# 1977–78 Queens Park Rangers F.C. season

During the 1977–78 English football season, Queens Park Rangers competed in the First Division

## Season summary

QPR struggled all season but just survived relegation under manager Frank Sibley. In other competitions there were early exits in both the FA Cup and the League Cup

## Kit

Adidas remained QPR's kit manufacturers.

## League Table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 17 | Bristol City | 42 | 11 | 13 | 18 | 49 | 53 | −4 | 35 | |
| 18 | Ipswich Town | 42 | 11 | 13 | 18 | 47 | 61 | −14 | 35 | Qualification for the European Cup Winners' Cup first round |
| 19 | Queens Park Rangers | 42 | 9 | 15 | 18 | 47 | 64 | −17 | 33 | |
| 20 | West Ham United (R) | 42 | 12 | 8 | 22 | 52 | 69 | −17 | 32 | Relegation to the Second Division |
| 21 | Newcastle United (R) | 42 | 6 | 10 | 26 | 42 | 78 | −36 | 22 | Relegation to the Second Division |
* ↑ Ipswich Town qualified for the European Cup Winners' Cup as the 1977–78 FA Cup winners.

## Results

QPR scores given first
Win  Draw  Loss

### First Division

| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance | Position |
| 20 August 1977 | Aston Villa | H | 1-2 | Eastoe | 25,431 | 17 |
| 23 August 1977 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 0–1 | | 22,278 | 17 |
| 27 August 1977 | Norwich City | A | 1-1 | | 17.914 | 19 |
| 3 September 1977 | Leicester City | H | 3-0 | Givens, Francis, Needham | 14,516 | 14 |
| 10 September 1977 | West Ham United | A | 2-2 | Eastoe, Lock OG | 26,922 | 14 |
| 17 September 1977 | Manchester City | H | 1-1 | Francis | 24,668 | 15 |
| 24 September 1977 | Chelsea | H | 1-1 | Masson | 26,267 | 15 |
| 1 October 1977 | Bristol City | A | 2-2 | Masson, Eastoe | 26,041 | 15 |
| 4 October 1977 | Birmingham City | H | 1-2 | Masson | 21,304 | 17 |
| 8 October 1977 | Everton | H | 1-5 | Eastoe | 20,495 | 19 |
| 15 October 1977 | Arsenal | A | 0-1 | | 36,172 | 19 |
| 22 October 1977 | Nottingham Forest | H | 0-2 | | 24,448 | 19 |
| 29 October 1977 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 2-1 | Eastoe, Bowles | 18,800 | 18 |
| 5 November 1977 | Middlesbrough | A | 1-1 | Busby | 18,215 | 18 |
| 12 November 1977 | Liverpool | H | 2-0 | Bowles, James | 25,625 | 17 |
| 19 November 1977 | Coventry City | A | 1-4 | Givens | 20,441 | 18 |
| 26 November 1977 | Manchester United | H | 2-2 | Givens, Needham | 25,367 | 19 |
| 3 December 1977 | Leeds United | A | 0-3 | | 26,507 | 19 |
| 10 December 1977 | Newcastle United | H | 0-1 | | 15,251 | 19 |
| 17 December 1977 | Liverpool | A | 0-1 | | 38,249 | 20 |
| 26 December 1977 | Derby | H | 0-0 | | 18,917 | 21 |
| 27 December 1977 | Ipswich Town | A | 2-3 | Bowles, Mcgee | 22,317 | 21 |
| 31 December 1977 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 1-3 | Shanks | 16,067 | 20 |
| 2 January 1978 | Aston Villa | A | 1-1 | Smith og | 34,750 | 21 |
| 14 January 1978 | Norwich City | H | 2-1 | Eastoe, Cunningham | 14,241 | 20 |
| 21 January 1978 | Leicester City | A | 0-0 | | 16,286 | 20 |
| 11 February 1978 | Manchester City | A | 1-2 | Abbot | 39,860 | 20 |
| 25 February 1978 | Bristol City | H | 2-2 | Busby Bowles | 17,051 | 20 |
| 4 March 1978 | Everton | A | 3-3 | Hollins, Howe, Shanks | 33,861 | 20 |
| 14 March 1978 | West Ham United | H | 1-0 | Cunningham | 20,394 | 19 |
| 22 March 1978 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 0-2 | | 19,536 | 19 |
| 25 March 1978 | Ipswich Town | A | 3-3 | James, Mcgee 2 | 33,861 | 20 |
| 27 March 1978 | Derby County | A | 0-2 | | 20,156 | 20 |
| 1 April 1978 | Middlesbrough | H | 1-0 | Busby | 12,925 | 20 |
| 8 April 1978 | Manchester United | A | 1-3 | Bowles | 42,677 | 20 |
| 11 April 1978 | Arsenal | H | 2-1 | Shanks, Bowles | 25,683 | 20 |
| 15 April 1978 | Coventry City | H | 2-1 | James, Goddard | 17,062 | 20 |
| 18 April 1978 | Nottingham Forest | A | 0-1 | | 30.300 | 20 |
| 22 April 1978 | Newcastle United | A | 3-0 | Givens, Mcgee, Hollins | 13,000 | 18 |
| 25 April 1978 | Birmingham City | H | 0-0 | | 16,049 | 18 |
| 29 April 1978 | Leeds United | H | 0-0 | | 23,993 | 20 |
| 2 May 1978 | Chelsea | A | 1-3 | James | 10.950 | 20 |

