Last Update:
September 21, 2024
Loftus Road has a compact feel, as the ground is enclosed, with supporters close to the pitch. An unusual aspect is that all four stands are roughly the same height. Their roofs meet at all four corners with no gaps. On one side, the South Africa Road Stand has a larger upper tier compared to the lower tier, with a row of executive boxes running across the middle. There are a couple of supporting pillars in this stand.
The other side, the Ellerslie Road Stand, is single-tiered, with a television gantry suspended below its roof. Both ends are similar-looking two-tiered stands. On one of these, the School End (where the away fans are located) has a large video screen at the centre of its roof. Below this, situated between the lower and upper tiers, is a small electric scoreboard. The ground oozes character, and there is nothing similar in the league.
Away fans are situated in the upper tier of the School End, where around 1,800 fans can be accommodated. If demand requires it then the lower tier can also be allocated, increasing the number of places available to about 2,500. If the away club only takes the upper tier allocation, then the lower tier is allocated to home supporters.
The main entrance to Loftus Park is behind a row of Victorian terrace houses, making it an unusual entrance to a football stadium. The stadium is guarded by giant blue gates which open up on matchdays.
To enter the stadium itself, there are nine turnstile blocks available. Away fans can enter the stadium via the School End using Turnstile block 3 whereas home fans can use any of the remaining turnstiles. However, they should use the one closest to their seat for convenience.
Don’t Worry About a Thing – last night at QPR, last & best home match of the season, beating Leeds 4-0 & securing Championship survival – R’s fans all join in singing Bob Marley’s classic ‘Three Little Birds’ song. Love my club ❤️ #qpr pic.twitter.com/IZTQReaJp1
— Nick De Marco KC (@nickdemarco_) April 27, 2024
- Belushi’s Bar – 13-15 Shepherd’s Bush Green, W12 8PH
- The Grove Tavern – 83 Hammersmith Road, W6 0NQ
- Pavillion – Wood Lane, W12 0HQ
- The Bear Pub – 29 Spring Street, W2 1JA
- The Union Paddington – 4 Sheldon Square, W2 6EZ
- The Prince Bonaparte – 80 Chepstow Road, W2 5BE
Topped nachos at QPR (@QPR)
💷 £6.75 pic.twitter.com/XG4t8jP66P
— Footy Scran (@FootyScran) April 16, 2023
Chilli chips at QPR (@QPR)
💷 £3.90 pic.twitter.com/v9sLW3NAqg
— Footy Scran (@FootyScran) January 25, 2022
The Club have been looking for some time to possibly build a new stadium at a new location rather than develop Matrade Loftus Road. This is simply because the present Loftus Road Stadium occupies quite a small footprint and is hemmed in by nearby residential housing, meaning it would be almost impossible to build a larger stadium there.
Having been thwarted so far in finding a nearby suitable site, speculation has now focussed on the Linford Christie Athletics Stadium, which is located in the Wormwood Scrubs area, within the same borough of Hammersmith & Fulham, around half a mile away from Loftus Road. The Council-owned venue would be suitable.
However, the Club is looking for long-term security and would probably prefer to purchase the site outright from the Council. The Council would like to retain some provisions for athletics and lease the ground to QPR. So we shall see what happens with this.
We’re not entirely sure if this is a record, but given the number of places QPR has called home over the years, it’s certainly up there. The history books barely capture the very early years, with the exact time and place when the home matches were played unclear.
From 1886—four years after formation—through to 1917, the club played at no fewer than 15 grounds, starting with Welford Fields, where they spent two years, and ending at the Park Royal Ground, which was their home for a decade.
Since then, QPR have switched between Loftus Road, which is probably their best-known ground given they’ve been there three times and, most recently, since 1963, and the White City Stadium.
From The North/West
At the end of the M40, take the A40 towards Central London. At the point where the A40 becomes the A40(M), turn off onto the A40 towards White City/Shepherds Bush and turn right into Wood Lane, turn right into South Africa Road for the Loftus Road ground.
There is not much in the way of parking near to the ground. Matt Garside from Southampton suggests; ‘It’s probably easiest to just park on the road in this area as it costs £6.60 for three hours parking’. Some of these areas are free after 5pm.
However, there are a number of restricted parking zones around the stadium so be careful where you park. You can also park at the Westfield Shopping Centre in Shepherds Bush. It is open seven days a week and costs £9.50 at weekends and £8.50 on weekday evenings. If you sign up in advance to their Smart Parking Scheme, then you get a 25% discount on the weekday parking charge (does not apply at weekends). There is also the option of renting a private driveway near the Loftus Road Stadium via YourParkingSpace.co.uk.
Andreas Iona adds, ‘South Africa Road running past the stadium closes to traffic ninety minutes before kick-off on all match days. The Police enforce the road closure which remains in place until approximately 15 minutes after kick-off. At the end of the game, a similar closure is implemented 15 minutes before the end of the game and lasts for approximately one hour. Supporters are advised to avoid parking in the few pay and display bays available in Dorando Close as they face a long wait to get out at the end of the game due to the above closure’.
Post Code for SAT NAV: W12 7PA
The nearest London Underground station is White City on the Central Line, about a five-minute walk away. Also nearby is Wood Lane Station, on the Hammersmith & City line. It is about a seven-minute walk away from Loftus Road.
Two other tube stations are nearby: Shepherds Bush Market on the Hammersmith & City line and Shepherds Bush on the Central Line. The former is about a ten-minute walk from the ground, while the other is about 15 minutes. I use Shepherds Bush Market tube station simply because there seem to be more pubs around this area, especially around Shepherds Bush Green. Leaving both Shepherds Bush tube stations, turn right, and the ground will come into view further down on the right. Please note that Queens Park tube station is nowhere near the ground!
The nearest train station is Shepherds Bush, which is adjacent to the tube station. However, it is not directly served by any major London mainline stations. However, trains from Watford Junction and Clapham Junction both stop there.
Booking train tickets in advance will normally save you money! Find train times, prices and book tickets with Trainline. Visit the website below to see how much you can save on the price of your tickets:
QPR operate a member system with a whole host of different options giving you varying ticket prices. Advanced matchday tickets are available that cost slightly more than regular matchday tickets.
You can also check out QPR’s matchday family ticket packages and the QPR Club member packages. Moreover, ticket resale allows members unable to attend a game to list their seats for a matchday price. You get 75% of the sale and the funds are available for withdrawal at the e-ticketing platform. The latest date for withdrawing the funds is May 31.
Adult: £21-£42
Senior: £14-£31
U23: £14-£31
U18: £10-£27
U8: FREE
Official Programme £3.50
A Kick Up The R’s Fanzine £4
QPR don’t have what you would define as an incredibly spicy rivalry; however, they do have several fairly banter-fuelled derby games. Clashes with Brentford, Chelsea, and Fulham are dubbed West London derbies owing to their location. It’s with the latter where things are perhaps most tense, given the two clubs have been operating at a similar level the longest.
For details of disabled facilities at Matrade Loftus Road and club contact at the ground please visit the relevant page on the Level Playing Field website.
Record Attendance
35,353 vs Leeds United
Division One 27 April 1974.
Modern All-Seated Attendance Record
19,002 vs Manchester City
Division One, 6 November 1999
Average Attendance
- 2023-2024: 16,701 (Championship)
- 2022-2023: 14,751 (Championship)
- 2021-2022: 14,272 (Championship)
- 2020-2021: 174 (Covid) (Championship)
- 2019-2020: 13,721 (Championship)
Official Web Site:
Unofficial Web Sites:
Special thanks to:
Owen Pavey for providing the ground layout diagram of Loftus Road Stadium.
If anything is incorrect or you have something to add, please e-mail me at: [email protected] and I’ll update the guide.
Ground Layout
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Queens Park Rangers v West Bromwich Albion
Championship
Saturday 28th September 2019, 12:30pm
Tim Joyner (West Brom)
Queens Park Rangers v Luton Town
Championship
Saturday 14th September 2019, 3pm
Pete Horswell (Luton Town)
Queens Park Rangers v Bristol City
League Cup 1st Round
Tuesday 13th August 2019, 7.45pm
Joshua Khan (Bristol City)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Loftus Road Stadium?
I always look forward to a Bristol City game. Because kickoff was as 19:45, I made a day trip out it.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I parked in Westfield Shopping Centre which is a 10 minute walk from the ground in White City. Parking there is cheap especially for London, I paid 8.50 for the day.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Due to it being London, I went into Central London to eat at my favourite restaurant. There are two tube stations in close proximity to the Stadium. Wood Lane on Hammersmith And City Line and White City on the Central Line. From my view, there were no away pubs which I saw it was all QPR.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Loftus Road Stadium?
