In the 1981–82 season he was a key player of the team that reached the 1982 FA Cup Final, losing 1–0 to Tottenham Hotspur after a replay, Stainrod scored a career best of 24 goals that season. In 1982–83 he helped the team win the Football League Second Division title and then finish fifth in the First Division qualifying for Europe. After Venables left Loftus Road in 1984 for Barcelona, the side quickly fell apart under the unsuccessful reign of Alan Mullery and many players including Stainrod left the club.