### Football League Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 31 August 1977 | Second Round | Bournemouth | A | 2-0 | Eastoe, Givens | |
| 26 October 1977 | Third Round | Aston Villa | A | 0-1 | | 34,481 |

### FA Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 7 January 1978 | Third Round | Wealdstone | H | 4-0 | Givens, James, Bowles, Howe | 16,158 |
| 28 January 1978 | Fourth Round | West Ham United | A | 1-1 | Howe | 35,566 |
| 7 January 1978 | Fourth Round Replay | West Ham United | H | 6-1 | Givens, James, Bowles, Busby 2, Hollins | 24,057 |
| 18 February 1978 | Fifth Round | Nottingham Forest | H | 1-1 | Busby | 26,803 |
| 27 February 1978 | Fifth Round Replay | Nottingham Forest | A | 1-1 | Shanks | 40.097 |
| 2 March 1978 | Fifth Round Second Replay | Nottingham Forest | A | 1-3 | Bowles | 33,990 |

## Squad

| Pos. | Nat. | Name | League Appearances | League Goals | League Cup Appearances | F A Cup Goals | F A Cup Appearances | League Cup Goals | Total Appearances | Total Goals |
| GK | ENG | Phil Parkes | 31 | | 2 | | 6 | | 39 | |
| GK | ENG | Derek Richardson | 11 | | | | | | 11 | |
| DF | ENG | Don Shanks | 36 | 3 | 1 | | 6 | 1 | 43 | 4 |
| DF | ENG | Ian Gillard | 38 | | 2 | | 6 | | 46 | |
| DF | ENG | Dave Clement | 31 | | 2 | | 4 | | 37 | |
| DF | ENG | Ernie Howe | 23 | 1 | | | 6 | 2 | 29 | 7 |
| DF | ENG | Steve Perkins | 2 | | | | | | 2 | |
| DF | ENG | Thomas Cunningham | 16 | 2 | | | 2 | | 18 | 2 |
| MF | ENG | Barry Wallace | 13 | | | | 1 | | 14 | |
| MF | ENG | Brian Williams | 19 | | 2 | | 2 | | 23 | |
| MF | ENG | Ron Abbott | 10 | 1 | 1 | | 5 | | 16 | 1 |
| MF | ENG | Gerry Francis | 13 | 2 | 1 | | | | 14 | 2 |
| MF | ENG | John Hollins | 40 | 2 | 2 | | 6 | 1 | 48 | 3 |
| MF | ENG | Martyn Busby | 21 | 3 | | | 5 | 3 | 26 | 8 |
| FW | IRE | Paul McGee | 17 | 4 | | | 2 | | 19 | 4 |
| FW | WAL | Leighton James | 26 | 3 | | | 5 | 2 | 31 | 5 |
| FW | IRE | Don Givens | 37 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 45 | 7 |
| FW | ENG | Paul Goddard | 6 | 1 | | | | | 6 | 1 |
| FW | ENG | Peter Eastoe | 19 | 6 | 2 | 1 | | | 21 | 7 |
| FW | ENG | Mick Leach | 7 | | | | 1 | | 8 | |
| FW | ENG | Stan Bowles | 40 | 6 | 2 | | 6 | 3 | 48 | 9 |

## Transfers Out

| Name | from | Date | Fee | Date | Club | Fee |
| Dave Thomas | Burnley | October 1972 | £165,000 | August 1977 | Everton | £200,000 |
| David Webb | Chelsea | July 1974 | £120,000 | September 1977 | Leicester City | £50,000 |
| Don Masson | Notts County | December 1974 | £100,000 | October 1977 | Derby County | Leighton James |
| Brian Williams | Bury | July 1977 | | June 1978 | Swindon Town | |
| Don Givens | Luton Town | July 1972 | £35,000 | July 1978 | Birmingham City | £150,000 |
| Mick Leach | Queens Park Rangers Juniors | Febtruary 1964 | | July 1978 | Detroit Express | £30,000 |

## Transfers In

| Name | from | Date | Fee |
| Barry Wallace | Queens Park Rangers Juniors | August 1977 | |
| Leighton James | Derby County | October 1977 | Don Masson |
| Paul McGee | Sligo Rovers | November 1977 | £15,000 |
| Ernie Howe | Fulham | December 1977 | £55,000 |
| Billy Hamilton | Linfield | April 1978 | £25,000 |
| Rachid Harkouk | Crystal Palace | June 1978 | £150,000 |