The ground stands out from the rows of terrace housing. The view from my seat was okay, although there was very little leg room. The concourse is like a corridor, although I am spoilt because of Ashton Gate.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Friendly stewards, the Bristol City fans were brilliant as always, louder than the QPR fans. Cannot comment on the food or drink as did not order any. The game highlighted Bristol Citys problems, but was an entertaining 3-3 draw, with the home side winning 5-4 on penalties.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Very easy directed by the stewards on South Africa Road and a 10 minute walk back to the Westfield Shopping Centre. Apart from the usual London traffic being a bit slow it was super easy. Bearing in mind this was at 10:30pm not 5:30pm.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Will return only because it is London which I like visiting, the ground not so much.
Queens Park Rangers v Nottingham Forest
Championship League
Saturday 27th April 2019, 3pm
Zak (Nottingham Forest)
QPR v Stoke City
Championship
Saturday 9th March 2019, 3pm
Philip Green (Stoke City)
Queens Park Rangers v Watford
FA Cup 5th Round
Friday 15th February 2019, 7.45pm
Mark Hogan (Watford)
Queens Park Rangers v Portsmouth
FA Cup 4th Round
Tuesday 5th February 2019, 7:45pm
Mike Gover (Portsmouth)
Queens Park Rangers v Brentford
Championship League
Saturday 10th November 2018, 3pm
Anselm Winner (Brentford)
Queens Park Rangers v Aston Villa
Championship League
Friday 26th October 2018, 7.45pm
Andy Newman (Aston Villa)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Loftus Road Stadium?
I hadn't visited Loftus Road since the seventies as was keen to see it again.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
No problem as I was on a supporters coach and we parked a short walk away from the stadium.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Had a pint in a nearby pub, although it was meant to be home fans no-one seemed to mind us although we did keep our colours hidden. The home fans were friendly.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Loftus Road Stadium?
A proper old ground set in amongst the streets. We were in one end and the sight lines weren't the best.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
QPR were on a good run of form and although we lost one nil it was a decent game. The cost of beer in the ground was outrageous (okay its London!) £5 for a can of bitter and £5 for a small bottle of lager. Stewards were helpful and friendly.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
The away end was full so took a long time to get through the concourse, but once back in coach we got away quickly.
Queens Park Rangers v Preston North End
Championship League
Saturday 14th April 2018, 3pm
Matthew Riley (Preston North End fan)
Queens Park Rangers v Sheffield Wednesday
Championship League
Tuesday 10th April 2018, 7.45pm
Adrian Hurst (Sheffield Wednesday fan)
Queens Park Rangers v Sunderland
Championship League
Saturday 10th March 2018, 3pm
Joe Spellman (Sunderland fan)
Queens Park Rangers v Bolton Wanderers
Championship League
Saturday 17th February 2018, 3pm
Jack Tyldsley (Bolton Wanderers fan)
Queens Park Rangers v Bolton Wanderers
Championship League
Saturday 17th February 2018, 3pm
Mark Swift (Bolton Wanderers fan)
Queens Park Rangers v MK Dons
FA Cup 3rd Round
Saturday 6th January 2018, 3pm
Lewis Young (Neutral fan)
Queens Park Rangers v Bristol City
Championship League
Saturday 23rd December 2017, 3pm
Ryan Hunt (Bristol City fan)
Queens Park Rangers v Leeds United
Football Championship League
Saturday 9th December 2017, 3pm
Shaun (Leeds United fan)
Queens Park Rangers v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Championship League
Saturday 28th October 2017, 3pm
Tom (Neutral Plymouth Argyle fan)
Queens Park Rangers v Reading
Football Championship League
Saturday 5th August 2017, 3pm
Alex (Reading fan)
Queens Park Rangers v Rotherham United
Football Championship League
Saturday 18th March 2017, 3pm
Charlie Robinson (Rotherham United fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Loftus Road Stadium?
I was looking forward to visiting QPR considering the history of the club. Rotherham United are already doomed but my Grandson and me visited London for the weekend with the family, they went sight seeing we went to the game.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We caught the tube to Shepherds Bush Tube Station which is next to the massive Westfield Shopping Centre. From there it was a ten minute walk to the Loftus Road ground along the Uxbridge Road.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We visited the Wetherspoons Central Bar which was in the entertainment bit of the Westfield Centre. The drinks were reasonably priced considering we were in London and the food was reasonable too. We asked directions to the ground from the home fans who seemed a bit downbeat on the clubs prospects and atmosphere at the ground.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Loftus Road?
The Loftus Road Stadium is well hidden but we had good instructions on how to get there. It looked an old fashioned ground in the middle of housing off a busy High Street. The away end was very tight considering the seating and some of the views are restricted.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Rotherham are doomed to relegation, no doubt about it but the home fans did seem subdued initially. The stewards were friendly enough and there was a reasonable selection of food and drink available. We only took a small following but I would imagine the concourse would be fairly tight with a big away support.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
After the game we were marshalled towards White City Tube Station is was not that busy as the crowd was around 13,000. Again is was a ten to fifteen minute walk to get there.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Although we lost it was still a good away day. The away end has little leg room and it would be a squeeze with a large away following. The fans were friendly enough and jovial as they had stuffed us 5-1. Loftus Road is a nice ground to visit, although we might not get to visit again for a long time.
Queens Park Rangers v Ipswich Town
Football Championship League
Monday 2nd January 2017, 3pm
Josh Houston (Ipswich Town fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Loftus Road Stadium?
I was looking forward to this match as Ipswich were taking over 2,000 fans to the match, so I knew it would be a good atmosphere. Also we had won our last match so we were hopeful of three points.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I got a coach to London Victoria Bus Station, then I switched to the London Underground. I got a tube from Victoria to Notting Hill Gate and then another to Shepherds Bush, which is a ten minute walk from the ground. You can get off at White City which is closer to Loftus Road, but there are more pubs and eating places at Shepherds Bush.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We settled for a Burger King in Westfields. The home fans seemed okay but there wasn't that many of them around.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Loftus Road Stadium?
On approaching Loftus Road you can barely see the stadium as it is obscured ny surrounding residential flats and houses. On arriving at the front and main entrance to the stadium, I didn't think it looked very appealing. The away end was the poorest that I've visited this season. The concourse was especially compact. At half time you could barely move for the amount of fans on it.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Ipswich were awful in defence and went one nil down in the first half. But we were still louder than the QPR fans even though were losing their home and away support is truly shocking. In the second half Tom Lawrence scored a wonder goal and we went mental behind the goal. Bu t more defensive mistakes cost us and ended up losing the game 2-1. I had a coffee at the ground and it was very overpriced at £2.10. The stewards were awful they kept bringing more and more out to put a barrier between us and the home fans. Even though nothing was going to happen.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game The subway was fine after the game I even got to sit down.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out The ground was horrible, our defence was horrible but the Atmosphere made it become a good day.
Queens Park Rangers v Brentford
Football Championship League
Friday 28th October 2016, 8pm
Bryan DeSantis (Neutral fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Loftus Road Stadium?
I am an American Spurs supporter but always had a soft spot for QPR. Loftus Road was always a ground I wanted to check out because of how intimate it appears and the atmosphere it can create. As luck would have it on our travels from USA this Friday night fixture fitted perfectly with our schedule.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We were staying in Kensington. It was only about a 15 minute tube ride to Shepherd's Bush and then another 10-15 walk to the ground. Loftus Road is tucked away and surprisingly most locals were not much help in finding the ground but alas we did manage to find it.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We ate at Belushi's Burger restaurant before the match. We arrived in Shepherd's Bush around 5pm, so we had a lot of time to kill before the match. Me and my wife got a burger and the food was okay, nothing too great but it did the trick. We then were on a mission to find a pub with some QPR fans in. I was told the Crown and Sceptre was a popular spot for QPR fans but was a bit of a walk to the ground. We ended up going to the Queen's Tavern which is located just outside of Loftus Road. It was exactly what I was looking for. There was a an old projection tv showing old QPR highlights and was fun to mingle and have a chat with the R's fans. I managed to put away a few pints and a few shots and was ready to head into the match in good spirits.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Loftus Road Stadium?
