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Other Photos from Yesterday, including Chairman Paladini Celebrating and...Further Great Photos from Today- AMIT BHATIA: "For as long as we are involved with QPR, Neil will be our Manager. He Will be Our Leader" QPR
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- LAKSHMI MITTAL "...I'm very thrilled; very happy; very excited. I remember when we invested at this Club with Bernie and Flavio, it looked a very tough task. But under the leadership of Amit, Ishan, Neil and Gianni, the Club has made a lot of progress. The team has done a fantastic job...This means so much to me. It's a great satisfaction. More importantly though, it means so much to the fans and that means so much to me." QPR
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- Throughout the day, updates, comments and perspectives re QPR and football in general are posted and discussed on the QPR Report Messageboard...Also Follow: QPR REPORT ON TWITTER
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- QPR's 2011-12 Premiership Season Kicks off on Saturday, August 13, 2011 (Date subject to TV Change!)
- Seven Years Flashback: Seven Years Ago Today -QPR Win Promotion at Hillsbrough - Our Last Promotion. Thanks Ian Holloway! - Flashback: The Parade/Celebrations!
- Early 2012 QPR Odds
- Lakshmi Mittal, Still The Richest!
- Ali Russell Back in Football?
- Congratulations to Gary Waddock/Gareth Ainsworth on Winning Promotion...and to Barnet for Staying in the Football League.
- QPR vs Leeds: Match Reports, Video of Presentation, Final Table
- Audio of Mittal and Bhatia Talking re QPR
- Photos from Today
- Further Great Photos from Today
- Video of Presentation
QPR 46 39 88
Norwich 46 25 84
Swansea 46 27 80
Cardiff 46 22 80
Reading 46 26 77
Nott'm Forest 46 19 75
Leeds 46 11 72
MIRROR/Paul Smith - QPR ready to appeal against Faurlin fine & Warnock's Future in Question
QPR are considering an appeal against the £875,000 fine dished out by the FA.
Rangers were handed the Championship trophy yesterday as they completed their season with a 2-1 defeat to Leeds at Loftus Road.
There was no points deduction for the recruitment of Alejandro Faurlin, the Argentine midfielder who was at the centre of the third party ownership inquiry.
Claims that Rangers would be deducted 15 points andeven miss a play-off place were unfounded.
Rangers were cleared of five of the seven charges they faced at an FA commission last week.
And the fine is dwarfed by the £90 million windfall generated by promotion.
But manager Neil Warnock confirmed a recent Sunday Mirror exclusive that the Rangers board are preparing to ditch him. He said: “I’m not totally confident they’ll stick with me.
“I’m sure my stock hasn’t gone down and I don’t want to leave London, but anything is possible.
“I hope my contract is watertight.”
Warnock, 62, will top West Ham’s wanted list if they ditch Avram Grant. He went on: “The last seven weeks have probably been the hardest of my career. It’s been difficult for somebody like me not to comment.”
Turning to his players he added: “How they have managed to focus with all the rubbish of some of the reports, people speaking out when they shouldn’t have done, didn’t know their facts...they coped well.
“It all stinks.”
Chris Farnell, the QPR lawyer, said: I was very disappointed to be reading in national newspapers ill conceived and outrageous suggestions concerning sanctions.
“Only a few people at the hearing knew the true facts of this case.
Such comments caused a great deal of stress and unnecessary anxiety amongst the staff and supporters of QPR and also the other clubs that could have been effected by this outcome.
“I can only add that I was extremely surprised by the timing of this hearing.” Mirror
JAcob Murtagh/Fulham Chronicle
Neil Warnock makes admission over QPR future
* By Jacob Murtagh
* May 7 2011
NEIL Warnock admits he might not be in charge of QPR next season.
Rangers' promotion to the Premier League was confirmed today after the FA announced the club would not face a points penalty, despite being found guilty of two of the seven charges over the Alejandro Faurlin affair.
Marcello Lippi has been tipped with replacing Warnock at Loftus Road, although the Italian has distanced himself to the role.
But Warnock concedes he's not confident he will lead the team out in the Premier League.
"I'm not confident they will stick with me," said the QPR boss.
"I don't want to leave London, and I'll be disappointed if I don't get the opportunity.
"I spoke to Flavio [Bristore] and Bernie [Ecclestone] earlier and they wished me well."
However, Warnock laughed off the question whether he will be at the helm come August. Fulham Chronicle
News Of The World/Aidan Magee - Warnock confesses sack fear
NEIL WARNOCK celebrated QPR's Championship triumph but confessed the board might dump him!
His side lost 2-1 to Leeds but toasted promotion to the Premier League after the FA chose not to dock points over the Alejandro Faurlin scandal.
Yet boss Warnock said: "I'm not totally confident they will stick with me. It's one of those things.
