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Have you ever wondered what happened to some of our players who could perhaps be described as "less than successful", or even some of the more successful who just couldnt give it up?
Well many of them have opted for the "other world". Yes, rather than grace such surfaces as Loftus Road, they find themselves playing in fields more suitable for emptying a pigs bladder than kicking one around. Its non-league football!
Hopefully in this column I will be able to keep your interest long enough to remind you of some of our ex players who you had nearly forgotten, and update you on a few players linked with us currently or in the past. I'll even let you know how certain teams, whose history is now inextricably linked to us due to their (ahem) cup exploits, are doing.
So let's start right there. Firstly may I apologise for reminding you all of such a despairing night in 2002, and update you on the progress of Vauxhall Motors. They play their football in the Unibond Premier League and are battling for promotion to the Conference. The cup run has left them with games in hand, but losing in front of 253 people at Bradford Park Avenue this weekend hasn't helped. They have 3 games in hand and if they win them all will be 7 points behind the leaders.
But what of the Conference? If they get there, who can they expect to find? Well one of the most famous non-league sides is Dagenham and Redbridge, and currently, they have no fewer than 3 ex QPR boys in the side. At one end is Mark Stein, banging in the goals, and at the other is Tony Roberts stopping them. They have done a pretty good job so far as the team is in with a shout of promotion to the Football League, but I wonder if it's any coincidence that their good run of form has coincided with the enforced absence of missing man, Paul Bruce? Apparently he is nearing fitness so they will find out soon.
Another interesting name in the conference is Junior Agogo. Some of you may remember he came on trial to the R's at the end of last season, but apparently wasn't quite good enough. He's currently the leagues highest scorer on 18 goals!
Down at Margate, one of our formerly celebrated youngsters is having a knees up. Terry McFlynn was regularly scoring for our youths but now is first choice at the club Leroy Griffiths went on loan to earlier this season.
Dropping down to the Ryman Premier we find one of Terry McFlynn's ex team mates at Hayes. Justin Cochrane (who remembers that crunching tackle and sending off?) is their midfield kingpin. But that's not all. That youth side is further represented at Canvey Island, where Bertie Brayley sat on the bench this weekend, and at Aldershot where the goal is kept by one time first teamer Nicky Bull. He only needs to look up the pitch where he will find the veteran Lee Charles banging the goals in, and by all reports, still looking very much the part.
All these guys will probably be looking forward to a game at Billericay this season. This part of Essex has become home to the brothers Graham. Yes Richard and Mark at one time looked like they would break through to the first team at QPR but something must have gone wrong. Oh well, at least they are still together (aah!). There are even more of our guys playing further down the Ryman league, but I'll come to that another time.
Shifting the focus for a moment to management. Some of our former heroes are having a mixed time of it trying to use their heads instead of their feet. At Wingate and Finchley Clive Wilson's side fell to defeat at Wealdstone this weekend, leaving Willo's side 7th from bottom in Ryman Division One North whilst Paul Parker inspired his side Chelmsford, to a 2-0 win at Halesowen Town in the Dr Martens Premier.
Currently jousting for position as the player with best chance of success this year are two players in a couple of lesser known leagues. Christer Warren joined a bit of a revolution down at Eastleigh this season, and with yet another win this week (3-1 at Alton Town) they top The Jewson Wessex League. His opponent for that title is Leon Jeanne. Yes him! He now plays for Barry Town in the Welsh Premier League They got a point at fellow title chasers Bangor City this week with Leon coming on from the bench in a 1-1 draw.
And finally this week news of one of our current targets. Craig McAllister of Basingstoke in the Ryman League has been linked with a move to Loftus Road, but according to the manager Ernie Howe, (also an ex Ranger!) we aren't offering enough. Not a shock to us perhaps, but as if to prove a point, Craig's 25th minute penalty against Purfleet this weekend, proved to be the winner. I'll keep my eye on him for you.
So, more from the non-league scene next week, but to make this column a success, I'll need your help. If you know of an Ex QPR player knocking around in a non league team near you, let me know, and I'll spread the word....
varc@qprnet.com