Whilst walking through the mostly residential streets, the ground just seemed to appear out of nowhere! It was much smaller than I had remembered from seeing on television. Since it was a local derby with Brentford there was quite a large Police presence outside of Loftus Road. Brentford fans were really up for this one and made some serious noise immediately upon arrival. We had seats in the South Africa Road Stand. I was warned the leg room wasn't the best, so I managed to get an aisle seat which helped in saving my knees! The view from our seats was very good. As I expected Loftus Road is very compact and intimate and made for a great view of the pitch. We also sat near the Brentford away support which helped contribute to the atmosphere.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The facilities seemed a bit dated but alas I think I liked the nostalgic feel of the ground. Stewards were helpful in finding our seats and even took a picture for me and my wife. As for the game it was one to forget for R's fans. Brentford were all over the hosts from the start. The R's fans tried to rally their home team but Brentford just seemed to want it more on the pitch. After a fairly dominant first half Brentford went deservedly ahead through Josh Clarke as he turned and coolly slotted home in the 41st minute. Pure elation in the away end as flares were lit and the travelling support made themselves heard. In the second half QPR improved and a had a few half chances to equalise. However, against the run of play Brentford put the match to bed in the 74th minute. After some sloppy passing from the back, Maxime Colin intercepted a pass and squared a ball for Romaine Sawyers who smashed a lovely finish in the top corner from the edge of the box. After that QPR really limped to the finish line in what was one of the final nails in Jimmy Hasselbank's coffin as manager at QPR.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
There was mounted Police lined up outside the ground and they made it clear to make it a quick exit to the tube station. We found it much easier on our way out of the ground than our way in.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
It was an awesome day out at Loftus Road. It is such a great ground where you cannot help but be buzzing with the atmosphere it creates. Unfortunately the R's weren't at their best, so the home crowd were not as vocal as usual. The R's fans were all very friendly and accommodating. I would love to go back again.
Queens Park Rangers v Leeds United
Football Championship League
Sunday 7th August 2016, 12 noon
Aidan Cheevers (Neutral fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Loftus Road Stadium?
I was looking forward to this game partly because I have a friend who is a QPR fan, and he said Loftus Road is a lovely stadium. Given the game was on a Sunday as well, I thought it would be a good opportunity to tick off my first new ground of the season.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
The train journey up was relatively easy. After arriving at King's Cross, I took the Victoria Line to Oxford Circus before changing to the Central Line to head to White City. The Loftus Road Stadium was around about a ten minute walk from the tube station.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I went into a cafe on Bloemfontein Road which was a very welcoming place. A nice little cafe with a lot of food to offer, including some kind of build-your-own fry up, which was lovely.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Loftus Road Stadium?
My first impression of Loftus Road were that it was a traditional ground, which meant I was a little bit skeptical about what it would look like on the inside. Upon going into the stadium, it was relatively easy to find my seat, and the seats were a lovely shade of blue. I was pleasantly surprised in a way.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game exploded into life after a few minutes when Nedum Onouha bundled in from a corner. Not much else happened in the first half, but in the second half, chances began to come at some pace. Leeds missed a couple of good chances (including a Marcus Antonsson sitter) before Tjaron Chery effectively sealed the win from the spot. Sebastian Polter then put the icing on the cake with a brilliant finish to make the final score 3-0 to QPR.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away from the ground and heading back to White City station was relatively easy. I only had to follow the path straight up and turn right. There was minimal traffic both on the road and on the pavement, making it so much easier.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I thought that Loftus Road was a good day out. Other QPR fans seemed friendly enough, and the match was quite entertaining. In conclusion, Loftus Road is definitely a ground I would consider visiting again.
Queens Park Rangers v Watford
Pre-season Friendly
Saturday 30th July 2016, 3pm
Ade Evans (Watford fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Loftus Road Stadium?
In spite of the Euros, it had been a very long Summer, and I was looking forward to getting back to some matches, so I jumped the chance at this local game. Also Loftus Road is a ground that I had yet to visit.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
The ground itself is a little tucked-away amongst some residential roads, and my friends and I had to look at a map a couple of times to figure out where we were going. There is a small handful of nearby tube and railway stations, but none of them seems to have a straight route to the ground. There was a little confusion as to where we were supposed to enter the stadium (which we eventually found was via South Africa Road).
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We travelled into Shepherd's Bush Overground station, so that we could grab a bite to eat in the Westfield Shopping Centre, and walked to the stadium afterwards. There was a plentiful amount of places to eat there, as you can imagine. As a result, we didn't really check out any chippies or takeaways on the way to the ground, although Uxbridge Road (the main road to the south of the ground) seems to have a few eateries. This was a friendly, so the atmosphere was a bit more relaxed than it probably is normally. The home crowd appeared to consist mostly of families.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Loftus Road Stadium?
Loftus Road is one of the only grounds I have been to where the concourse in the away end seemed to be larger than the actual seating area! From memory, the lower tier of the stand (which was the only section open on the day) seemed to only be about eight or so rows deep, with a very low ceiling, so I certainly felt rather cramped in my seat, and the design of the stadium made me feel a little boxed-in. Plenty of legroom, on the other hand.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Again, the atmosphere was more relaxed as it was a friendly, as were the stewards I encountered. The Watford team on the day still seemed to be focusing on gelling together, rather than the game itself, which was probably what allowed QPR to dominate and ultimately win. The away and has usual fayre; drinks, snacks, TVs and a betting window.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
It was slightly easier to get away from the ground as we just needed to return to Uxbridge Road, but still involved a winding walk down residential streets.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
An away game at QPR is ideally situated for pre-and-post-game eating, drinking, and even shopping, plus being within easy reach of Central London only serves to considerably increase those options. Just make sure you know exactly how to get to the Loftus Road ground, and allow a bit of time so that you can make the most of the rest of the day.
Queens Park Rangers v Birmingham City
Football Championship League
Saturday 27th February 2016, 3pm
Andrew Parkes (Birmingham City fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Loftus Road Stadium?
As it was my birthday in February and this game was just two weeks later, I was being treated to this match, my first ever away game as a birthday treat. I was very much looking forward to it, especially as we had won our previous match against Bolton Wanderers.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I went on one of the official club coaches so it was a straightforward journey. We stopped off at an M40 services on the way and encountered a load of Bristol Rovers fans who were playing against Wycombe. On arrival at the stadium we were dropped off outside a nearby school.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We didn't see any shops near to the stadium other than the club shop. So we got a burger from a mobile catering unit, which was tasty. After meeting up with some friends we tried to find a pub. But again we couldn't find any. After asking some locals we did eventually locate one, but they weren't letting away fans in.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Loftus Stadium?
I think the stadium has seen better days and I didn't find it pleasing on the eye.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
As we bought over 3,000 fans it should have been a good atmosphere. It was at the start but after going 2-0 down the Blues fans became rather muted, whilst the home fans found their voice. The facilities inside the stadium weren't particularly great and they creaked with a sold out away following. The result was disappointing.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away from the ground was easy. On back onto the coach, we left the stadium about 5:45pm. I got home about 8:30pm.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A disappointing result but good day out for my first away day. I can't wait till next season for more away games like rivals Villa!
Queens Park Rangers v Brighton and Hove Albion
Football Championship League
Tuesday 15th December 2015, 7.45pm
Sam Theodoridi (Brighton and Hove Albion fan)
Why were you looking forward to visiting the Loftus Road Stadium?
When the fixtures for the new season came out, this is one of the games that jumped out at me. I had never been to Loftus Road before, so I was looking forward to seeing what the ground was like in person.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I left Worthing at 2:40pm on the supporters coach, and it proceeded to do a number of pick ups along the way to Loftus Road. There was talk about how our season had gone so far, and a certain Portuguese too. We arrived with plenty of time before kick off, and were dropped off only a minutes walk away from the ground. Also in the immediate vicinity was Westfield Shopping Centre, of which I'll go into more detail later, and the BBC Television Centre, which is still mightily impressive, even with all the building work going on at the moment.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I met up with my friend and his dad and we decided to go and get something to eat at Westfield Shopping Centre. I tell you what, Westfield is impressive, and its Christmas lights even more so. They were fantastic and had the wow factor about them. Apparently you can see Premiership footballers and celebrities there sometimes, which doesn't surprise me in the slightest. We decided to go to the Nando's there. The service was fast and the food was pretty good. I didn't really notice the home fans much, apart from noting their presence.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Loftus Road Stadium?