"Hopefully, my contract is watertight - and I'm sure my stock has not gone down. My wife would like me to retire shortly but she knows how much I wanted to manage in the Premier League."
QPR were hit with a record FA fine of £875,000 having been found guilty of two charges in relation to the 2009 signing of Argentine Faurlin. But, crucially, they escaped a points deduction.
That decision could yet be challenged by Swansea, who would have been automatically promoted if QPR had been docked 10 points, and Leeds, who missed out on the play-offs by one place.
The farce concluded when the panel's verdict was announced an hour before kick-off yesterday.
Five other charges against the club, and one against chairman Gianni Paladini, were not proven. News Of The World
QPR OFFICIAL SITE
QPR Official Site - AMIT: 'NEIL IS OUR LEADER'
Posted on: Sat 07 May 2011
Amit Bhatia has confirmed tonight (Saturday), that Neil Warnock will lead the R's into the Premier League.
Speaking exclusively to www.qpr.co.uk, the QPR Holdings Limited Vice-Chairman dispelled any rumours linking Warnock with a move away from W12, commenting: "For as long as we are involved with QPR, Neil will be our Manager. He will be our leader.
"We hope for great success with Neil leading us forward.
"We look forward to continuing our relationship and partnership with him."
Bhatia added: "I'm very happy and proud - this is a fantastic day for QPR.
"The players have been remarkable."
http://www.qpr.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~2355077,00.html
QPR Official Site
WARNOCK: 'BEST MOMENT OF MY CAREER'
Posted on: Sat 07 May 2011
Neil Warnock hailed the R's Championship winning celebration as 'the best moment' of his career.
Speaking moments after the full-time whistle, Warnock told www.qpr.co.uk: "The lads have been through agony for weeks - how they've coped has been amazing.
"Ali (Faurlin) has been so strong and kept producing one performance after another.
"To do what they've done this season is remarkable.
"The result wasn't what we wanted today, but it wasn't about that.
"It was about celebrating with our fans - those people who come and support us week in, week out."
Warnock added: "We deserve to be where we are.
"They're a magnificent set of lads and I couldn't be prouder of them.
"I'm sure we'll party tonight - and we deserve to.
"It's the best moment of my career.
"To turn this Club round in 14 months is fantastic.
"I've signed a lot of players and they've all been remarkable.
"I told them if they stick with me, we'd do well, and we've exceeded our wildest dreams."
http://www.qpr.co.uk/page/TheGaffer/0,,10373~2355063,00.html
Premiership Official Site - Spotlight on QPR
We take a look at Queens Park Rangers who have won promotion to the Barclays Premier League.
Queens Park Rangers are back in the Premier League after a 15-year absence.
The West London club - founder members of the Premier League in 1992 - clinched promotion back to the top flight by winning 2-0 at Watford to win the Championship.
Their place at the top table has now been ratified by the FA. Although QPR were found guilty of two of the seven charges they faced over the registration of Argentinian midfielder Alejandro Faurlin, the club will not be docked points.
It means Neil Warnock's men will be back in the Premier League after leading the Championship for virtually the entire campaign.
Fired by the exciting skills of Moroccan midfielder Adel Taarabt, the Hoops took a stranglehold on the division from the off, winning their first three fixtures with nine goals scored and none conceded.
They then drew 2-2 at Derby County before winning their next four fixtures with an 11-0 aggregate.
That put them six points clear of nearest challengers Cardiff City and provided the momentum for a strong campaign which always looked destined to end with promotion.
The Shepherd's Bush side lost some ground in October with four successive draws which allowed the Bluebirds to overhaul them.
But they quickly recovered, going unbeaten through November - a run which included home wins over promotion rivals Reading and Cardiff.
Successive defeats by Watford and Leeds United proved only a minor hiccup as they bounced back with a 4-0 win over high-flying Swansea City.
founder members
The turn of the year saw them string together an 11-match unbeaten run and Warnock's men have come on strongly in the run-in.
A goalless draw at home to Derby County on 18th April moved them to within three points of automatic promotion.
They edged closer by twice coming from behind to draw 2-2 at promotion rivals Cardiff City and fans thought the task had been completed with a 1-1 draw at home to Hull City.
The celebrations were in full swing when Norwich City's injury-time winner left Warnock's men technically still needing one more point, despite the cushion of a superior goal difference.
However the 2-0 win at Watford was enough to put them out of reach of their rivals.
They have done it in some style too, with former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Taarabt pulling the strings and also providing some spectacular goals.
Wayne Routledge, on loan from Newcastle United, has been rejuvenated on the wing to provide the ammunition for the likes of Heidar Helguson, Jamie Mackie and Taarabt to score the goals.
