QPR

The club was formed in 1886, when a team known as St Jude's (formed in 1884) merged with Christchurch Rangers (formed in 1882). The resulting team were called Queen's Park Rangers and their official formation date is considered to be 1882, which is the original founding date of Christchurch Rangers. The club's name came from the fact that most of the players came from the Queen's Park area of West London. St Jude's Institute on Ilbert Street W10 is still in use as a community hall and in July 2011 club icon Stan Bowles unveiled a plaque celebrating its place in QPR history. 1882: QPR was founded as Queens Park Rangers by a group of schoolboys from the area of Queen's Park in North-West London. The club initially played in local leagues and was part of the amateur football movement.

QPR became a professional team in 1889. The club was elected into the Southern Football League in 1899. In 1899–1900 they put themselves on the map after qualifying for the first round proper of the FA Cup by beating Wolverhampton Wanderers on their own ground 1–0. The Guardian said "the hitherto unknown Queens Park Rangers, a team hailing from the north-west suburbs of London...upset all calculations."

At this time the club's core support, as indicated by its marketing area, was an area of West London, to the west of the A5 Road (Roman Watling Street), in and around the former Boroughs of Paddington and Willesden. As London extended further west, the club's following grew along with it.

They first won the Southern Football League in 1907–08. As Southern League champions that year, they played in the first ever Charity Shield match, against the Football League champions Manchester United. The club lost 4–0 in a replay after the first game had finished 1–1. Both games were played at Stamford Bridge. QPR were Southern League champions for a second time in 1911-12.

The club joined the Football League in 1920, when the Third Division was formed, mainly with Southern League clubs. When the Third Division was split into North and South the following season, QPR, like most of the former Southern League clubs that had joined the Football League to form the Third Division, were in the Third Division (South).

QPR played their home games in nearly 20 different stadia - a league record - before permanently settling at Loftus Road in 1917; although the team would briefly attempt to attract larger crowds by playing at the White City Stadium for two short spells: 1931 to 1933, and the 1962–63 season.

The club were promoted as champions of Division 3 South in the 1947–48 season. Dave Mangnall was the manager as the club participated in four seasons of the Second Division, being relegated in 1951–52. Tony Ingham was signed from Leeds United and went on to make the most-ever league appearances for QPR (519). Arguably the club's greatest ever manager, Alec Stock, arrived prior to the start of the 1959–60 season. The 1960–61 season saw QPR achieve their biggest win to date: 9–2 vs Tranmere Rovers in a Division 3 match. In time, Stock, together with Jim Gregory who arrived as chairman in the mid-1960s, helped to achieve a total transformation of the club and its surroundings.

In 1966–67, QPR won the Division Three championship and became the first Third Division club to win the League Cup, on Saturday, 4 March 1967, beating West Bromwich Albion 3–2, after coming back from a two-goal deficit, securing the clubs first and only major trophy. It was also the first League Cup final to be held at Wembley Stadium. After winning promotion in 1968 to the top flight for the first time in their history, Rangers were relegated after just one season and spent the next four years in Division Two.

Terry Venables joined from Spurs at the beginning of the 1969–70 season and Rodney Marsh was sold to Manchester City. During this time, new QPR heroes emerged including Phil Parkes, Don Givens, Dave Thomas and Stan Bowles. These new signings were in addition to home-grown talent such as Dave Clement, Ian Gillard, Mick Leach and Gerry Francis.

In 1972 QPR were promoted to Division One (the top tier of English football), under manager Jim Gregory.

In 1974, Dave Sexton joined as manager and in 1975–76 led QPR to the runners-up spot in the First Division, missing out on the championship by only one point, with a squad containing seven England internationals and internationals from the home nations. After completing their 42-game season, QPR sat at the top of the league, one point ahead of Liverpool who went on to defeat Wolverhampton Wanderers to clinch the title. Wolves were relegated to the Second Division that same season. The late 1970s also saw some cup success with Rangers reaching the semi-finals of the League Cup and in their first entry into European football reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup losing to AEK Athens on penalties. Following Sexton's departure in 1977 the club eventually slipped into the Second Division in 1979.

In 1980 Terry Venables took over as manager and in 1981 the club installed an artificial turf pitch. In 1982 QPR, still playing in the Second Division, reached the FA Cup final for the only time in the club's history, facing holders Tottenham Hotspur. Tottenham won 1–0 in a replay. The following season QPR went on to win the Second Division championship and returned to English football's top division. After a respectable fifth-place finish, and UEFA Cup qualification, the following year, Venables departed to become manager of Barcelona. In 1988 the club had a new chairman, 24-year-old Richard Thompson. Over the next seven years, various managers came and went at Loftus Road and the club spent many seasons finishing mid-table and avoiding relegation. The most successful season during this period was the 1987–88 season in which QPR finished fifth, although missing out on a UEFA Cup campaign due to the ban on English clubs in European competition as a result of the Heysel Stadium disaster. They were also runners-up in the 1986 League Cup, losing to Oxford United.

