Today, September 22, marks the 41st anniversary of a crazy game at Loftus Road as Queens Park Rangers welcomed Newcastle United.
Inside three minutes, Chris Waddle had set up Neil McDonald for the visitors’ opener and the striker – as he was at the time, wearing number 9 – managed a first-half hat-trick as Jack Charlton’s side retired with a seemingly unassailable 4-0 lead.
However, Gary Bannister pulled a goal back for the hosts early in the second half with Simon Stainrod halving the deficit before John Gregory left them just a goal behind.
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With six minutes of normal time left, Ken Wharton put Newcastle 5-3 in front, seemingly wrapping up the points, but Steve Wicks replied immediately for QPR and in the 89th minute Gary Micklewhite completed an incredible comeback.
On the kits front, two classic outfits were in opposition – nowadays, it’s almost certain that the hoops-v-stripes matchup would be considered a clash, but Newcastle’s away kit was silver and so less suitable (they would be forced to come up with a one-off blue third against Luton Town around this time).
The two alcohol brands sponsoring the clubs were also iconic, while the differing approaches to numbering are also worthy of comment: both used red digits but QPR’s far more visible thanks to the white backing.
Later in the season, the reverse fixture would see Paul Gascoigne make his league debut for Newcastle, that game producing a far more staid 1-0 scoreline in favour of the Magpies.
And for anyone who ever owned Danny Baker’s Fabulous World of Freak Football VHS, the goals (like buses) from this game were featured… including “ding” noise after each goal… and at 4-0… “ahhh I know what you’re thinking, but yes they do…” then cue “ding ding ding ding ding ding” after QPR made it 5-5…
Also played on QPR’s infamous plastic pitch at the time.
I used to find QPR v Newcastle a problematic fixture to watch given the amount of white stripes/hoops on show… though these days both sides would, understandably change. Even when Newcastle had a much more contrasting away colour, they didn’t use it – such as 1988/89 when they wore the home kit at Loftus Road when their yellow/green striped away kit at the time would have been much better.
Though when the two sides last met each other, in the 2016/17 season, there were away kits on show in both games (Newcastle in navy, QPR in maroon).
Newcastle’s choice of silver for a change kit wasn’t ideal, but sounds like if they played teams in white with dark shorts – they’d change (Luton third kit one-off aside), but against teams in white with white shorts they did not, such as when Newcastle visited Spurs in 1985/86.