What is happening at my beloved QPR?

[wendigo100]

I watched QPR a few times when Chelsea were away. QPR inherited Dave Sexton, who had more success keeping QPR players out of the pubs than he did Chelsea's. They even finished second in the league one year.

[Chico]

Hmm well and the only way to get rid of him was to force him to sign a resignation letter at gun point? There is more to this story -methinks.

[woo]

more..

Paladini article from the Daily Mail

ARMED POLICE SPOIL BURNS' TEA BREAK

Lord Burns' inquiry into the restructuring of the FA looked at most aspects of football - but nothing as dramatic as the extraordinary scenes he witnessed at Loftus Road the day after delivering his report.

Burns, a former QPR director, was caught up in the hullaballoo behind the scenes following the alleged death threats made against shareholder Gianni Paladini.

Four men, including QPR director David Morris, have been charged with conspiracy to commit blackmail and joint possession of a firearm with intent to commit grievous bodilt harm.

Morris and the other three, all security consultants, were yesterday remanded in custody until November 21.

Paladini has alleged a gang held a gun to his head and forced him to sign a resignation letter before Saturday's kick-off against Sheffield United.

Burns was one of those diverted from their usual refreshments room at QPR at half-time because it was being used by armed police following Paladini's allegations.

Paladini, a former waiter in a Birmingham restaurant, became a football agent whose clients included Fabrizio Ravanelli. He gave up his licence to represent the majority interests of a Monaco-based consortium at QPR.

However, his relationship with the rest of the QPR board has become strained.

He claimed he was not being kept "in the loop", and the club were concerned about an alleged £40,000 agent's fee paid to former Wolves defender Mel Eves - a former colleague of Paladini - following the £100,000 transfer of Ian Evatt from Chesterfield.

Paladini was also involved in angry exchanges with QPR directors over money spent on strengthening the weights room floor at their Harlington training ground.





looks like he's been trying to milk qpr.
A bit like rav did at derby (although that was legal).

[Lucifer Box]

Sadly all true. Still, I like to saunter along to Kingstonian to watch a game every now and again.

[wendigo100]

Forget MK Dons, you want to support the real south west London team, AFC Wimbledon.

I wish them all the best. What they have done is great.

However, if they keep getting promoted they are going to run up against the same problem that the original Wimbledon had - no-one in south west London will let them build their own stadium. They won't be allowed to play Championship games at Kingstonian FC.

And it's not as if the original Wimbledon had that many supporters anyway. Staying in the Premiership for so long with few fans, no ground and no money was phenominal.

Also MK Dons are close to where I live - easier to get to than Merton.

[wendigo100]

I still remember when our star signing of the decade was the mighty Robert Fleck, and Vinny Jones was considered our midfield talent

I like Vinny. He was no respecter of reputation, and makes the most of his limited talents.

[WageSlave]

wendigo100, have to agree with you on that point. When I started supporting Chelsea as a nipper, they were the wrong end of the old second division. I still remember when our star signing of the decade was the mighty Robert Fleck, and Vinny Jones was considered our midfield talent

These last few years have been a wonderful dream. Still wonder when the bubble will burst.

[Lucifer Box]

Forget MK Dons, you want to support the real south west London team, AFC Wimbledon.

[wendigo100]

There's only one team in SW London...switch to the Blue side...you know it makes sense

Speaking as someone who first visited the Bridge as an eleven-year-old to watch the likes of Osgood, Harris and Cooke, there was nothing wrong with Chelsea being traditional relegation fighters. Most of the seventies, eighties and early nineties were crap, with occasional highlights from "flasher" Clive Walker, Kerry Dixon and David Speedie. I nearly included Tommy Langley as well then, but I can't think of any highlights from him. Anyway, then Hoddle arrived.

I cannot get my head around this recent phenomenon at the wrong end of the table. For several years now, I've been toying with the idea of switching my allegiance to MK "Wimble" Dons.

[WageSlave]

There's only one team in SW London...switch to the Blue side...you know it makes sense

Btw, is it just me or does the new Chelsea home kit resemble the old Wimbledon strip?

[wendigo100]

The weirdest thing of all is that they are undefeated in the top three of the Championship. Or was I dreaming that?

[The Lone Gunman]

Are you sure you havent been reading a script from footballers wives or dream team or something?

[Chico]

Death threats, forced resignations at gun point, SO19, dodgy directors what is going on?

QPR director charged with blackmail threats

By Times Online and PA News

A director of Queens Park Rangers football club appeared in court today charged with blackmail and threats against another club director.

David Morris, 49, was among 11 men arrested by armed police near the QPR ground in west London on Saturday, after Gianni Paladini said that a gang held a gun to his head and forced him to sign a resignation letter, minutes before the team’s 2-1 Championship win over Sheffield United.

Four men have been charged over the alleged incident. Mr Morris appeared at West London Magistrates’ Court in Hammersmith today alongside David Davenport, 37, Michael Reynolds, 44, and Andrew Baker, 39, all charged with conspiracy to commit blackmail and joint possession of a firearm with intent to commit grievous bodily harm.

District Judge Susan Williams remanded the four in custody pending their appearance before at the Old Bailey for a preliminary hearing on November 21. Applications for bail on behalf of Davenport and Reynolds were refused.

Police have said another seven men have been bailed to return on various dates pending further enquiries.

Armed officers were deployed within the Loftus Road ground following the incident on Saturday afternoon.

The men were casually dressed in their 45-minute appearance. Mr Morris wore a grey, open-necked casual shirt, and the other three men wore T-shirts.

Lawyers for two of the men complained of press coverage of the alleged incident. Jeffrey Lewis, for Mr Morris, said that Mr Paladini appeared to be speaking directly to the press, at the same time as giving statements about the matter.

The judge said: "I would sound a note of warning, for everybody’s benefit, that if reporting of these proceedings strays beyond proper boundaries, it may cause difficulties with the progress of the case."

Later, the judge made a ruling that the men’s addresses were not to be disclosed.

Mr Paladini, a former football agent who represented Ex-Middlesbrough striker Fabrizio Ravanelli, bought his stake in the club last May and has become an influential figure there. A significant proportion of the club is owned by a Monaco-based group of investors for whom Mr Paladini is the public face.

He lives in London with his English wife, Olga, and has a business portfolio which includes several nightclubs.

"I was petrified," he said yesterday about the incident. "They shouted at me to sign a piece of paper resigning from the board. Of course I signed it, but I have no intention of leaving the club."