Very small indeed. I suppose though that it's to be expected with a capacity of under 20,000. The away end felt cramped when I finally entered the ground, the concourse was tight and you didn't get much leg room once you took your seats. That said, it made for a better atmosphere and it felt more intimate than cramped once the game started and meant that you could make out what was being sung really clearly. You were also quite close to the pitch, so you could make out what the players were saying too, and this made it feel as though you are part of the game. As for the rest of the ground, the main stand was the most impressive of the other three stands and when the whole ground is full, you could imagine that it would be quite intimidating for away supporters and players.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
There were a lot of police and stewards outside of the ground, as I had read there would be, and I had my ticket checked three times, but once inside, the steward presence was minimal and they stayed anonymous in the block I was sat in. QPR were by far the better team for most of the game and always looked like they could score. If Stockdale hadn't been in good form, and Ranger's finishing had been better, we could have been 4-0 down by half time easily. We came out with some purpose after half time and courtesy of two fabulous goals we were 2-0 up after 55 minutes and should have had another, if only Wilson had shot with his left foot rather than trying to move it on to his right allowing the defender to recover. After that QPR re-asserted control and got the goal they deserved after 65 minutes with Charlie Austin scoring on the second attempt with a thunderous shot which gave Stockdale no chance. Then Dunk hit the self destruct button and got a silly second yellow for a horrible lunge after a poor touch. After that QPR really did look like winning it, especially after they scored their second. Phillips should have scored the winner, but it hit the outside of the post with Stockdale stranded. Until they scored however, the home fans were pretty quiet. Once they started singing though, they acted as a 12th man to their team, pushing them on for the winner. 2-2 a disappointing result in the end, though we'd have taken that before the start of the game.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
After the game it was easy to get away from the ground to the coach, and once everyone was on board, we left straight away, and got out of London fairly quickly. I got home just after midnight. I had worried beforehand that I wouldn't get back till 2am or later based on the time we were due to leave on the way up to Loftus Road, but thankfully that didn't come to pass.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A disappointing result in the end, considering we had a 2 goal lead, but overall It was a very enjoyable day out indeed and I look forward my next away day in January for the FA Cup game at the KC Stadium, Hull City.
Queens Park Rangers v Preston North End
Championship League
Saturday 7th November 2015, 3pm
Paul Willott (Preston North End fan)
As I’ve stated before, one of the major plus points for myself with away games in London, it affords me the luxury of a lie-in followed by a short train journey from Kent and the chance to enjoy a few beers on match day, so this was a definite ‘must-do’ fixture. I’d been to Loftus Road a few times already so knowing the lie of the land it wasn’t one that I needed to do much homework for.
In my younger days, Loftus Road routinely played host to top flight football and was one of the earlier stadium names I got to learn when listening to the football results and reports on BBC radio, so to be actually going to watch my team play there always pleases me considering the relatively miserable fortune we’ve endured in the 80s and 90s in the basement divisions, even if Loftus Road’s tenants are these days in the second tier of the league structure. In company with my partner’s youngest son Keiran, I headed off in search of a suitable train, and settled down for the short trip up to London under grey leaden skies which did nothing to dampen young Kieran’s expectations and excitement, especially when I confirmed his enquiry that todays match would signify he’d achieved more ‘away’ grounds than either of his elder brothers!
Once we’d linked up with an old school pal of mine, we descended upon the tube and headed for Shepherd’s Bush Green and the Wetherspoons Pub where we were dismayed to find gestapo style security on the doors barring us from entry on the grounds that a) we didn’t yet have tickets for the match and b) we were away supporters. Despite our polite representations that we were far from intent on causing trouble, we were less than politely told firmly to go away, which considering we had a young lad with us was perhaps unfortunate. We attempted to gain access to another three or four pubs nearby and were barred entry from all of them due to us being away fans, and then when finally we were allowed into a pub, we were quickly asked to leave before we’d even got to the bar by the security supervisor. This was where it nearly got a bit silly, as several QPR fans then intervened and berated the security for their over zealousness, pointing out quite correctly that quite a number of Preston supporters were already in the pub peacefully happily drinking and that their conduct towards us seemed unwarranted. Much as I admired the solidarity of the QPR fans, it was clearly potentially going to become a flashpoint that I did not wish to be the focal point of so I keenly suggested to my pal that we scarper promptly. I thanked the QPR fans for their support though before we left.
South Africa Road Stand
Eventually we ended up at a pub near where we’d started at Shepherd’s Bush Green which marketed itself as a sports bar, and I believe is the ‘Belushi’s’ as mentioned in the guide. It wasn’t the most pleasant experience I have to say ; some people in there had clearly been served too much judging by their awful singing and staggering demeanour, and the floor was awash with spilt lager. However, we found ourselves a spot despite our feet almost sticking to the floor and consoled ourselves with the fact that at least we’d been served and reassured young Kieran that such an experience as what we’d just had was not typical of away days at football. We soon though headed off towards the ground ; to be honest I was glad to be back out in the fresh air and out of the bar we’d found. It hadn’t been a particularly pleasant pre-match experience.
All that was soon forgotten though as we saw the floodlights in between some of the houses and discussed the match in prospect. I think it fair to say we were fairly optimistic as Preston’s recent form suggested that our defence had adapted to the higher level at keeping a few clean sheets, and for me personally, Loftus Road had always been a happy hunting ground. I’d never seen us lose there in 4 previous visits although I kept that particular fact quiet so as not to jinx proceedings. Once we’d bought our tickets, we wandered round to the away turnstiles where we encountered our next problem. Although we’d requested 2 adults and one child, we’d only been given the 2 adult tickets; closer inspection of the receipt however showed that we’d only been charged for the adult tickets. At this point, a senior steward interjected and ‘took charge’ of the situation by just ushering the young lad quietly in round the side of the turnstiles with a quick wink in my direction and a “shh” gesture. So, maximum points to the steward for being fan friendly!
View From Our Seats
Once inside the ground, one gets a stark reminder of the negative side of being at an older undeveloped ground; the concourse is small and not well lit, the seating area is cramped even for folk of average height such as myself. Some older grounds fare better than others in this regard, and in my experience Loftus Road is indeed one of the most cramped. We enjoyed a pie and a beer before heading in to choose seats that would accommodate the long legs of my friend and yet still afford the young chap with us a decent view of the match. Once again, the stewards came to the rescue, not only allowing fans to choose where they sat, but in our case actually taking us to a block where some seats were irregularly arranged and afforded the one on the end extra legroom.
As kick-off approached the away contingent found their voice and the atmosphere, certainly for us, started to crank up. However, a minutes silence was impeccably observed in honour of remembrance weekend, and moody grey leaden skies of West London behind the elegant slender floodlight pylons added to the occasion. Once the match kicked off, the noise level cranked back up for a while but subsided as the match wore on towards half-time as the fayre on offer was a dour if determined midfield battle. Yet again, it was stewards to the rescue, as one joker spotted that a female steward had a hairstyle almost identical to our star midfielder Daniel Johnson, and she happily played along with the prank at the front of our stand as she danced in time with our chanting. The stewarding it must be said, in stark contrast to the pubs in the vicinity, was very genial, friendly and relaxed. During the second half, 2 of the stewards actually engaged in debate with fans near us about the tactical weaknesses and strengths of both of the teams on the park, so Loftus Road gets maximum points for their stewards.
To be honest, I was almost glad when the final whistle blew. Although I suspect the home fans would have been more disappointed with the point than ourselves, it had been a poor match from an entertainment perspective. Whereas some supporters in our midst were pleased with another clean sheet, we had rarely been threatened and QPRs caretaker manager Neil Warnock clearly had problems to address on the goalscoring front, Charlie Austin in particular looking anything but a hot prospect for a return to the premier league, I still felt we could and should have tried more in the final third of the pitch.
With a prompt departure from the ground, and lucky connections on public transport, we were just in time to get back to Chatham for a brisk walk up to the Great Lines for the annual free firework display. We could have done with some fireworks at Loftus Road earlier. It had been overall a disappointing day for me, although Kieran assured me he’d enjoyed the day, and on a personal level for me Loftus Road remained a totally “lucky” ground, the firework display was the best part of the day really. My best tip for any-one doing Loftus Road for the first time is to have your pre-match beers much further away from the ground than we did.
Plus Points for Loftus Road
1 Great stewarding
2 Good for public transport
3 Proper floodlight pylons
Minus Points for Loftus Road
1 Pubs in the area are mainly very unwelcoming
2 Very cramped concourse
3 Very tight on legroom
Queens Park Rangers v MK Dons
Football Championship League
Saturday 24th October 2015, 3pm
David Oliver (Neutral fan)
Why were you looking forward to visiting the Loftus Road Stadium?
