925FWWayne Fereday29101411FWAndy Sinton103103FWBradley Allen3FWTrevor Francis197732610FWMark Stein194921417FWMark Falco2212733415

Transfers Out NamefromDateFeeDateClubFeeWarren NeillQueens Park Rangers JuniorsSep 3,1980 July 1988Portsmouth£110,000 John ByrneYorkOct 16,1984 £100,000 July 88Le Havre (Fra)£175,000 Dean NealSouthendJune 13, 1988 Loan July 88SouthendLoan Les FerdinandHayesMarch 1987£50,000August 1988BesiktasLoanIan DawesQueens Park Rangers JuniorsDec 24,1980 August 1988Millwall£150,000 Kevin BrockOxford UnitedAug 12,1987 £260,000December 1988Newcastle United£300,000Gavin MaguireQueens Park Rangers JuniorsOctober 1985January 1989 Portsmouth£175,000Osvaldo ArdilesTottenham HotspurAug 25,1988 February 1989Fort Lauderdale StrikersDean ConeyFulhamJune 18, 1987 £200,000Mar 89Norwich£350,000Wayne FeredayQueens Park Rangers JuniorsAug 28,1980 June 1989Newcastle United£425,000 Gary EatonQueens Park Rangers JuniorsJuly1988 June 89Free

Transfers In NamefromDateFeeSimon BarkerBlackburn RoversJuly 20, 1988 £400,000Gary EatonQueens Park Rangers JuniorsJuly1988 Osvaldo ArdilesTottenham HotspurAug 25,1988 Free Mark SteinLutonAug 25,1988 £300,000 Bradley AllenQueens Park Rangers JuniorsSep 30,1988 Alan McCarthyQueens Park Rangers JuniorsDecember 1988Nigel SpackmanLiverpoolJan 31,1989 £500,000Kevin KingsmoreQueens Park Rangers JuniorsJan 1,1989 Andy GrayAston VillaFeb 1,1989 £450,000Peter ReidEvertonFeb 8,1989 Free Colin ClarkeSouthamptonMar 9,1989 £800,000 Andy SintonBrentfordMar 23,1989 £350,000 Maurice DoyleCrewe AlexandraApr 21,1989 £80,000Kenny SansomNewcastle UnitedJune 1989£300,000

References