# 1971–72 Queens Park Rangers F.C. season

During the 1971–72 English football season, Queens Park Rangers competed in the Second Division

## Season summary

Despite a 12-game unbeaten run to finish the season, promotion was not achieved and QPR finished the season in 4th place. John O'Rourke was signed from Coventry City in a record fee of £60,000 (an abandoned transfer had failed in 1967 from Middlesbrough) in addition Future Republic of Ireland international Terry Mancini was signed from Leyton Orient.Late in the season wantaway England international Rodney Marsh was sold to Manchester City for a record fee for both clubs of £200,000

## Kit

Admiral were QPR's kit manufacturers.

## Table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 2 | Birmingham City (P) | 42 | 19 | 18 | 5 | 60 | 31 | 1.935 | 56 | Promotion to the First Division |
| 3 | Millwall | 42 | 19 | 17 | 6 | 64 | 46 | 1.391 | 55 | |
| 4 | Queens Park Rangers | 42 | 20 | 14 | 8 | 57 | 28 | 2.036 | 54 | |
| 5 | Sunderland | 42 | 17 | 16 | 9 | 67 | 57 | 1.175 | 50 | |
| 6 | Blackpool | 42 | 20 | 7 | 15 | 70 | 50 | 1.400 | 47 | Qualification for the Watney Cup |

## Results

QPR scores given first
Win  Draw  Loss

### Second Division

| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance | Position |
| 14 August 1971 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 3-0 | Francis, Marsh 2 | 13,270 | 2 |
| 21 August 1971 | Middlesbrough | A | 2-3 | McCulloch, Marsh | 20,574 | 9 |
| 28 August 1971 | Millwall | H | 1-1 | Marsh | 16,730 | 9 |
| 31 August 1971 | Fulham | A | 3-0 | Saul, McCulloch, OG | 21,187 | 4 |
| 4 September 1971 | Swindon Town | A | 0-0 | | 15,915 | 7 |
| 11 September 1971 | Preston North End | H | 2-1 | Saul, McCulloch | 13,578 | 6 |
| 18 September 1971 | Burnley | A | 0-1 | | 13,770 | 8 |
| 25 September 1971 | Watford | H | 3-0 | McCulloch, Marsh 2 | 15,698 | 4 |
| 29 September 1971 | Oxford United | A | 1-3 | Busby | 11,670 | 8 |
| 2 October 1971 | Norwich City | A | 0-0 | | 22,950 | 8 |
| 9 October 1971 | Birmingham City | H | 1-0 | Marsh | 16,039 | 7 |
| 16 October 1971 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 0-0 | | 16,716 | 7 |
| 19 October 1971 | Luton Town | H | 1-0 | Leach | 15,858 | 6 |
| 23 October 1971 | Blackpool | H | 1-1 | Marsh | 16,471 | 6 |
| 30 October 1971 | Portsmouth | H | 1-1 | Morgan | 15,934 | 6 |
| 6 November 1971 | Cardiff | A | 0-0 | | 16,892 | 6 |
| 13 November 1971 | Bristol City | H | 3-0 | Merrick OG, Marsh, O'Rourke | 14,898 | 5 |
| 20 November 1971 | Hull City | H | 2-1 | O'Rourke, Morgan | 12,627 | 4 |
| 27 November 1971 | Charlton Athletic | A | 1-2 | Clement | 16,268 | 4 |
| 4 December 1971 | Sunderland | A | 2-1 | Marsh, O'Rourke | 13,576 | 4 |
| 11 December 1971 | Carlisle United | A | 4-1 | Marsh 2, O'Rourke, Leach | 9,243 | 4 |
| 18 December 1971 | Swindon Town | A | 3-0 | Venables, Marsh 2 | 13,517 | 2 |
| 27 December 1971 | Orient | A | 0-2 | | 19,081 | 3 |
| 1 January 1972 | Burnley | H | 3-1 | Leach 2, Marsh | 14,614 | 2 |
| 8 January 1972 | Millwall | A | 0-0 | | 24,376 | 2 |
| 22 January 1972 | Oxford United | H | 4-2 | Leach, Marsh 2, Saul | 13,283 | 2 |
| 27 January 1972 | Luton Town | A | 1-1 | Francis | 17,280 | 2 |
| 12 February 1972 | Blackpool | H | 0-1 | | 13,690 | 3 |
| 19 February 1972 | Portsmouth | A | 0-1 | | 15,583 | 4 |
| 4 March 1972 | Bristol City | A | 0-2 | | 11,105 | 6 |
| 11 March 1972 | Birmingham City | A | 0-0 | | 35,557 | 6 |
| 18 March 1972 | Middlesbrough | H | 1-0 | Clement | 11,467 | 4 |
| 25 March 1972 | Preston North End | A | 1-1 | O'Rourke | 12,304 | 5 |
| 31 March 1972 | Watford | A | 2-0 | Evans, Salvage | 14,719 | 5 |
| 1 April 1972 | Orient | H | 1-0 | O'Rourke | 12,042 | 3 |
| 3 April 1972 | Norwich City | H | 0-0 | | 25,257 | 3 |
| 8 April 1972 | Hull City | A | 1-1 | O'Rourke | 12,830 | 4 |
| 15 April 1972 | Charlton Athletic | H | 2-0 | Leach, Francis | 12,976 | 4 |
| 22 April 1972 | Sunderland | A | 1-0 | Busby | 13,751 | 3 |
| 25 April 1972 | Fulham | H | 0-0 | | 20,605 | 4 |
| 29 April 1972 | Carlisle United | H | 3-0 | Clement, Leach, O'Rourke | 7,616 | 4 |
| 2 May 1972 | Cardiff City | H | 3-0 | Leach, O'Rourke, Ferguson | 8,430 | 3 |

