The Trust would like to place on record our thanks to Radek Cerny for his service as a player and a coach over the past five-years at the Club.
We wish him well and all the best with his future endeavours.
QPR1st
An independent Supporters Trust founded on 4th April 2001
Season ticket prices
QPR1st welcome the announcement by the Club to slash season ticket prices and effectively reverse the price hike that led to Amit Bhatia’s resignation and confirmed the contempt in which Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone regarded the loyal fans who had stuck with the Club through thick and thin.
Whilst some have pointed out that what QPR fans were already paying in the Championship was over the odds, many fans will appreciate not just the financial savings, but the symbolic gesture of fans being recognised for our continued passion and commitment.
We also congratulate the Club on the process of genuine consultation with the Supporters Trust and other fans representative groups leading up to the decision. While we respected the Club’s request not to say too much about what was discussed prior to this announcement, we are happy to state that the Club proved to be honest brokers and were true to their word in wanting to take action based on our comments and advice. We hope that this has established the framework for future engagement between the Club and the Supporters Trust.
The Trust believes the reduced pricing will help improve the atmosphere at Loftus Road next season.
Statement on relegation
QPR1st Supporters Trust acknowledges the expected relegation of the club from The Premier League. It is now important than fans, players, owners, and staff come together to ensure the future of the club.
It is vital that the owners listen to the concerns of fans who have been through this emotional trauma in 1995/96 and watched the club be mismanaged, come close to liquidation, and sink to the third tier of the football league pyramid before some pride was restored. It is essential that lessons are learned from other clubs that have been relegated from the Premier League and have subsequently found themselves a long way from any hope of a return.
The Trust is disappointed that the QPR Women’s team was also relegated yesterday. The Trust has been consistently supportive of the Women’s teams and calls on the club to show similar support and integrate all the football teams who wear QPR shirts ensuring that they share in the support of fans, owners, and sponsors alike.
At its heart Queens Park Rangers is a community based football club. Build a brand on a football reputation. Build a multi-venue entertainment venue on a football reputation. Football first. QPR 1st.
Posted in All News
Planning consent given for training facility at Warren Farm
The Trust is pleased by the news that planning consent has been approved for the Club to start work on a brand new start-of-the-art training facility at the Warren Farm site in Ealing.
This is a tremendous opportunity to build for the future – the training facility is a vital part of the infrastructure and foundation of any club and will hopefully will be of real benefit to the local community too.
The Trust still believe that the womens and girls teams should be based on site and not consigned to the community pitches in and around the new facility when it opens. The opportunity to finally house everybody involved at QPR under the same roof should not be missed as we try to rebuild that sense of togetherness and unity at the club.
Neverthless, the news is welcomed and a real positive in what has been a disappointing season.
Posted in All News
Club confirm that there will be no Player of the Year event this season
The Club have written to QPR1st to let us know that a decision has been made to not to hold a Player of the Year event at the end of the season, which they feel is in the best interests of the Club.
This is the second consecutive season that the Club have not held this event. The Trust would like to see it restored from next season in what we all hope will be happier times.
Meeting regarding Season Ticket pricing
A representative from QPR1st was invited to attend a discussion with management and staff from QPR as well as those representing other fans groups – the LSA, the IndyRs and QPR’s Disability Supporters Organisation. This informal meeting focussed entirely on the issue of season ticket prices next season. It was a very constructive and positive meeting which enabled an honest and open exchange of views.
Because the Club is still considering its options, it has asked us and the other attendees not to publically reveal the specifics of any proposals, as this might give the false impression that decision had already been made. We intend to honour that request.
Nevertheless whilst matters remain unresolved there is still an opportunity for fans to make their thoughts known to us via email and social media and we will of course ensure that your views are reflected in any continued dialogue with the Club.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank Phil Beard, Ian Taylor, Andy Rees and the rest of the QPR team for facilitating an opportunity for genuine and purposeful consultation which we hope will be mutually valued as the way forward for the future.
QPR1st joins in national discussions – and hears about the Swansea experience
QPR1st was represented at a recent national Supporters Direct event where key issues for supporters were discussed – and good practice by Premier League clubs involving supporters in decision-making was looked at.
Importantly the Premier League was itself represented. A representative took part in the discussion – and appears to be committed to encouraging clubs to work more effectively with supporters.
Time was given to Swansea Supporters’ Trust to describe the groundbreaking involvement of supporters at their club – and to describe how the club has successfully rebuilt itself to be successful on and off the pitch. The Swansea representative could not help comparing aspects of this to the recent QPR story.
In a nutshell, the Swansea Supporters’ Trust is a shareholding organisation that influences the running of the club through a supporter director on the board and some legally-binding rights to veto decisions on some issues.
In 2002 a legal agreement between the club and trust gave the trust a veto on large borrowings and agreement that the trust would get first option on new shares.
The Swansea Trust believes the reasons for the success of the club were:
- Clear vision communicated by the chair and board – a consistent way of doing things; so that, for example, there would be continuity and new managers could build on existing foundations without changes of direction
- Involvement of supporters
- Working with the local community and stakeholders, such as the council
- Careful with off-field expenditure
- Recruitment of people who fit the ethos of the club – Ashley Williams learnt Spanish to help new players settle in
- Patience – only calculated risks taken
The club made a profit of £14 million last year – and rather than pay high wages it it has bonus payments for players. Players get a bonus geared to how high the club finishes in the league.
The Swansea representative politely commented that that the approach taken by the club, and its league position contrasted with the less patient and prudent approach taken by QPR.
The Swansea Supporters Trust had won its influence with the club through years of hard work to build trust while at the same time working to keep fans connected and involved; and ruffling feathers when necessary.
The Swansea experience gave food for thought. It was recognised that there is not a one-size fits all model for clubs to engage with supporter, but it offered an approach which many can learn from; including QPR.
The meeting also looked at
- The role of supporter liaison officers with some examples of exceptional work by some – in supporting Spurs supporters in Lyon after the fascist attack on a bar there a few months ago for example
- Away ticket prices
QPR1st activity on these issues, locally, or linked to Supporters Direct nationally are reported elsewhere in this site.
QPR1st discuss Christopher Samba with the BBC
The BBC ran an article on Queens Park Rangers defender Christopher Samba, who recently took to social media network Twitter to apologise to fans for his recent performance against Fulham, and who was subject to racial abuse.
QPR1st committee member James Wright was interviewed by the BBC and shared his views on the matter.
The Trust would like to make it clear that any form of racial abuse or discrimination is wholly unacceptable and is keen to point out that there was strong evidence that the culprit was not actually a Queens Park Rangers supporter, but a fan from another club.
You can read the article in full here.
QPR1st interview with The London Round Up
QPR1st were recently interviewed by The London Round-Up website, where we offered some views about the governance of the Club and how its performed this season.
Head over to their website to check out the interview in full.
The Trust celebrates its twelfth birthday!
Today marks the twelfth anniversary of the existence of QPR1st, which was founded back on April 4th 2001 in the aftermath of the Club announcing that it was entering administration.
Take a trip down memory lane and read up on the report from the initial meeting that took place at Hammersmith Town Hall.
In the meantime, why not give us a like on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. You Rs!