I was primarily in London that weekend to watch the NFL game at Wembley on the Sunday. With QPR being my best mate's team and having never visited the ground it seemed a good way to spend Saturday afternoon.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Journey was very easy as we got the Underground Central Line to White City and then followed the QPR fans through an estate to Loftus Road.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We had already eaten but got a drink at the ground – nothing out of the ordinary. We went to the Club Shop to buy a warm hat for my aforementioned mate who is now an exiled Londoner.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Loftus Road Stadium?
I like "old school" grounds and thought Loftus Road was very atmospheric on a chilly autumn day. It reminded me of watching "Match of the Day" in the 80's when I was a lad. We were in the School End behind the goal with the MK Dons fans above us, which created a lively atmosphere.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was fairly dull for the first 70 minutes. QPR had far more quality in their team than MK Dons, but seemed to be stuck in third gear. MK were clearly playing for the draw and were quite negative. QPR's quality came through as they scored three goals in the last 20 minutes all of which were goal of the month contenders.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
We walked to the Westfield Shopping Centre as we needed to pick up a couple of items and then got back on the tube at Wood Lane. We walked past the old BBC studios which added to the nostalgic feel of the day.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
My wife and I spend a fair bit of time in London and are working our way through the non-premier league clubs (can't afford a second mortgage for Premier match tickets!). We both enjoy our football and use this as a way of exploring parts of the city we might not otherwise visit. Before this game Charlton had been my favourite London ground up to now, but we thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Loftus Road.
QPR v West Ham United
Premier League
Saturday, 26th April 2015, 3pm
William Schart (Neutral fan)
Why you were looking forward to going to the ground:
Although I am an American, for some time now I have wanted to see an EPL match. I mentioned this to the wife last fall and she said "why not do it?" For several reasons, this match worked out to be the best for me. Besides, I once was a real life Park Ranger!
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
The hardest part was getting a ticket, it's not easy from 5000 miles away. But this website turned me on to Viagogo and I was able to secure a ticket. Getting to the stadium from my hotel was easy, the Gloucester tube station was a block from my hotel, change to the Central line at Notting Hill Gate, and get off at White City, then a short walk to the stadium.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I went to the club shop store to buy a few souvenirs, then walked around a bit to see the surroundings.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
I was somewhat familiar with the stadium from looking at the Loftus Road photos on this site, but it's one thing to look at a website and another thing to be there in person. I was located at the bottom of the upper level of the South Africa Road Stand. This stadium is quite different than our stadiums in the States: the close, covered stands give quite an intimate feel, it almost seems you are part of the game.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
After my visit to the store, I noticed a sign listing prohibited items. Big panic! I saw that cameras were not allowed. But I asked some of the staff on duty outside the stadium and was directed to an office where I could leave my camera until after the match. All the staff I encountered were very friendly and helpful. The game ended 0-0 after the R's missing a penalty and had an apparent goal disallowed, but I thought it was entertaining. The Rs are fighting to avoid relagation and for a while at least, West Ham was doing their best to send them down. But it seemed that in the later stages of the game, the Hammers were content with the one point, while the Rs fought to the final whistle.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting out of the stadium was about what I would expect at the end of any sporting event. There was a good crowd outside, but the police had closed the street down and no problem getting back to the tube station. No crowd there, a train came a few minutes and I got on it right away. I was back at my hotel in a little over 30 minutes.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I had a blast!
Queens Park Rangers v Swansea City
Premier League
Thursday, January 1st 2015, 3pm
Curtis Stephens (Swansea City fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I was looking forward to visiting Loftus Road as it is one of the older grounds in the Premier League. However, I was put off a bit by having only a restricted view ticket and I wasn't sure how bad this might be.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I took a National Express coach to Victoria as it worked out cheaper than the club travel. The journey was straight along the M4 into London. Then a short walk from the coach station to Victoria underground then taking 2 trains to Shepherds Bush. Finding the ground was easy enough. It is located in a residential area, called Batman oddly enough.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
I didn't have much contact with the home fans, as before the game I went into Central London for food and drink, before heading to the stadium. Generally the area around Loftus Road, looked good. The home fans do seem to like a bit of 'Banter' but be wary what you say!
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
Now for the restricted view ticket. To be honest after taking my seat, I sat there wondering what the restricted view was, as the sight of the pitch that I had was fine. I was seated right next to a staircase with a barrier in front, so may be that was the restriction?. On the whole a good ground. Away fans had to walk up a small flight of stairs and along a long corridor to get into the away section.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Game finished 1-1 after Bony scored his last Swansea goal to cancel out Leroy Fer's early goal. Only a small section of the QPR fans actually sang, the rest just sat there. Toilets are just brick walls with facilities inside, understandable for an old ground. Didn't have food inside. Stewards relaxed, only time I saw a bit of bother was when a swans fan had an E-cig.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
After the game there was only one exit, and it takes you out the opposite side of the stand to which you entered. The corridor with all the fans leaving at once seemed rather tight. On exiting the stadium it was an easy five minute walk to the White City tube.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall it was a great ground, with plenty of nostalgia. 8/10. Please note that all away fans are searched on entry into Loftus Road.
Queens Park Rangers v Yeovil Town
Championship League
Saturday, March 15th 2014, 3pm
Will Date (Yeovil Town fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
As a Yeovil fan, the QPR away fixture was always the one to look out for. It’s arguable to say that Yeovil were and still are one of the favourites to be relegated from the Championship this season, so these types of games don’t and probably won’t come around too often. It’s fantastic to think that Yeovil were a team competing in the Conference 10 years ago and now they’re playing in matches with QPR who were only in the Premier League last season. Also, despite coming from near Yeovil, me and my family moved to North West London 2 years ago, and Loftus Road is the closest stadium to my house, so this match was very easy to travel to.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We used the tube to travel to the match. We got off at White City station which is on the Central Line of the underground. Even though I found out how to get to the stadium from the station beforehand, the ground was still signposted from the station exit. Also, there were many QPR fans getting off the tube at White City, so it was easy just to follow them.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
Once at the ground, we stood outside for a little while and then headed straight for the entrances. However I noticed that there was one pub adjacent to the ground, however, it only hosted QPR fans. It didn’t look as though there were many pubs open to away fans in short proximity.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
The ground is quite small for the size of the club (capacity around 18,000) and the South Africa Road end is where most of both sets of fans congregated. Getting into the away end was slightly awkward as our seats were closer to the South Africa Road end; however we had to walk all the way round to the Ellerslie Road end to enter. I’m not sure why they wouldn’t let us get through the entrance next to the South Africa Road end, but it would’ve made sense for the entrance to be opened to the people for whom it was convenient for. The stewards were hot on the security checks. We found at the entrance lines of security stewards who scanned people and searched bags. Once admitted into the stadium, we were shown some steps to the concourse which was very narrow to say the least. Greeted by many Yeovil fans, it was difficult to get through the crowd of supporters due to the shortage of room in the concourse. Our tickets were then checked for the third time (yes, third time!) as we made our way to our seats.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
To be fair, taking away the positive optimism amongst the fans, we knew that this would be a very tough fixture, taking into account the league positions of the two teams. Despite QPR’s recent blip in form, this would be a fixture that they would be hoping to win if they were serious about their promotion ambitions. The game was fairly even really, but QPR took their chances when they came, hence the 3-0 score-line. I think Yeovil started the game the better side and made the Hoops and their fans nervous but we lacked that cutting edge. Once QPR got their first goal, thanks to a Ravel Morrison brace, we always knew it would be an uphill battle. We did hit the post early in the second half – and gave ourselves hope of getting back in the game – but a header from substitute Bobby Zamora and another strike from Ravel Morrison got QPR home and dry, the score probably flattered the hosts. The atmosphere was pretty poor if I must say. We Yeovil fans were fantastic and made noise throughout the game, even when we were 3-0 down! You could have heard a pin drop, the Rangers fans weren’t up for singing at all; you only heard them when they scored. One comical man sat in the South Africa Road end, was in full spirit making noises with instruments, and to be honest, Yeovil fans hurled banter-intended abuse in his direction! But once again, he was the only QPR fan making noise and took it on the chin. Even though there were many security checks, the stewards were very friendly and humorous, which is what you want when going to an away game. Food prices were quite costly at £2.20 per bottle of Coke – which is what you expect at football matches these days – and chocolate bars were £1.20! To be honest I didn’t pay much attention to the prices of other foods, but I heard from other fans that they weren’t too cheap.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
The return of that narrow concourse was daunting. Trying to squeeze nearly 2,000 fans through it, into one exit was always going to be difficult. I suppose this was due to slowing down the flow of away fans on the street. The road towards White City station was closed which was good because it allowed more rooms for fans to walk, as the pavements were quite congested. Due to the famous Westfield Shopping Centre on the doorstep of the ground, we decided to pop in there for a look around, to avoid the rush of fans getting on the tube.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I thought that despite not getting the result that we quite wanted, the day was very good and a fun experience! As I said, it was a fixture I was very much looking forward to when the fixture list came out in June last year. The day did not disappoint, and the view from our seats was very clear. I shouldn’t think these teams will meet next season, as QPR have Premier League ambitions and Yeovil could possibly face relegation to League One. However, if Yeovil and QPR cross paths again, I will certainly make sure that we make it a day out again!
