Post by QPR Report on May 20, 2010 12:30:48 GMT
Another post today reminded me...!
Nine Years ago, plus a couple of weeks! A truly outrageous effort.
I remember some fans on the board saying: But we'd be in a higher division.
Guardian/Martin Thorpe - May 4, 2001
Fans rebel as London clubs talk of merger
Wimbledon and Queens Park Rangers moved last night to defuse fan fury by pledging that a proposed merger of the clubs would not go ahead if supporters strongly object to the controversial plan.
The two London clubs admitted they have held talks about a merger as a way to overcome their problems: Wimbledon of the First Division have no ground and a small fan base while QPR, just relegated to the Second, are in administration with debts of £8m.
The plan was even discussed at a meeting of the Football League board, who gave it a provisional green light though they had not received any concrete submission from either club.
But supporter reaction was immediately hostile, with protests planned and vows made to "fight any merger to the end".
Although QPR initially approached Wimbledon with the plan, the Dons chairman Charles Koppel summed up their joint thinking when he said yesterday: "Both clubs have a unique set of problems and we have to ask, is there a way to resolve those problems? Are we stronger together than apart?
"We are committed to exploring all available options for strengthening the club on and off the pitch. Our initial view is that, in the current financial environment for football outside the Premier League, the idea could have merit and may be worth exploring further."
Both clubs had been hoping to persuade their fans of the practical and financial merits of a merger.
Despite 30 declarations of interest in buying out the current QPR owner Chris Wright, no firm offer has come in, even from a City consortium who came to light yesterday and are allegedly considering a £12m takeover.
The plan would see a new club emerge called Wimbledon and Queens Park Rangers - other names floated yesterday included Queens Park Dons and Wimbledon Rangers - playing at Loftus Road in the Second Division, depending on league approval.
Wimbledon's Terry Burton would be manager of the new club and the shirt colours would reflect those of both teams.
The two clubs set out on talks hoping the climate of supporter obstruction which saw stillbirths for two previous proposed mergers -Fulham Park Rangers and Thames Valley Royals (Reading and Oxford) - had changed. They also felt it would be easier in the case of teams that did not have a historic rivalry.
QPR, though accepting they would lose some fans, had even estimated that the new team would attract between 10,000 and 12,000 for the first game next season.
But the leak to a national newspaper caught both clubs by surprise and dented hopes of persuading fans of the financial and practical advantages. There was some suspicion that this was the motive behind the leak.
Libby Magrill, a spokeswoman for QPR 1st, the QPR Supporters Trust, insisted: "QPR fans will fight to retain the identity of our club. Any move to merge QPR with Wimbledon this year, or at any stage in the future, will be opposed by every possible means."
The Wimbledon Independent Supporters' Association declared that they "unequivocally oppose the merger of two separate identities, families, supporters and histories".
Wisa and QPR 1st plan to lobby the league while a protest by Wimbledon fans is scheduled for the final game, at home to Norwich on Sunday. At QPR supporters demonstrated outside Loftus Road yesterday.
QPR quickly issued a statement criticising the leak and insisted that before any final decision they had always intended to consult their supporters, via a questionnaire, in a "sensible and controlled manner", and will do so still if merger discussions continue.
Privately QPR went further. "It had always been decided this wouldn't go through without the blessing of the majority of the fans," insisted one source. "It just wouldn't have worked."
Koppel took a similar line. "It has to come down to whether or not the supporters feel that it is something they can buy into."
www.guardian.co.uk/football/2001/may/04/newsstory.sport4
Nine Years ago, plus a couple of weeks! A truly outrageous effort.
I remember some fans on the board saying: But we'd be in a higher division.
Guardian/Martin Thorpe - May 4, 2001
Fans rebel as London clubs talk of merger
Wimbledon and Queens Park Rangers moved last night to defuse fan fury by pledging that a proposed merger of the clubs would not go ahead if supporters strongly object to the controversial plan.
The two London clubs admitted they have held talks about a merger as a way to overcome their problems: Wimbledon of the First Division have no ground and a small fan base while QPR, just relegated to the Second, are in administration with debts of £8m.
The plan was even discussed at a meeting of the Football League board, who gave it a provisional green light though they had not received any concrete submission from either club.
But supporter reaction was immediately hostile, with protests planned and vows made to "fight any merger to the end".
Although QPR initially approached Wimbledon with the plan, the Dons chairman Charles Koppel summed up their joint thinking when he said yesterday: "Both clubs have a unique set of problems and we have to ask, is there a way to resolve those problems? Are we stronger together than apart?
"We are committed to exploring all available options for strengthening the club on and off the pitch. Our initial view is that, in the current financial environment for football outside the Premier League, the idea could have merit and may be worth exploring further."
Both clubs had been hoping to persuade their fans of the practical and financial merits of a merger.
Despite 30 declarations of interest in buying out the current QPR owner Chris Wright, no firm offer has come in, even from a City consortium who came to light yesterday and are allegedly considering a £12m takeover.
The plan would see a new club emerge called Wimbledon and Queens Park Rangers - other names floated yesterday included Queens Park Dons and Wimbledon Rangers - playing at Loftus Road in the Second Division, depending on league approval.
Wimbledon's Terry Burton would be manager of the new club and the shirt colours would reflect those of both teams.
The two clubs set out on talks hoping the climate of supporter obstruction which saw stillbirths for two previous proposed mergers -Fulham Park Rangers and Thames Valley Royals (Reading and Oxford) - had changed. They also felt it would be easier in the case of teams that did not have a historic rivalry.
QPR, though accepting they would lose some fans, had even estimated that the new team would attract between 10,000 and 12,000 for the first game next season.
But the leak to a national newspaper caught both clubs by surprise and dented hopes of persuading fans of the financial and practical advantages. There was some suspicion that this was the motive behind the leak.
Libby Magrill, a spokeswoman for QPR 1st, the QPR Supporters Trust, insisted: "QPR fans will fight to retain the identity of our club. Any move to merge QPR with Wimbledon this year, or at any stage in the future, will be opposed by every possible means."
The Wimbledon Independent Supporters' Association declared that they "unequivocally oppose the merger of two separate identities, families, supporters and histories".
Wisa and QPR 1st plan to lobby the league while a protest by Wimbledon fans is scheduled for the final game, at home to Norwich on Sunday. At QPR supporters demonstrated outside Loftus Road yesterday.
QPR quickly issued a statement criticising the leak and insisted that before any final decision they had always intended to consult their supporters, via a questionnaire, in a "sensible and controlled manner", and will do so still if merger discussions continue.
Privately QPR went further. "It had always been decided this wouldn't go through without the blessing of the majority of the fans," insisted one source. "It just wouldn't have worked."
Koppel took a similar line. "It has to come down to whether or not the supporters feel that it is something they can buy into."
www.guardian.co.uk/football/2001/may/04/newsstory.sport4