3 Ex-QPR Birthdays today
Garry Chivers Turns 60Venables signing
www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=16642en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_ChiversMark Kennedy Turns 44Our loan/almost QPR signing under Ray Harford - A Decade ago!
www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=19322en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Kennedy_%28footballer%29Paul Konchesky - 34en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Konchesky And from the QPR Official Site, from March 1998'POOL TAKE KENNEDY BACKIRISH star Mark Kennedy has returned to Liverpool after his loan spell at Loftus Road.
Liverpool have called Kennedy back due to Robbie Fowler’s injury and the fact that they only have Riedle and Owen as recognized forwards.
Rangers chief executive Clive Berlin says:"Unfortunately this is disappointing news. Liverpool felt they must have Mark Kennedy back immediately as he is their only recognized forward cover.
"Both myself and Ray Harford had been in contact with Liverpool trying to persuade them otherwise. We wanted to extend Kennedy’s loan or to purchase him outright. We offered a substantial sum of money, but at the end it really didn’t come down to price.
"Liverpool confirmed to me that there are three other clubs who have also shown an interest in Mark, but that we will have first refusal should the situation change. Mark has also confirmed that he would be more than happy to stay with Rangers if that situation should change.
"So we have tried everything we can and we will continue to try, but unfortunately Mark returns to Liverpool today."
R'S MISSING KENNEDYRAY HARFORD was in philosophical mood after the 1-0 defeat away to Birmingham as he reflected on how much the team missed mark Kennedy, recalled by Liverpool after his loan spell at Rangers.
"You miss someone like him because he's quality when he gets the ball, that's no disrespect to young Paul Bruce. I thought he was wilting a bit but he's going to be a good player, he's only 19."
Ray also revealed that R's face competition for the Irish international should they try and sign him.
"There's more than two or three clubs that have come in for him as well, but they're not going to sell him at the moment.
Ray also pondered what could have been had the apparent goalline clearance from Birmingham been viewed differently, the Boss clearly thought it was a goal.
"We thought it was over the line, but you don't get them away from home do you?"
February 1998 - BOSS ON COMINGS AND GOINGSNEW SIGNINGS Mark Kennedy, Iain Dowie and Keith Rowland stand by for their Rangers debuts at Stockport on Saturday.
Boss Ray Harford has summed up this week's transfer explosion, he says: "I felt that I want to improve certain positions in the team. We need to improve on our forward play. I feel we've got the defensive side of things buttoned down, touch wood."
"Iain Dowie leads the front line and he's also a leader of men. He's a very strong character and a very experienced centre-forward who can help the younger players improve. He's an international as well and a very good aquisition for us as we haven't paid very much money for him.
"I've always been interested in Keith Rowland. Once I knew Keith was coming, it would have been a waste of a good plyer for Rufus Brevett to play in the reserves here. So it was a good move for Rufus to go and play for his old manager at Fulham.
"And I think we have improved that position as Keith is an international left-back. He can also play left wing-back and left hand side midfield, but predominantly I want to play him as a left-back as he's very good going forward."
"Mark Kennedy is another good quality international player. He has great quality on the left hand side. We've always looked a bit unbalanced since I've been here as nobody really wanted to play wide on the left.
"So we needed to fill that position and if we could sign Mark in the long-term on a permanent basis that would be a very good move for us. But we have to wait for his initial six weeks on loan."
Jurgen Sommer has returned to America. I haven't seen much of him in action, but I know he was very anxious about his World Cup place. So by going back to the States, he can be more in the limelight over there."
The boss also had the last word on Trevor Sinclair and denied another Premiership club had been interested in the 24-year-old, now former R's player.
Trevor Sinclair wanted to play in the Premier League. He's got that opportunity now and I wish him luck. And there is no truth in the rumour that Newcastle had made a late bid for Trevor."