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Wednesday
31st October 2001
Tranmere
refuse kick off time change request
Through
discussions with the club this week, we have found out that an
attempt was made to bring forward the kick off time for our forthcoming
home match with Tranmere Rovers so that it would not clash directly
with the televised coverage of the England Vs Sweden friendly
game.
QPR
1st supports the clubs initiative and understands the reasoning
behind the attempt to bring forward the kick off time in order
to maximise the attendance for and revenue gained from this attractive
fixture.
QPR
1st have contacted Tranmere Rovers and sent a fax outlining our
position and the reasons behind it. A copy of the content of the
fax can be seen here. We urge
all those who share our sentiments to send a fax of their own
to Tranmere to show the strength of supporters feelings on this
matter. Details are at the bottom of the linked page.
Monday
29th October 2001
FA Cup update
After
contacting Swansea City this morning we can confirm that we will
have a terrace allocation of 2,110 and 332 seats. Prices are yet
to be decided.
The
ground is very easy to find. Junction 42 off the M4, follow the
signs to Swansea and the floodlights are on the right hand side
a little way down.
The
capacity of the ground is 11,000. An away fans pub that is recommended
is the Glamorgan. Go past the ground and it's on the right hand
side. Also, 10 minutes from the ground is a street called Wind
Street which has an abundance of pubs where away fans can enjoy
a drink.
Now
for the bad news? The game been chosen to be live on Sky TV, on
the Sunday November 18th with a 6.05pm kick off. What joy!.
Friday
26th October 2001
Bid
update
Having
voiced our worries at the mysteries surrounding the sale of QPR
to the Melzack Consortium, which is currently going through, we
at QPR1st have become increasingly concerned at the failure of
either the current QPR ownership or the Melzack Consortium to
give further information on what is going on.
With
rumour and counter-rumour, some of it very poisonous, flowing
around the club and the internet, we are worried that the lack
of concrete information is affecting the atmosphere at QPR itself,
whilst fans and supporters grow ever more frightened for the future
of their club.
We
call on Chris Wright and Brian Melzack, the seller and buyer in
this deal, to answer the following questions, either by contacting
us directly or via the Club's official communication channels.
- Chris
Wright - will you or any of your representatives have any part
in the running of QPR FC after the proposed takeover? And if
yes, in what capacity?
- Chris
Wright - what earnings, beyond debt repayment, will you be entitled
to from the club after the proposed deal is done?
- Chris
Wright - What QPR earnings, if any, are to be paid to London
Wasps now and in the future?
- Brian
Melzack - Can you guarantee that your consortium has no intention
of using Loftus Road Stadium, or options on the ground, as security
for your finance package?
- Brian
Melzack - How much working capital will the club need during
your first, second and third years of ownership and how is your
consortium raising it?
- Brian
Melzack - Who are your fellow consortium members? What business
history do they have and what shareholdings will they each acquire?
- Chris
Wright and Brian Melzack - what measures are you putting in
place to safeguard the club from a Brighton-type situation,
where the ground is sold and the club is left without a home?
- Chris
Wright and Brian Melzack - what will shareholders get out of
the deal?
Thursday
18th October 2001
Bid
update
We
are informed by David Davies that takeover talks continue with
lawyers for both parties working on details... the deal is thought
to be 60% and rising complete, although other sources think higher.
No specific date has been set for completion.
Monday
15th October 2001
Update
QPR
1st have noted the increasingly vicious rumours posted on some
of the QPR messageboards by certain individuals, we deplore these
activities, however they are fanning the flames of suspicion regarding
the Melzack bid. We urge Brian Melzack or one of his group to
contact QPR 1st or make a general statement that will quash these
rumours once and for all and remove the ammunition that is feeding
these postings.
Membership
info
We
have had notification that the new QPR 1st membership cards are
now ready and expect to receive them in the next couple of days.
Once we have them we will be able to start sending out membership
packs. If you have not yet received a membership form please let
us know at info@qpr1st.co.uk
with your postal address details.
Wednesday
10th October 2001
Bid
update
Following
a conversation with David Davies, we can confirm that the 'lock
out' period with the Melzack consortium, which was due to end
yesterday has been extended for a further week.