Queens Park Rangers v Charlton Athletic
Championship League Saturday, November 23rd 2013, 3pm
James Butler (Charlton Athletic fan)
QPR away was always going to be, for me anyway, one of the stand out away fixtures of the season. Apart from the obvious football related reason, a newly relegated Premier League team, London Derby, etc.. I used to live in the area near Loftus Road in my early twenties and occasionally would go to Loftus Road to support the home team. Strangely however I could never warm to QPR, even in a “second favourite” team kind of way, not sure why, I had been with Charlton before this and had seen QPR play at the Valley without any strong adverse feelings developing, they just weren’t Charlton I guess. QPR is centrally placed in the London sprawl so we elected to go on public transport, meeting my trusty companion Del Boy at Cannon Street in the City of London at 12.30 accompanied, to ensure good behaviour, by our respective wives. This was the final reason for the anticipation of this fixture. QPR is very close to the massive Westfield Shopping Centre at White City, this close to Christmas it was their cup final, they don’t get out much. After a quick bite to eat and a pint in a city pub, it was on to the central line for the 11 stops to White City, 10 to Shepherds Bush for the girls. I travel around London on public transport a lot for my work and have spent a fair bit of time in the Loftus road area in the last 10 months, so I am no stranger to the surrounding streets, although it’s a bit livelier on a match day. Everyone walked along, home and away fans, without any bother at all, just as it should be. As I have been saying I know the area and the ground, but I have not been inside for over 25 years and I was eager to see if getting in was easy than it look and if, once in, was it as cramped as it looks.
Answers? No and Yes Entry procedure for away fans to the Loftus Road Stadium started with a short queue to show a valid ticket and bag search. Next we were then scanned with what I presume was a hand held metal detector. Then for good measure the more traditional frisk type search. Just as I thought I was going have the search hat trick the steward seemed to decide that I was not the security risk they thought I was, I turned to see Del Boy completing his hat trick, they clearly knew a risk when they saw one. Now I know QPR are majorly sponsored by Air Asia, but airport style security? If I had known I would have brought the passport. Taking my tongue out of my check there was a serious side to all this, I think. Charlton fans in the last year have smuggled smoke bombs and flares into at least four away venues, if was the reason for this over the top security I applaud it, if this happens every week, it’s over the top, even if we, as Charlton fans deserve it. I must emphasize however we are a friendly bunch home and away, just a few idiots seem to a 1970’s type of addiction to flares??? Through the turnstiles and in. Everything that followed can be described in one word, cramped. A tight flight of stairs leads to a dark narrow concourse, we had a beer, bit pricey at £4.20, but served quickly and efficiently. Del boy disappeared to the loo and was gone ages, tells you all you need to know about these facilities. In these cold and dark metal clad surroundings the beer did not taste the best so we went in. Thankfully we stood all through the game. We were given a mean 1800 tickets in the upper tier of the school end opposite the identical Loftus road end. There was barely room to stand, I don’t know how the QPR fans managed to sit down at the other end. They must be A) use to it B) Very small or C) very friendly with each other. Their close proximity to each other clearly prevents any sing or chanting because this only happened twice in 90 mins and one of those was when they stood to applaud Charlie Austin’s wonder goal mid-way through the first half. That was the highlight of an extremely dull game, dominated and won with easy, 1-0, by QPR, we were dreadful, they did what they had to.
The stewarding was very hit and miss. They cleared the gangways of standers and showed them to their seats, a very difficult task in such tight confines, also an on-going job. As people left their seats to go to the loo etc many struggled to get back to their seats. Then there was the strange episode in the first half when for some reason they decided to take exception to a flag held up by some lads at the front. As far as I know this flag is a tribute to Drummer Lee Rigby murdered in the summer close to the Valley in Woolwich. May be not relevant to football, but it is not offensive either. The arrival on the scene of Police thankful introduced some sanity to the a situation which briefly look as if it might get out of hand. Final whistle and we file out, all 1820 of us through one exit at one end of the concourse. I hope this was to control and slow the flow of away fans into the surrounding streets, I trust in an emergency this would not happen. If it did I seriously wonder how a safety certificate was obtained for this Stadium. Outside stewards helpfully direct away fans back to trains, coaches, etc, I would not advise driving to Loftus road. The Police presence outside was huge, but not in an intimidating way, as long as Charlton aren’t paying the bill I don’t care, keeps them in overtime. From there it was round to Westfield, shoppers heaven, to meet the ladies at Shepherd’s Bush tube and a pleasant evening in Notting hill where we had a trip down memory lane. It was here I meet my wife 28 years ago. We starting going out after an afternoon watching the cup final, she had been shopping, we had a Curry and the magic flowed from there, guess where we had a Curry after the QPR match?
Queens Park Rangers v Swindon Town
Capital League Cup 1st Round
Tuesday, August 27th 2013, 7.45pm
Ronan Howard (Swindon Town fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
The first away game I ever attended many years ago was in the league away at Loftus Road (a dismal defeat as I recall) so was looking forward to the opportunity of revisiting the ground and hopefully banishing those memories and booking a place in the third round of the league cup.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
As usual took the train – up to Clapham Junction, then the overground to Shepherd’s Bush, only a few minutes walk from the ground. All without a hitch, one of the easier grounds to get to. Shepherd’s Bush is also well served by the tube system for those who needed it.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
Checked out the local O’Neills pub on Shepherds Bush Green and had a good chat with one of the doormen about previous encounters – the area has a great selection of pubs and eateries and there seemed to be a good atmosphere all round. No trouble from the locals as we walked en masse to the ground
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
It had been a long time since I’d been to Loftus Road, and given their increased fortunes of late, I thought some improvements may have been made to the ground. However, they do seem limited in what can be done with the site. Perfectly functional, and enclosed on all sides, the best thing about the stadium is how close you are to the action and the atmosphere that can be generated. Concourse not exactly spacious but more so than some grounds I’ve been to and perfectly adequate.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
There was a large away following and the stewards were out in force, moving people to their designated seats and away from the front couple of rows. However all were perfectly courteous and we were largely left alone once everyone was directed to where they were supposed to be. The game itself – far better than I ever would’ve expected. The atmosphere from the home fans was fairly subdued, and I got the impression that the home team had bigger fish to fry than this competition. That said it certainly wasn’t an easy encounter and we were under pressure throughout. However the visitors held that off admirably and got an unexpected goal through Nile Ranger a few minutes before half time. We were in with a chance. The second half as expected we were under pressure again, and I was convinced once QPR got an eventual equaliser they would go on to win the game. Wave after wave of attack from the home side proved fruitless however, and at the end of a full seven minutes of added time, a loose pass allowed Swindon’s Alex Pritchard in on goal, and a clinical finish put the game beyond doubt. Queue delirium from the visiting faithful.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Many elected to stay in the ground for a few minutes singing, applauding the players off the pitch and generally revelling in the experience of a cup scalp, and by the time I’d left the streets were still packed with Swindon supporters. A fifteen minute walk back to Westfield and I was on the train home.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Great day, a fairly unique stadium (certainly at this level) and a fantastic result which was to see us drawn against Chelsea in the next round. Would definitely return to Loftus Road should we cross paths again.
Queens Park Rangers v Stoke City
Premier League
Saturday, April 20th 2013, 3pm
By Philip Green (Stoke City fan)
I was really looking forward to going to this game for two reasons. Firstly, it was a ground that I hadn't been to before and I wanted to make sure I got there before QPR dropped out of the Premiership (although Stoke's recent form has made it a distinct possibility that we'll both be in the Championship next year!) Secondly, my neighbours are QPR season ticket holders and I wanted to see their team, as it was a club I had not seen home or away before. The reason for going became more pressing due to it being probably my last Stoke game of the season (and Premiership?) and the announcement during the previous week that Loftus Road would be replaced by a new stadium as soon as possible.