At the other end, former Sheffield United keeper Paddy Kenny has proved tough to beat as Rangers secured a return to the top level for the first time since 1996.
QPR were proud founder members of the Premier League and finished fifth in the inaugural 1992/93 season under the shrewd stewardship of their former midfielder Gerry Francis.
They were London's top club after a fine campaign which included a 4-1 win at Old Trafford. The following season saw them finish ninth in the FA Carling Premiership.
third tier
After Francis left to take over as manager of Tottenham Hotspur in November 1994, he was replaced by Ray Wilkins who, as player-manager, led the Hoops to eighth.
But QPR struggled after selling leading marksman Les Ferdinand to Newcastle United for a club record fee of £6m in July 1995 and they were relegated at the end of the 1995/96 campaign.
That sparked a decline which eventually saw them drop into the third tier of English football in 2001, despite the efforts of manager and former player Ian Holloway.
They remained in Division 2 for three seasons before Holloway led them to second spot and promotion in 2004.
Their fortunes were not helped by turmoil in the boardroom and a succession of managerial changes which saw eight managers in four years.
After Holloway left for Leicester City in 2006, he was replaced by Gary Waddock then John Gregory, Luigi di Canio, Iain Dowie, Paulo Sousa, Jim Magilton and then finally on 1st March 2010, Neil Warnock.
The feisty Yorkshireman had an impressive pedigree having previously won promotions with Sheffield United, Plymouth Argyle, Huddersfield Town, Notts County (twice) and Scarborough.
This is his seventh promotion, equalling the record held by Graham Taylor and Dave Bassett.
Four of those successes came in the play-offs but there was no need for Warnock to worry about that alternative route in the 2010/11 campaign.
After steering QPR to safety in 2010, Warnock quickly constructed a side which took the Championship by storm to restore the club to their former status in the Premier League." Premier League
PEOPLE
Champions QPR angered by chants and declare: We're no cheats!
May 8 2011 by Dean Jones, The People
QPR finally got their hands on the Championship trophy and declared: Don’t call us cheats.
The Hoops escaped a points deduction and were instead hit with an £875,000 fine after being found guilty of two of the seven charges they faced over the registration of Argentinian midfielder Alejandro Faurlin.
But at Loftus Road yesterday, Leeds fans still chanted: “Cheats! Cheats!”
And QPR can expect more stick from opposing supporters in the top-flight, but chairman Gianni Paladini said last night: “We have won the league twice over and we deserve to be where we are.
“There have been a lot of unfair things over the past month.
“But we have done nothing wrong. Maybe the problem was that Faurlin has been a revelation!
“People can chant cheats, but how can that be? We have been proven not guilty. It’s all over now. I feel guilty about nothing and we will all party.”
Even a 2-1 Leeds win failed to dampen the celebrations. But Swansea – the club in third place, and with most to gain if QPR were hammered by the FA – could still be party poopers. Chairman Huw Jenkins hinted last night that they might appeal against the decision.
He said: “At one stage it seemed like there was a lot to answer for and then it seemed like there was little to answer for.
“But when you look at the financial implications and what the Premier League brings, then we have got to look at the detail.
“We want to see what has gone on and how they have come to the decision they have. When we get the right information, we will read it and take it from there.”
Shambolic
The Independent Regulatory Commission finally delivered their verdict on the long-running saga just before the final round of Championship matches.
Swans manager Brendan Rodgers fumed: “To arrive 40 minutes before a game of football and to have an announcement is shambolic. It’s an absolute joke and disrespectful to the clubs, players, supporters and media.
“I don’t know the facts but it was poor timing. Am I surprised? Probably not.”
QPR boss Neil Warnock has been bitterly frustrated by the way a decision hung over them as they tried to celebrate their promotion.
They were charged with breaking third-party ownership rules over the transfer of Faurlin from Instituto in 2009.
A hearing took place last week in front of a four-man independent regulatory tribunal, and at lunchtime yesterday QPR learned their fate.
Warnock said: “I knew we were guilty of a couple of technical infringements, but nothing huge.
“It stinks what has been said about us.”
Rangers captain Shaun Derry admitted: “It’s been incredible – what a week we had. To learn the news before the game really gave us such a lift. We were worried – even though we were told we didn’t have too much to be concerned about.
“It was always at the back of our minds and now we can really celebrate knowing that we will be in the Premier League next year.” People
SPORTING LIFE
SPORTING LIFE
WARNOCK SHEDS TEARS OF JOY
Neil Warnock was in tears at the news his Queens Park Rangers side could finally celebrate promotion to the Barclays Premier League.
QPR got their hands on the npower Championship trophy, a week after they clinched it, following the Football Association's announcement that they would not be docked points over the Alejandro Faurlin affair.
The club were instead fined £875,000 after being found guilty of two of the seven charges facing them surrounding the alleged third-party ownership of the Argentine midfielder.