### London Challenge Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A |
| 28 September 1971 | First Round | Wimbledon | A | 1-1 |
| 4 October 1971 | First Round Replay | Wimbledon | H | 4-1 |
| 11 October 1971 | Quarter-Final | West Ham | A | 1-0 |
| 25 October 1971 | Semi final | Orient | A | 2-3 |

### Football League Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 7 September 1971 | Second Round | Birmingham City | H | 2-0 | Marsh, Francis | 15,032 |
| 5 October 1971 | Third Round | Lincoln City | H | 4-2 | Marsh, McCulloch, Saul, Morgan | 12,723 |
| 26 October 1971 | Fourth Round | Bristol Rovers | H | 1-1 | Marsh | 17,045 |
| 2 November 1971 | Fourth Round Replay | Bristol Rovers | A | 0-1 | | 24,373 |

### FA Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 15 January 1972 | Third Round | Fulham | H | 1-1 | Mancini | 23,707 |
| 18 January 1972 | Third Round Replay | Fulham | A | 1-2 | Clement | 24,181 |

### Preseason

| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 31 July 1971 | Swansea City | A | 2-1 | Marsh, McCulloch | 3,000 |
| 6 August 1971 | West Ham United | H | 2-0 | Leach, Marsh | 7,030 |

## Squad

| Position | Name | League Appearances (substitute) | League Goals | Cup Appearances | F.A.Cup Goals | League Cup Goals | Total Appearances | Total Goals |
| GK | Phil Parkes | 42 | 6 | | | | 48 | |
| GK | Alan Spratley | | | | | | | |
| DF | Dave Clement | 42 | 6 | 3 | 1 | | 48 | 4 |
| DF | Tony Hazell | 42 | 6 | | | | 42 | 6 |
| DF | Ian Gillard | 24 | 2 | | | | 26 | |
| DF | Ron Hunt | 29(1) | 6 | | | | 36 | |
| DF | Terry Mancini | 23 | 2 | | 1 | | 25 | 1 |
| DF | Ian Evans | 8 | 2 | 1 | | | 10 | 1 |
| DF | Ian Watson | 2 | | | | | 2 | |
| MF | Michael McGovern | (1) | | | | | 1 | |
| MF | Martyn Busby | 28(1) | 2 | 2 | | | 31 | |
| MF | Mike Ferguson | 16 | 1 | 1 | | | 17 | 1 |
| MF | Gerry Francis | 38 | 6 | 3 | | 1 | 44 | 4 |
| MF | Mick Leach | 28(3) | 2 | 7 | | | 33 | 7 |
| MF | Ray Seary | (1) | | | | | 1 | |
| MF | Terry Venables | 27 | 6 | | | | 33 | |
| FW | Frank Saul | 18(3) | 6 | 2 | | 1 | 27 | 3 |
| FW | Andy McCulloch | 17(7) | 3 | 4 | | 1 | 27 | 5 |
| FW | John O'Rourke | 26 | 2 | 8 | | | 28 | 8 |
| FW | Rodney Marsh | 30 | 6 | 17 | | 3 | 36 | 20 |
| FW | Barry Salvage | 13(3) | | 1 | | | 16 | 1 |
| FW | Ian Morgan | 9(3) | 2 | 2 | | 1 | 14 | 3 |

## Transfers In

| Name | from | Date | Fee |
| Terry Mancini | Leyton Orient | October 1971 | £25,000 |
| John O'Rourke | Coventry City | October 1971 | £60,000 |
| John Beck | Queens Park Rangers Juniors | May 1972 | |
| Don Givens | Luton Town | July 1972 | £35,000 |

## Transfers Out

| Name | from | Date | Fee | Date | Club | Fee |
| Rodney Marsh | Fulham | March 1966 | £15,000 | March 1972 | Manchester City | £200,000 |
| Frank Saul | Southampton | May 1970 | £40,000 | March 1972 | Millwall | |