Gerry Francis, a key player in the 1970s QPR side who had proved himself as a successful manager with Bristol Rovers, was appointed manager in the summer of 1991. In his first season in charge they finished mid-table in the league and in the 1992–93 season were founder members of the inaugural Premier League, finishing fifth, as top London club. Francis oversaw one of QPR's most famous victories, the 4–1 win at Old Trafford in front of live TV on New Year's Day 1992. Midway through the 1994–95 season Francis resigned and very quickly became manager of Tottenham Hotspur and Ray Wilkins was installed as player-manager. Wilkins led QPR to an eighth-place finish in the Premiership. In July 1995 the club's top goalscorer, Les Ferdinand, was sold for a club record fee of £6 million to Newcastle United.

QPR struggled throughout the following season and were relegated at the end of the 1995–96 season. QPR then competed in Division 1 until 2001 under a succession of managers including club legend Gerry Francis who was reappointed for a second spell finishing mainly mid-table and towards the bottom half of the division.

After several years of struggle in the second tier, QPR became embroiled in financial and boardroom controversy. Although the club had floated on the Alternative Investment Market in 1991, in 2001 it entered administration (receivership). A period of financial hardship followed and the club left administration after receiving a £10m high-interest emergency loan which continued to burden the club. The 00–01 season proved to be a disaster and Francis resigned in early 2001. Former Rangers midfielder Ian Holloway was appointed manager but failed to prevent the club from being relegated to the third division at the end of the season, the first time since the 1960s. After relegation Holloway assembled a team featuring several QPR fans in the squad including Kevin Gallen, Marc Bircham and Richard Langley alongside other key players such as Danny Shittu, Gareth Ainsworth and Clarke Carlisle. In their second season in the third tier, the club reached the play-off final in Cardiff, losing 0–1 to Cardiff City in extra time. The following season QPR put their playoff heartache behind them and returned to Division 1 after as runners-up, with a famous 3–1 win away at Hillsborough in front of 7000 travelling Rangers fans.

Rangers struggled for consistent form over the next two campaigns before Holloway was suspended amidst rumours of his impending departure for Leicester City. A poor series of results and lack of progress at the club saw Holloway's successors Gary Waddock and later John Gregory – both former players – fail to hold on to the manager job.

Scandals involving the directors, shareholders and others emerged in 2005–06 season and included allegations of blackmail and threats of violence against the club's chairman Gianni Paladini. In an unrelated incident, QPR were further rocked by the murder of youth team player Kiyan Prince on 18 May 2006 and, in August 2007, the death of teenager and promising first-team player Ray Jones in a car crash.

Rangers continued to face mounting financial pressure, in the September 2007 it was announced that the club had been bought by wealthy Formula One businessmen Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone (see Ownership and finances below). John Gregory's reign as manager came to an end in October 2007 after a string of poor results left QPR at the bottom of the Championship and he was replaced by Luigi De Canio until the end of the 2007–08 season. Further investment followed in early 2008 as the club looked to push for promotion to the Premier League within four years, on the back of greater financial stability. On 14 May 2008, Iain Dowie was announced as the manager to begin the campaign to return Rangers to the top flight. However, on 24 October 2008, Dowie was sacked after just 15 games in charge of the club.

On 19 November 2008, QPR named former Portugal midfielder Paulo Sousa as their new first team coach. However, on 9 April 2009, his contract was terminated after he allegedly divulged confidential information without authority. On the same day as Sousa's sacking, player/coach Gareth Ainsworth was appointed as player/caretaker manager for a second time. In June 2009 Jim Magilton was named as new manager of QPR. Despite leading QPR to a good start to the 2009–10 season, a loss of form combined with an alleged head-butting incident with Hungarian midfielder Ákos Buzsáky saw the club further embroiled in controversy. Magilton left the club by mutual consent on 16 December 2009, along with his assistant John Gorman. They were replaced by Paul Hart and Mick Harford on the next day.

Less than a month and only five games after becoming manager at QPR, Paul Hart parted with the club on 14 January 2010; the reasons for his leaving the club were unstated.

On 1 March 2010, experienced Championship manager Neil Warnock joined Queens Park Rangers as manager on a three-and-a-half-year deal after agreeing compensation with Crystal Palace. After comfortably helping the club avoid relegation in the 10–11 season, Warnock assembled a squad consisting mainly of Championship veterans such as Shaun Derry, Clint Hill, Paddy Kenny with previous on loan playmaker Adel Taarabt being given a central role in the team and given the captains armband.