Skills
overload
Thanks
to all members who have returned their registration forms, we
are currently collating information regarding the wide range of
skills that members have to offer. One application stood out and
amazed us with the sheer scope of specialist skills packed into
one supporter.
All
round Superhero, fantastic looking, handy with my hands, can cook
burgers, can open tomato sauce and mustard, fry onions, wash and
iron - especially QPR shirts, impersonate Jude The Cat, shout
very loud - especially URRRR's, Managerial, Financial, Computer
and Man Management skills, including organising a party at a brewery!"
Thanks
Crash, we are sure someone will be in touch soon - "NURSE!"
Roll
of Honour
It's
been a long and winding road since the idea of a QPR supporters
trust was first hatched in the Uxbridge Arms. A massive amount
of time and energy has been put into it and has caused many a
sleepless night. But we've achieved our first goal with a committee
voted for by the supporters.
It
couldn't have happened at all however without the invaluable help
of many R's fans. So, in no particular order, QPR1st would like
to give a great big wet sloppy kiss (no tongues though) and say
'Thanks mate' to:
Andy
Lynam: Was on the original interim committee, set up the website
and came up with the name QPR1st in the Uxbridge Arms.
Dave
Thomas: Interim committee member. Did masses of PR/media work,
preparing press statements, lots of website material and leaflet
printing.
Barry
Sutton: Co-opted interim committee member. Helped us on the financial
side, spoke with administrators etc.
John
McCooke: Co-opted interim committee member. Did an enormous amount
of work in the political jungle by communicating with the council.
Also wrote material to be used in the media.
Graham
Barnes: Co-opted interim committee member. Our own internal administrator.
Replied to the e-mails that came into QPR1st and helped out in
setting up the membership.
Maurice
Fitzgerald: Co-opted interim committee member. He worked on the
shareholding side before he stepped down to pursue a bid for the
club. Maurice also provided office facilities for early meetings.
Steve
Rapjohns: Co-opted interim committee member. LSA committee member
who gave the trust a lot of support through himself and the LSA.
Steve
Kempner: Local solicitor who offered his services and helped us
regarding some legal matters.
Neil
Truckle: Printed all the membership/ballot forms for us.
Sean
Hamil & Dave Boyle: Our caseworkers from Supporters Direct whose
help and advice continues to prove extremely valuable.
Sparky
Radford and the Techies Team: Sparky designed our wonderful rosette
emblem and he and the Techies Team did an enormous amount of work
on the website and other techie things.
Peter
Gridneff: For taking over the QPR 1st Webmaster role and for his
continuing good work.
Richard
Bristow: For his donation of office supplies
Pete
Nutall: Club mc who offered his services free for the town hall
meeting.
Clive
Soley MP: Clive Soley MP was instrumental in pulling together
the QPR 1st political plan and for someone with no interest in
football showed himself to be an astute and vigorous ally of QPR
supporters everywhere. That he continues to lobby the club behind
the scenes when the spotlight of publicity has long moved on is
to his credit
Ben
Taylor and all at the Council: for their help with local issues
and also for the way they helped with the hiring of the town hall.
Uxbridge
Arms Originals!
Jean
Lambert: Administration help
Tom
Rizzo: For his kind donation of a family season ticket under the
QPR 1st umbrella, for use by social services for local disadvantaged
children.
Liam
Duggan: For helping to write and compile this roll of honour.
To
all the people who helped us at the Hammersmith town hall meeting
- the fans who helped with security, photographers, fans who wrote
reports, bucket collection volunteers. Also the fans who helped
to leaflet around the ground. And the numerous others who offered
their services and helped us. Apologies if we've missed anyone
out, the help from everyone has been overwhelming. We couldn't
have got this far without your help. You know who you are! And
of course we wouldn't be here at all without ALL the QPR supporters.
So even bigger wet sloppy kisses to you all (still no tongues).
COME
ON YOU R's
Thursday
4th October 2001
Cambridge
incident
We
have been asked to reproduce the following statement with regard
to Saturday's match.
"
A complaint has been registered against a police officer for an
incident that took place at the Cambridge v QPR match on Saturday
29th September 2001. This incident took place at the end of the
game. ( Ref. HQ/CB 150/01) If you witnessed this incident could
you contact the investigating officer Detective Inspector MILLS,
Professional Standards Department, Cambrigdeshire Constabulary.
