Bump...49 Years ago this month (don't have the exact day)Obviously, next season, our club should do some 50 Year Commemoration
Jim Gregory Became Chairman of QPR
Previously posted
45 Years ago became Chairman of QPR...The only Chairman who surpasses the Great Gianni Paladini...
The People - September 27, 1997 - JIM GREGORY DEAD AT 70JIM GREGORY, the former owner of QPR and chairman of Portsmouth has died aged 70 after losing a long illness, writes STEVE ROYCE.
Former East End barrow boy Gregory, who was a Billingsgate fish porter and left school at 14 unable to read and write, became a multi- millionaire after moving into the motor trade .. and was wealthy enough to retire at 37.
Gregory hired and fired 14 managers in 22 years at QPR as he transformed them from a struggling Third Division outfit. Managers who worked for him at Loftus Road included Dave Sexton, Jim Smith, former England coach Terry Venables and Tommy Docherty. The Doc had two spells under Gregory at QPR but was famously fired after just 28 days the second time.
Gregory pumped millions into QPR before he sold his shares in the club when he suffered a serious heart attack in 1987. He returned to football a year later when he bought Portsmouth for pounds 3m in May 1988.
Gregory's son Martin, who took over his father's business affairs when Jim suffered a stroke in 1994, won control of Portsmouth back from Venables in January this year and is now chairman of the Fratton Park club. The family still own a 97 per cent of Pompey.
www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-60639672.htmlPFA's Give Me Football
December 3, 1978
1978: Jim Gregory offers to resign as Chairman of QPRAfter Rangers fail to win for the ninth consecutive match, and with QPR sitting fifth from bottom, Jim Gregory leaves his seat in the directors’ box to cries of ‘Gregory Out’.
Chairman for 14 years, a successful motor trader, who stood on the terrace as a boy, he took over the club in 1964, when Rangers were playing in front of crowds of 4,000. “After the way things have gone over the last two seasons perhaps the fans are right,” he said.
In the event, no-one steps in and Gregory continues. In 1987, however, after advice from doctors to slow down he sells QPR to Marler Estates, a property company run by the then Fulham Chairman, David Bulstrode.
www.givemefootball.com/premier-league/on-this-day-in-history-december-3QPR Official Site - A Potted History of QPR
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In March 1965 Jim Gregory became Chairman of QPR. In 1965/66 QPR finished third in Division Three. Rodney Marsh signed from Fulham in 1966 for £15,000 and went on to score 134 goals in 242 appearances.
In 1966/67 QPR won Division Three with 67 points. In the same year they also became the first Third Division side to win the League Cup, beating West Bromwich Albion 3-2 at Wembley after being 2-0 down at half-time.
In 1967/68 QPR were promoted to the First Division for the first time by finished second in the table. In 1968/69 the South Africa Road Stand was completed. QPR were relegated after only one season in Division One with only 18 points. Alex Stock left the club, Tommy Docherty came and went in 28 days, and Les Allen took over.
On 7th February 1969 Roger Morgan became the first QPR player to be sold for a six-figure fee. Gordon Jago became the manager in January 1971 and on 8th March 1972 Rodney Marsh was sold to Manchester City for £200,000. On 8th September 1972 Stan Bowles became the first six-figure signing for QPR.
In 1972 the new Ellerslie Road Stand was built. In 1972/73 QPR finished second in Division Two and were promoted to the First Division once again. In 1973/74 QPR reached the Sixth Round of the Cup again, before losing to Leicester City before a record crowd for a Cup match at Loftus Road of 34,989.
On 27th April 35,353 people saw the League match against Leeds, which was a new record for Loftus Road. Dave Sexton became managed on 17th October 1974. In 1975/76 QPR were Division One Runners-up - one point behind Liverpool and the following season reached the UEFA Cup Quarter Finals at their first attempt.
In July 1977 Frank Sibley became manager resigning a year later when rangers avoided relegation by a point. Alec Stock became manager until Steve Burtenshaw took over in August. Phil Parkes was sold to West Ham for £565,000 - a world record for a goalkeeper at the time - having played 406 games for the club. QPR ended the season in 20th place, and were relegated to the Second Division.
Steve Burtenshaw left the club after only one season, and was replaced by Tommy Docherty from Derby County in May 1979. Tony Currie was bought from Leeds United for a record club fee of £390,000. 19 year old Clive Allen was sold to Arsenal for a fee of £1,000,000 - the first teenager to merit the million pound price.
1981-2000...
In the 1980/81 season the new School End double-decker stand was built, and Terry Venables was appointed manager on 14th October 1980. In 1981/82 QPR became the first League club to replace grass with an artificial playing surface and Rangers reached the FA Cup Final against Tottenham Hotspur. The game went to a replay after a 1-1 draw, with Terry Fenwick's headed equaliser cancelling out Glenn Hoddle's opener. It was Hoddle again who scored the only goal, from the penalty spot, in the replay.
In 1982/83 Terry Venables took QPR back in to the First Division again, and Rangers lost only two of their home League matches. In 1983/84 QPR completed building their fourth and last stand and thus had seating on all four sides of the ground.
QPR finished fifth in their first season back in Division One and in 1984/85 Terry Venables left to join Barcelona. Alan Mullery had a brief spell in charge with Frank Sibley becoming caretaker manager for the remainder of the season.
QPR again qualified for the UEFA Cup and went through to the Second Round where they lost on aggregate to Partizan Belgrade. All seemed well after a 6-2 first leg victory. Yet Rangers conspired to lose the second legt 4-0 and go out on the away goals rule.
In July 1985 Jim Smith became QPR's new manager and the following season QPR were defeated finalists in the Milk Cup competition at Wembley, losing 3-0 to Oxford United.
In May 1987, Jim Gregory ended his record 22-year Chairmanship of QPR and became Life President. David Bulstrode became Chairman of the club. In 1987/88 QPR finished fifth in the First Division, having for some months been top of the table. In April the artificial playing surface was removed after seven seasons, and was replaced by natural grass. \
www.qpr.co.uk/page/History/0,,10373,00.html