My journey in was easy – I was dropped off at Perivale by my wife and travelled the four stops in on the Central Line to White City. I was surprised as to how few QPR fans were on the train, despite this being the local team (Premiership or otherwise) and it being reasonably close to kickoff. The walk from the station was well-signposted, but it takes you to the Main Stand of the ground, rather than where away fans were allowed in. This added another good few minutes on to the walk, as it meant going round the back of the school. I should have looked at my A-Z beforehand and found the shortcut to Ellerslie Road! I was surprised about how wide the road closures spread around the ground, and if being dropped off by car, you will not be able to get closer than the main road running past the BBC.
Due to the time (and the walk taking far longer than the five minutes mentioned on this site!) I didn't have time to have any refreshments outside the ground. However, there were plenty of fans around outside enjoying the spring sunshine and the atmosphere was remarkably upbeat considering the perilous position that the home team was in. I couldn't work out whether the comment of "let's enjoy it while it lasts!" that I heard from a home fan was because of the weather or their team's stay in the Premiership.
When going to a new ground, I really like to walk around the perimeter of the entire ground before going in. Unfortunately at QPR this isn't really beneficial as accesses to the various stands (other than the Main Stand) are through alleyways so you don't get a real impression of what the ground is like until you are in it. Away fans enter through a temporary cage where they are searched thoroughly, and this has the impact of making progress through turnstiles much more straightforward. Once I got in, I battled through the crowds on the concourse. Although the away end was not quite sold out, it was virtually impossible to battle through the crowds, so my advice would be to get there a bit earlier if you are in one of the furthest blocks from the turnstile (Y1, Y2 and Y3). I did, however manage to grab a coffee and Double Decker for the bargain (by London standards, anyway) price of £3. The catering offers looked pretty good in general and the staff were friendly.
Once I had taken my seat, towards the back of the upper tier, I had a good look round the ground. It's very tidy, and makes for a good viewing experience as the tier was quite steep so I still felt pretty close to the pitch. From my seat in Y3, the only part of the pitch I couldn't see was the corner flag away to the right. The seats were incredibly cramped, though, and I am not surprised that everyone stands up in the away end as it would have been physically impossible for some of the Stoke fans to get in their seats! Stewards were absolutely fine about this – in fact, someone was standing next to me in the gangway and this wasn't even a problem. In fact, I don't think I have come across more accommodating and friendly staff at any other ground.
The match itself had something of a cup-tie atmosphere from our perspective. I couldn't believe how quiet the home fans were and can't remember a single song they sang. Stoke fans were at their most voiciferous, even when it looked as though we might concede from one of the many free kicks on the edge of the area. The first half was entertaining though, but things really sprang to life when Stoke scored after a decent counter-attack just before half time. In the second half, we were almost completely dominant and it looked as though we might go on to win by more than the 2-0 final score. "We are staying up, we are staying up!" rang out from the away end at the final whistle.
Getting out of the ground at the end was straightforward, and congestion outside the ground was eased by the early departure of many of the home fans. We were forced to onto South Africa Road, the opposite side of the ground from where we went in. There was no segregation whatsoever outside the ground, although there was a larger police presence than I think I have seen at a ground in London. Bizarrely, the Police stood in the middle of the road at 10-yard intervals almost all the way back to the station. There appeared to be some trouble outside White City, as several horses and a police van went up there ahead of me, but the atmosphere in the tube station was completely calm. It seemed to me that all fans were being directed onto the Central Line at White City, although this might have been to segregate fans away from those coming back from Craven Cottage on the Hammersmith and City Line. I caught the first tube back with no problem. and was back home in Potters Bar by 7pm.
Overall, this was another great day out, aided of course by the result. I am glad to have gone, as it might be the last opportunity to go to Loftus Road to see my team play. I would be sorry to see QPR move to an identikit stadium away from their heartland, but the ground is really unsuitable for Premiership football.
Queens Park Rangers v Milton Keynes Dons
FA Cup 4th Round
Saturday, January 26th 2013, 3pm
David Drysdale (MK Dons fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I was looking forward to visiting Loftus Road as I had heard the stadium was unique in that it was very compact and close to the pitch and was one of the few real 'old school' stadiums still left in top flight football. I was however a bit apprehensive as our away ('School') end tickets were sold as 'restricted view' and we didn't know exactly what that would involve.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Getting to the ground was easy as I lived nearby in Paddington so a quick journey on the Circle line to White City. The ground was a five minute walk away and was easy to find from the tube station.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
We didn't have time to enjoy any of the local pubs however there are quite a few. The pub nearest the ground which is almost part of the stadium (I forget it's name) is home fans only. A lot of fellow away supporters headed to the Walkabout nearby. Instead we had a couple of beers inside the stadium in the away end.
The home fans were very friendly and helpful and even pointed us in the right direction when we missed the turning for the School End road.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
The ground itself isn't anything special and pretty standard fare. It's probably not quite good enough to be a Premiership ground. The restricted view we found was fine and was not restricted at all.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game itself was superb as an MK Dons fan. We were clinical and were definitely the better team on the day outclassing a poor QPR side and were 0-4 up with over 10 minutes left. They pulled two back late on but it was too late. The home support was TERRIBLE, genuinely the worst home support I've witnessed at a game. There must have been twice as many home supporters. We brought over 3,000 and outsung them the whole game.
The food and beers were standard football fare and reasonably priced. The toilets were clean however there were no sinks in the away ones we visited. The stewards were friendly and unobtrusive.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away from the ground was smooth and there were no real hold ups. There was a bit of trouble between QPR fans but it seemed to be in house and the police dealt with it swiftly.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
All in all, it was a very enjoyable outing (partly due to the result). A friendly ground and a group of fans. The stadium is unique and you are close to the action. I would like to return but with a bit more of an atmosphere from the home supporters.
Queens Park Rangers v West Bromwich Albion
Premier League
Wednesday, December 26th 2012, 3.15pm
By Jack Tomlinson (West Bromwich Albion fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I was a bit a apprehensive on visiting Loftus Road as the only tickets I could get hold of were Restricted View but from reading other reviews, I was looking forward to being close to the action at this supposedly intimate ground.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What a nightmare! Travelling from East to West London on Boxing Day when there is a tube strike is something that I’ll never do again. It took 2 Hours 15 mins on multiple crowded buses to reach Shepherds Bush from Kings Cross St Pancras. I can imagine that the journey would be a lot easier on any other day. On arrival at Shepherds Bush, the ground is only a 10 minute walk away. It’s all sign-posted and easy to find
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
Despite taking so long to get across London, we still had over an hour to kill and were delighted to come across the many pubs/bars/fast food restaurants on Uxbridge road. After a couple of pints with both Albion and QPR fans (seemed a friendly bunch) we continued on to Loftus Road
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
Small, compact and very close to the match. The restricted view seats we had in the Upper Tier of the School End (Section Y5) were excellent. I can only imagine that they’re deemed restricted view because if you were to sit down, you’d be unable see the nearest corner flag to our right…but like most away days, we stood the entire game which the stewards were entirely relaxed about. The rest of the stadium is pretty compact. I’ve been to no other ground similar.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The atmosphere was a little subdued. The game was a sell-out on both clubs websites and in the press but I noticed a few empty seats around the ground including the Albion end. I imagine this is largely due to the travel chaos in and around London on Boxing Day. The atmosphere really lifted once a few big challenges were made and West Brom scored two goals. Loftus Road was unusually quiet even after QPR scored. The home fans only really made any noise in the final 10mins of the game when they were pushing for an equaliser.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Very prompt and we weren’t escorted away…not that we needed to be. Boxing Day football is very much a family occasion.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
FINALLY, the Albion win in London! A Great day out in the Capital and our Restricted View seats were terrific. Don’t be put off.
Queens Park Rangers v Swansea City
Premier League
Saturday, August 18th 2012, 3pm
Joshua Kazim (Swansea City fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I was looking forward to visiting Loftus Road mainly because it was my first visit to the stadium and its one of the older stadiums in the league.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I travelled with official club travel. It was a fairly simple journey down the M4 which took just over three hours, it took a while to find the ground after getting into London and it wasn't easy to spot as it is hidden between rows of housing and flats.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
The coach dropped all the Swansea fans outside the away friendly pubs, such as ‘The Walkabout’ which is about 10 minutes walk from the ground. Before the game there was no trouble with the home fans and they seemed friendly.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
Although being small, I was quite impressed by the outside of Loftus Road as I was not expecting much after seeing photos of the ground, although then being situated in the upper tier we had to walk around the stadium to get to our turnstile. The inside of the ground is not the most impressive, or to tell the truth probably the least of the grounds I’ve visited although even from the upper tier you are very close to the pitch which leads to a very good atmosphere.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
With Swansea being a changed team from last year, I was not sure what to expect, although the first half was even we took an early lead. We then hit the bar twice before going in 1-0 up at half time. In the second half QPR came at us, and we scored a further 4 goals to win the match 5-0. The atmosphere was good from the home fans and 2,400 travelling Jacks at the start, but the QPR fans seemed to die down after we went 1-0 up. The stewards were very friendly and had no problem with us standing. In the ground was slightly overpriced, but what football stadium isn’t? With Loftus road being an old ground the facilities were not great, but there was nothing majorly bad.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
After the game, well having lost 5-0 some of the the QPR fans had left early. There were some unpleasant exchanges between supporters outside the Springbok pub, as the Swansea fans made their way back to the waiting coaches and for a short while the police seemed to struggle to handle the situation. But we managed to get back okay.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Altogether a very enjoyable day out and it is a must if you are a fan of older stadiums.
