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The Pre-Match Warm Up
Friday 24th February 2006
by Ron Norris & Simon Skinner

After a little gap for other teams to play cup games Rangers are back in action on Saturday as we travel to face high fliers Sheffield United. Can Waddo and Macca get their second win in charge of the R's?

Sheffield United v Queens Park Rangers
Coca Cola Football League Championship
Saturday 25th February 2006
Kick Off 15:00

TEAM NEWS

Marc Bircham could return to the side this weekend having missed the Palace game with a calf injury, however Waddock will still be without Kevin Gallen and Simon Royce who are both back in training following their injuries but unlikely to play a part. Martin Rowlands is of course sidelined for the rest of the season and both Gareth Ainsworth and Mauro Milanese are suspended after racking up five yellow cards each. Sixteen year old utility man Andrew Howell has also been added to the travelling squad.

Blades boss Neil Warnock has both Danny Webber and David Unsworth available for Saturday's match. Unsworth has just completed a three match ban after being sent off against Watford whilst Webber is now over his hamstring problems. Phil Jagielka is likely to play despite being forced to miss training this week with an illness but Leigh Bromby (groin), Alan Quinn (leg) and Craig Short (hamstring) are all out.

POSSIBLE TEAM
		Furlong	Nygaard


	Cook	Bircham	Lomas	Langley


	Rose	Evatt	Shittu	Bignot



		Jones

A QUICK GUIDE TO OUR OPPONENTS

BLADES IN BRIEF

After losing to us in August, Sheffield United went on an incredible run of ten straight wins to propel themselves into the top two and there they've stayed ever since. Having 74 points in any other season might be enough to see you in top spot at this stage but the form of Reading has kept Warnock and co stuck in second for most of the campaign.

LAST FIVE GAMES
Date	Versus	Venue	F	A
18/02/06	Sheff Weds	Away	2	1
14/02/06	Reading	Home	1	1
11/02/06	Plymouth	Away	0	0
06/02/06	Watford	Home	1	4
01/02/06	Derby	Away	1	0


TOP SCORERS
Name	FLC	FAC	LC	Total
Neil Shipperly	9	0	0	9
Steven Kabba	9	0	0	9
Paul Ifill	7	0	0	7

RUBBISH FACT

Bramall Lane has hosted FA Cup finals and test match cricket in it's 100 year plus history.

RANGERS VERSUS .....

LAST TIME OUT

Queens Park Rangers 2 - 1 Sheffield United
Saturday 13th August 2005

"In the first minute of injury time Stefan Moore opened his account in a blue and white hoped shirt. He launched another lightening break and played an excellent ball across the box to Mathew Rose. Rose attempted an ambitious volley and the ball went straight back to Moore. He controlled the ball on his chest before volleying left footed past Kenny and into the bottom corner. "

LEAGUE STANDINGS
Pos	Team	P	GD	Pts
2nd	Sheffield United	35	+28	74
15th	QPR	34	-10	42


HEAD TO HEAD
Played	QPR	Sheff Utd	Draws
39	14	11	14

OTHER MEETINGS

Rangers haven't won a league match at Bramall Lane for over 13 years, the last victory there being a 2-1 result back in January 1993. That's a run of seven winless league games over the years although Sheffield United have only been victorious in two of those fixtures with five ending in draws.

GENERAL INFORMATION

THE REFEREE

Kevin Friend takes charge of his fourth Rangers game on Saturday but his first this season. All three previous games have ended in draws. He's been a bit of an over fussy official in the past and he's not shy of giving out a yellow card or five either!

THE REF RECORD
Season	Games	Yellows	Reds
2005-06	12	31	1
2004-05	37	107	7
2003-04	27	98	4


OPPONENTS LINKS
Official Website	SUFC.co.uk
Fans Websites	Red & White Wizards
Travel Information	Football Ground Guide

QPR CONNECTIONS

After leaving Rangers for Tranmere in 1999, Steve Yates went on to become St. Yates for Rovers after starring in an epic FA Cup clash against rivals Everton. He left Prenton Park in 2002 and spent a season with Sheffield United before moving on to Huddersfield in 2003.

RON AND SIMON'S PREDICT-OFF

RON: The Blades might have struggled for form of late but they are still a fairly daunting prospect, particularly as a Rangers win at Bramall Lane is about as rare as a Ken Livingstone apology. No doubt Rangers will give it their all however things go but with some key injuries and suspensions I think it's going to be a big ask to bring anything home. 2-1 to the home side.

SIMON: Gary Waddock continues his baptism of fire with another tough game against Colin's Sheffield United. It would be fair to say that The Blades are an attack first, defend later sort of team and the forty seven strikers they have on their books pay testament to this. If they pick a pacy front two then we could be in bother after what we saw at Palace. Waddo will probably treat this as a learning experience rather than an opportunity to collect points. 2-0 to Sheffield United.

Current score: Ron 22 Simon 24