On 30 April 2011, QPR secured promotion to the Premier League by winning the Championship with a 2–0 win over Watford. A subsequent FA investigation involving QPR's acquisition of Alejandro Faurlín threatened to deduct points from the side and put their promotion into jeopardy. The investigation concluded on 7 May 2011, with QPR found to be at fault in two of the seven charges, and received an £875,000 fine. However, there were no points deducted by the FA, and QPR's promotion to the Premier League was secured.

After the club was promoted Eccleston and Briatore sold their shared to Malaysian billionaire and Air Asia owner Tony Fernandes whose arrival sparked a deadline day spending spree to strengthen the QPR squad.

In January 2012, Fernandes sacked Warnock and appointed Mark Hughes as team manager. Following a tough start to his Loftus Road career and after a run of five straight home wins, Hughes and QPR escaped relegation despite a dramatic 3–2 defeat at Manchester City on the last day of the season.

On 23 November 2012, Mark Hughes was sacked after a poor start to the 2012–13 season, having amassed only four points in 12 games and with the club languishing at the bottom of the Premier League despite significant financial investment in new players in the 11 months of Hughes' tenure. A day later, Harry Redknapp was confirmed as the new manager. On 28 April 2013, in a 0–0 draw against fellow relegation rivals Reading, and with three games of the season to play, QPR were relegated from the Premier League down to the Championship after two seasons in the top flight.

During the 13–14 season, QPR finished fourth in the Championship, and qualified for the play-offs where they defeated Wigan Athletic in the semi-finals. In the final against favourites Derby County on 24 May 2014, QPR won 1–0 with a goal scored by Bobby Zamora in the 90th minute to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Following promotion back to the Premier League, QPR endured a difficult 14-15 season. Harry Redknapp resigned in February after poor results and mutual frustration with the board. He was replaced by Chris Ramsey. The club finished the season in last place, amassing only 30 points, and were relegated back to the Championship after only one season. After a poor start to the following season, Ramsey was sacked in November 2015 and former manager Neil Warnock returned in interim charge. On 4 December 2015, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was appointed the club's new manager on a rolling contract. Hasselbaink was sacked on 5 November 2016, just 11 months after being in charge. Then six days later QPR reappointed Ian Holloway who was in charge ten years previously. Holloway's second spell saw him focus on bringing through young players to replace some of the aging players in the squad on big wages. Holloway gave debuts to youth team players Eberechi Eze and Ilias Chair and made other youngers like Darnell Furlong, Ryan Manning and Bright Osayi-Samuel key members of the team. Results on the pitch were inconsistent under Holloway and the club finished lower midtable in both seasons of his second spell. Holloway left the club at the end of the 2017–18 season.

On 17 May 2018, QPR appointed former England manager Steve McClaren as manager. Despite a promising first half of the season in which the team sat as high as eighth by Christmas, results quickly tailed off following the turn of the year and McClaren was sacked in April 2019 after a 2–1 loss to Bolton.

On 8 May 2019, former Rangers & Brentford manager Mark Warburton was appointed as McClaren's successor on a two-year deal.

The club continued to build on its development of young talent, with a focus on producing more homegrown players and challenged for promotion in each of Warburton's three seasons in charge however failed to make the play-offs in any of these seasons.^[] Warburton's contract was not renewed after the 2021–22 season in which a disappointing end to the season saw Rangers drop out of the play-offs where they had spent the majority of the season and finishing 11th.^[].

Ahead of the 2022–23 season, former Aston Villa assistant manager and Rangers first-team coach Michael Beale was appointed as manager on a three-year deal on 1 June 2022. A fortnight after pledging his loyalty to the club Beale was approached by Scottish club Rangers who appointed him manager in November 2022. On 11 December 2022, former Blackpool manager and Aston Villa assistant Neil Critchley was named QPR manager after signing a 3+1⁄2-year deal. However, after a dismal run of form and dropping to 20th in the EFL Championship, Neil Critchley was sacked after just 46 days in charge, leaving with the lowest win percentage of any manager in their history, winning one match from twelve.^[] He was replaced by former player Gareth Ainsworth, signing from Wycombe Wanderers.

After a poor start to the 2023–24 season, Gareth Ainsworth was sacked with the club in 23rd place in the Championship, before being replaced by Martí Cifuentes. Despite spending much of the season in the relegation zone Cifuentes turned the teams fortunes around guiding them to Championship survival with a 4–0 home win over promotion contenders Leeds United. In April 2025, Cifuentes was placed on Gardening Leave and Kevin Betsy and Xavi Calm took charge of the final game of the season.