QPR Avoid Relegation
Waddock brought in several new players in preparation for the 2006–07 season, including Jamaican international centre-back Damion Stewart from Bradford City and Cameroon midfielder Armel Tchakounte from Carshalton Athletic, Zesh Rehman from Fulham, Nick Ward from A-League team Perth Glory and latterly the team's top goalscorer for the season, Dexter Blackstock from Southampton for £500,000. The team was knocked out of the League Cup by Port Vale of League One and from the FA Cup by Luton Town, and struggled in the League. As a result, in September 2006 Gary Waddock was demoted to first-team coach, and later left the club.
Another former QPR player, John Gregory, replaced him as manager. He reduced the playing staff with Ian Evatt, Scott Donnelly, Ugo Ukah, Matthew Rose, Matthew Hislop, Jonathan Munday and Egutu Oliseh all agreeing mutual termination of their contracts, while Kevin Gallen and Sean Thomas were loaned to other clubs, and he signed Finnish defender Sampsa Timoska and Adam Bolder of Derby County, and introduced the impressive Lee Camp also of Derby on loan. The team climbed to mid-table including a 1—0 defeat of the then league leaders, Cardiff City, at Ninian Park with promising young striker Ray Jones scoring in the 88th minute. Despite initial results the club later reverted to previous form and dropped once again to the relegation zone. In an exciting end to the season however, QPR secured safety after a run of wins, including beating Cardiff City again, this time by a solitary goal from Dexter Blackstock. The last game of the season was a 1–1 draw at home to promotion contenders Stoke City. Martin Rowlands scored Rangers' last goal of the season. 8 QPR players were booked, the most for them in 2007 and Sampsa Timoska was sent off. QPR finished 18th, a marginal improvement on the previous season and did their traditional end of season lap of honour.
On 7 February 2007, a friendly 'goodwill' match against China's youth side was curtailed after it descended into a "kung-fu" brawl, in which one Chinese player suffered a broken jaw and was knocked out. Causing a diplomatic incident, QPR's assistant manager Richard Hill was suspended by the club, and later replaced by Warren Neill.
Read more about this topic: History Of Queens Park Rangers F.C.
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