“Football Legend: Queens Park Rangers (QPR) by Ash Rose”

February 14, 2024 101 Views

As Park Ji-sung, who had been playing for “Manchester United FC,” one of the most prestigious teams in the English Premier League, approached retirement age and his skills declined, he had no choice but to leave Manchester United. At that time, “QPR,” which had just been promoted to the second division, made significant signings of veteran players despite their age, thanks to their substantial financial resources.

Amidst these developments, Park Ji-sung, who was nearing retirement age, also left Manchester United and joined “QPR,” ushering in the latter part of his football career.

“Ash Rose: Queens Park Rangers”

I didn’t expect to find a book related to “Queens Park Rangers (QPR)” translated into Korean. It’s because I never thought anyone would be interested in reading such a book. Especially, if Park Ji-sung hadn’t transferred to “QPR,” most Koreans probably wouldn’t even know about the existence of this team.

However, I was able to find this book in the library, perhaps because it was published to coincide with Park Ji-sung’s transfer. Park Ji-sung’s transfer to QPR occurred in May 2012, and this book was published at the end of October 2012, so one could argue that Park Ji-sung’s transfer prompted the publication of this book.

“QPR: A Prestigious Football Club Preserving 130 Years of History”

The book introduces “QPR” as a prestigious football club with a 130-year history. However, given that more than 10 years have passed since then, one could say that it now preserves a history of over 140 years.

The book summarizes the history of the “QPR” club from its establishment in 1882 to the present.

“Former QPR Players, Memorable Matches, Highlights…”

The book mainly introduces former QPR players and the memorable matches and highlights they had. It explains all these contents in writing.

Actually, I wasn’t particularly interested in “QPR,” and I had never even seen the players in action, so simply reading the text didn’t vividly depict scenes in my mind. Since it was published as a printed book, it couldn’t include videos, but I still wish they had included more related photos.

“Premier League Runner-Up, FA Cup Runner-Up, etc…”

“QPR” is not as well-known as clubs like “Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester United, Liverpool.” However, it has its own long history and has even achieved runner-up in the Premier League, falling just one point short at one time. It has also been runner-up in the FA Cup.

Although it’s a small club located in London, it has achieved various accomplishments throughout its long history. In particular, maintaining a long history without being disbanded or absorbed by other teams is a significant achievement.

“QPR’s Retired Number: 31”

The retired number of QPR is “31.” It was decided to honor Ray Jones, a promising 18-year-old talent who tragically died in a traffic accident on August 25, 2007.

“QPR’s Major Achievements”

The book also summarizes the major achievements of “QPR,” which are as follows. Compared to the club’s long history, there aren’t many significant records.

1966-67: League Cup Winner
1975-76: Premier League Runner-Up
1981-82: FA Cup Runner-Up
1982-83: Second Division Winner
2010-11: Second Division Winner

“2012-2013 Season”

The season Park Ji-sung participated in, the “2012-2013” season, saw QPR successfully avoid relegation from the Premier League. After the summer transfer window, they actively recruited key players from major clubs to strengthen their squad for a mid-table leap.

However, we already know the outcome: they started with a shaky 5-0 defeat in the opening round and went without a single win for the first 16 games. They finally secured their first victory against Fulham FC in the 17th game.

After securing their first win, there was hope for a turnaround, but ultimately, they finished 20th after completing 38 rounds with a record of “4 wins, 13 draws, 21 losses,” resulting in relegation to the second division.

Initially, Park Ji-sung’s leadership role in the team raised high expectations, but the disappointing results left a sense of regret.

“QPR in the Second Division”

In the current 2023-2024 season, “QPR” is in the second division. They are currently ranked 22nd out of 24 teams, in a precarious position that could lead to relegation.

With no South Korean players currently active in the team and being in the second division, it’s not easy to watch their matches. However, if you’re curious about the team, it might be worth picking up the book.

“Football Legend: Queens Park Rangers (QPR) by Ash Rose”