Once fears of potential 15-point penalty were not realised, a belated promotion party began and could not even be spoiled by a 2-1 defeat against Leeds.
"Over the last seven weeks or eight weeks I have never had such a tough task, so to steer us through is the best job I've done," said Warnock, toasting the seventh promotion of his career.
"To deal with it without being able to comment has been difficult, especially for me! A lot of the lads, myself included, were in tears in the dressing room when we heard.
"Everyone, one by one, went up to Alejandro and hugged him. It was great."
The FA have been heavily criticised for not hearing the case until the final week of the season and then delaying the verdict, leaving the club sweating on the outcome long after they had secured promotion.
Yet somehow, their timing was impeccable as an hour before kick-off, the news from Wembley filtered through and suddenly Loftus Road was rocking.
Midfielder Shaun Derry said: "When we heard it was more relief than anything else, it gave us such a lift.
"We were worried but we were given assurances, although when it's nagging in the back of your mind it's awful."
Rangers chairman Gianni Paladini, the man who brought Faurlin to west London in 2009, told the BBC: "After so many years, we deserve to be where we are.
"A lot of unfair things have been going on. We did nothing wrong. But it's all over now. I never felt guilty about anything because I did nothing wrong."
The fine is a drop in the ocean compared to the fortunes promotion will bring, and certainly small change to their billionaire co-owner Bernie Ecclestone.
The Grand Prix chief, speaking in Turkey ahead of Saturday's race, said: "It would have been terrible if it had been anything else. It wouldn't have been fair, so I think they (the FA) have acted correctly with what they've done."
As a backdrop to the off-field drama, a football match eventually broke out at Loftus Road.
It is not often a club with a recent history as calamitous at that of Leeds become merely a sideshow - after all, they know a thing or two about having points deducted themselves.
The Yorkshire side had in fact travelled south still harbouring slim hopes of a play-off place.
That looked even more unlikely after just 27 seconds, however, when Heidar Helguson tapped Rangers ahead.
However, Max Gradel hauled them level when he lobbed Radek Cerny and Ross McCormack hit a deflected leveller in the second half.
However, Nottingham Forest's win at Crystal Palace means another season outside the top flight for Simon Grayson's men.
"Obviously we are disappointed not to make the play-offs," said Grayson.
"We have beaten the champions twice this season which is a testament to my players, but congratulations to QPR." Sporting Life
UPDATED FA STATEMENT - Queens Park Rangers sanctioned
Saturday, 07 May, 2011
Independent Commission reaches verdict in QPR case.
At an Independent Regulatory Commission today (Saturday, 7 May) two charges were found proven against Queens Park Rangers FC, who were fined £875,000.
In total seven charges were heard in relation to player Alejandro Faurlin concerning the existence of an agreement between the Club and a third party in respect of the player’s economic rights, and the failure by the Club to notify The FA of that agreement before the player was registered to play in England in July 2009.
The Club were found to have been in breach of FA Rule E3, and to have also been in breach of FA Football Agents Regulations, A1.
The Commission found that in respect of the breach of FA Rule E3 the Club be fined £800,000. In respect of the breach of FA Football Agents Regulations, A1, the Club be fined a further £75,000.
In addition the Club was warned as to its future conduct with particular regard as to regulatory compliance.
The Commission also ordered the Club to pay a contribution of 50% of the costs of the Regulatory Commission.
A further five charges against the Club and one charge against Mr Gianni Paladini were found not proven. FA
UPDATED QPR OFFICIAL STATEMENT
The Club has issued the following response in the wake of the FA's recent statement:
We are delighted by the decision reached today (Saturday 7th May) by the independent panel which confirms our promotion to The English Premier League. We hope that all fans will join with us today in celebrating our return to the top-flight after a 15-year absence.
We have also been made aware of a fine of £875,000 that has been imposed on the Club by the independent panel and, we can confirm that this matter is now in the hands of our lawyers who are considering the full details of this sanction. We will not make any further comment on this at this stage. QPR
EARLIER STATEMENTS
QPR Official Site/FA Official Site - FA Statement...
The Regulatory Commission hearing charges brought by The FA against Queens Park Rangers FC wish to announce that although two of the charges have been found to be proved there will be no points deduction made from Queens Park Rangers FC in this season or the next.
A further announcement will follow." FA
QPR STATEMENT - WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!
Posted on: Sat 07 May 2011
- QPR are delighted to finally be able to confirm that they have gained automatic promotion to The English Premier League - as CHAMPIONS!
- We will review the findings of the independent panel and make a further statement shortly.
- We would, however, wish to thank all our supporters for their commitment to the Club throughout this season and especially over the past few weeks which have been difficult for
all associated with the Club.