Tel 01480 456111."
Wednesday
3rd October 2001
QPR
1st Membership
Membership
for QPR 1st is now at the stage where fees are due, details of
which can be found Here.
Response
has been good so far, and due to this there has been a delay in
banking the membership and the donation cheques. Hopefully this
will be done this week. If you are wondering where your membership
card is, don't worry as soon as we receive them from the printers
they will be sent out.
Whilst
processing the membership forms, it has been noticed that some
email addresses do not exist or have been written incorrectly.
This was a problem recently when we sent out a short newsletter
and quite a few mails were returned undelivered. Could everyone
who has supplied an email address and who DIDN'T get the newsletter
please contact info@qpr1st.co.uk
with your correct email address and name, and in the subject bar
enter 'newsletter'
Games
for Life - Appeal update
At
the game against Reading, fans were invited to bring along any
discarded football kits in order for Zambian children to wear
during an after school project called Games for Life, which is
a programme organised by CHEP, a Zambian organisation that encourages
education on how to prevent HIV, Malaria and TB. The generosity
of everyone who donated shirts, shorts, socks and boots was overwhelming.
The weight of the kits when put together came to an amazing 30
kilos. We are still currently in negotiations with agencies on
the best (and cheapest) method of getting the goods dispatched
over to Africa, and if anyone also knows of any air/freight cargo
companies who could help us then please do get in touch by either
emailing us at the following address Info@qpr1st.co.uk
or writing to QPR 1st, PO Box 30880, London, W12 OXA. Click
here for news of the appeal and pictures
Further
updates will appear here and in future issues of the club programme,
in the meantime please see the following message from CHEP coordinator,
Jonathon Mwape.
"Dear
QPR fans. I don't know how I can express myself on how impressed
I am on the collection that has been going on that side and the
generosity of people who have contributed to the same. I can assure
you that this is a start of a long partnership with you guys there
which may see us making exchange visits to share ideas and experiences
from both nations. The equipment will also be put to good use
towards the fight against HIV/AIDS with young people through the
use of "Games For Life" programme".
Jonathon
Mwape Coordinator. (GFL)
Copperbelt Health Education Project (CHEP)
8 Diamond Drive - Martindale Area
Kitwe Central
Kitwe - Copperbelt
Zambia
Cambridge
Fans Think Big
Cambridge
Fans United has developed with help from Supporters Direct and
is now, like QPR 1st, registered as an IPS (Industrial and Provident
Society). Like us they went down this route because an IPS actually
belongs to its members - a highly democratic organisation.
It
costs £20 a year to be a member of CFU. That's twice as much as
our membership rate, but they've embarked on an ambitious fundraising
project to raise £1m in two years.
They're
going to spend most of this money buying 25% of the shares in
the club, and the board of directors has agreed that eventually
CFU should become the biggest shareholder in the club. If there's
money left over after acquiring 25% of the shares they will buy
parts of the new Abbey Stadium site as well.
"Our
legal advisers will make sure that both the shares and the property
will be held in trust by CFU. These assets can then be used to
safeguard the Club from the sort of profiteers who have nearly
destroyed some other clubs in the recent past. The interests of
Cambridge United Football Club will always come first, second
and third to CFU."
CFU
are involved in all sorts of community and fundraising initiatives.
To find out more, visit http://www.cambridgefansunited.org/
Sunday
30th September 2001
QPR
1st to Co-produce 2002 QPR calendar
Following
up on an original idea by Libby that was generated during a recent
QPR 1st brainstorming session we are pleased to announce that
plans are at an advanced stage for a very special joint club and
QPR 1st 2002 wall calendar. Although we cannot say too much whilst
the details are being finalised we can tell you that it will be
a real eye opener and will feature views not previously seen in
any publication. We hope to reveal all in the coming weeks.
Wednesday
26th September 2001
Earn
money for Olly's Army!
It's
easy and pleasurable now to generate income for QPR thanks to
the new look official web site, for details on the clubs plans
for qpr.co.uk and how you can earn money for the club click
here.
If
you have a view or a comment on any of the above issues, why not
send them to info@qpr1st.co.uk
If
you do not wish your views to be made public on this site, please
make that clear. We'll feature some of the comments received.
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