Queens Park Rangers v Fulham
Premier League
Saturday, February 25th 2012, 3pm
By Tom Fry (Fulham fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground?
This was a big game for Fulham and the fact that we had sold out the away end (which rarely happens with Fulham) meant for a quality atmosphere. Even though Fulham had played at Loftus Road for a season, I had never been, and having heard some good and bad things about the ground I was intrigued to find out for myself.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Very easy. I went for the overground method and got off at Shepherds Bush station having changed at Clapham Junction. A short walk up Uxbridge Road, and the ground is signposted in big letters to turn on to Loftus Road. The Police on the road were then directing away fans to the upper and lower’s tier of the School End.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
As I was running late I didn’t get a chance to stop off to sample the local pubs or anything, so stopped off at a Greggs and picked up a quick sausage roll and a cup of coffee. Uxbridge Road is full of restaurants and pubs so there are ample places for fans to congregate before the game.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
First impressions on entering the away end were skeptical. There seemed to be a temporary cage set up, where stewards were searching every fan as they came in, before letting them down a narrow walkway towards the turnstiles. I don’t know if this was because it was a local derby or if this is standard practice? The turnstiles were electronic barcode scanners as is in most grounds now, before you walking up a set of steps into the narrowest concourse I have ever seen. Nowhere near enough for 1,500 people. Luckily I was in block Y6 nearest to entrance so scooted straight up and took my seat, second to back row of the upper tier.
I had bought myself a restricted view ticket to save myself a bit of money, and having read other fans opinions on the views on the web thought I had made a mistake. However the view was brilliant. All I really couldn’t see was the end of the goal net of the goal nearest to the School End. Fulham fans to my right of me in the ‘wings’ area of the stand seemed very disgruntled about their view though.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was always going to be a tasty and competitive for a few reasons. Firstly it was a local derby, and Fulham had beat QPR 6-0 earlier in a season. The ‘relationship’ between the clubs always wasn’t helped by Mark Hughes joining QPR talking about ambition, and Bobby Zamora swapping white for blue & white just a few weeks earlier.
We started the game on fire. Andy Johnson having a goal disallowed within 90 seconds, before Russian marvel Pogrebnyak sent the away end into delirium after 6 minutes. Fulham bossed the first-half, with QPR also seeing new signing Diakite sent-off before the break after committing a series of stupid challenges.
The Fulham fans were in great voice all game, mainly with songs having a dig at Hughes, Zamora and QPR’s ambition. I was very shocked at QPR’s atmosphere at home, with it being such a tight ground, I’d have expected 15,000 supporters being able to make a racket easily, however that never seemed to come. Fulham had their backs against the wall all second-half, and after a few scares came away unscathed and with a big 1-0 win over our local rivals.
The stewards at the ground seemed very easy going with fans standing and no one was kicked out as far as I could see. The one thing they didn’t take too kindly too were two banners brought in by fans slating Mark Hughes and goading QPR for the 6-0 score earlier in the season.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away from the ground was as easy and getting there. It takes a while for the fans to filter out from the away end due to stewards only letting fans out from one side of the stand due to safety reasons, however after another short walk down Uxbridge Road trying to avoid some of the trouble Fulham and QPR’s younger ‘fans’ were trying to start, I was back and Shepherds Bush and into Clapham Junction within 15 minutes.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A great day out made by the atmosphere of the away support and overall result. Part of me hopes QPR do stay up this season so there is another local derby to go to next season, as it seemed to be one that every Fulham supporter on the day enjoyed. The ground itself wasn’t as bad I had thought it would be too, and if QPR do stay up, I will definitely be visiting again next season.
Queens Park Rangers v Norwich City
Premier League
Monday, January 2nd 2012, 3pm
By Mark Knowles (Norwich City fan)
QPR and Norwich had a good rivalry last season and came up to the Premier League together so I was looking forward to a competitive encounter to round out the Christmas holidays. Having beaten QPR 2-1 at Carrow Road back in November there was also the prospect of the first “double” of the season for City. As I’ve previously visited all the “big” London clubs (with their modern stadia and megastores) I was also looking forward to something a bit different in the capital.
We parked at Cockfosters tube station (Piccadilly line) as it’s just off the M25, usually has plenty of spaces and is reasonably priced (only £1.50 for the day as it was a bank holiday). From here it took just under an hour to cross town out to Shepherds Bush (Central line). We would have preferred to get the train all the way, but engineering work on the Norwich to London line meant this would have taken a lot longer and involved the dreaded rail replacement bus service.
On arriving we had a wander along the cosmopolitan Uxbridge road and eventually found somewhere to eat – there’s loads of choice so you can afford to keep walking until you find something you fancy. There were also plenty of restaurants along the south side of the huge Westfield shopping centre just north of Shepherds Bush station.
The ground itself is tucked in between residential streets so we couldn’t really see the away end until we were in it. There were no turnstiles as such – we were searched and had our tickets checked in a fenced off area off the street before entering the ground proper through an alleyway.
Once inside, the ground had a fairly retro feel and is getting a bit tatty, but the low roof and proximity to the pitch made for a good atmosphere in the away end, as well as giving us an excuse to sing “My garden shed is bigger than this”. Our seats were in the very back row of the upper tier, but still felt close to the action – the only downside was an obscured view of the left corner flag. The leg room was also fairly limited but this wasn’t too much of a problem as the stewards were happy to let us stand more or less throughout.
When the action got underway, the first half turned out to be an untidy affair. QPR went ahead slightly against the run of play, but the turning point was a red card for everyone’s favourite Twitterer, Joey Barton. Obviously we took great pleasure in saying goodbye to him, almost as much as when we equalised shortly afterwards.
The concourse was very cramped indeed so we didn’t bother with refreshments at the break, but the prices and selection seemed fairly standard. One thing that did raise a chuckle was the half-time entertainment – instead of the more usual crossbar challenge, competitors had to make themselves dizzy by running round a post on the halfway line ten times, then try to stay upright as they sprinted to the box and tried to beat the keeper. Unsurprisingly there was some very wobbly running involved!
In the second half, Norwich took control but weren’t able to create clear chances, while QPR still threatened on the break. The deadlock was eventually broken when Norwich switched to three at the back, allowing them to overload the wide areas – as the crosses flew over Steve Morison grabbed the winner with less than ten minutes left, giving us our first Premier League “double”.
After the final whistle the narrow concourses and a one-way exit system meant it took a while to get out of the ground, but after that it was an easy walk back to the tube stations. We headed slightly further down the road to Wood Lane (Hammersmith & City) and to our surprise the platform was almost empty, so we had a very easy journey back to the car.
Overall Loftus Road is fairly easy to get to and from, so makes a good away trip. For most supporters it should be straightforward to reach entirely by public transport if you’d like to enjoy a drink or two (we would have done this if it wasn’t for engineering work). While it’s perfectly comfortable for watching the game, the ground itself doesn’t have particularly great facilities; however, the excellent range of eating and drinking options nearby more than makes up for this.
Queens Park Rangers v Aston Villa
Premier League
Sunday, September 25th 2011, 4pm
By Ben Taylor (Aston Villa fan)
I always look forward to away days with the Villa, particularly in London, and more so on this occasion being Loftus Road is one ground I have not visited for a first team game; during my days working for a League Two Club we did play a reserve match at Loftus Road about 4/5 years ago, but in front of four empty stands!
My friend and I are Brighton based season ticket holders at Villa, with that said QPR away is as near to a ‘home’ game as we can get. I hardly ever drive to away games, so it was Brighton to Victoria on the train, underground to Hammersmith and change for Shepherds Bush Market, then to the front door of the Walkabout pub. It took in total about an hour and a half. Happy days!
After a pint and some pub food outside Victoria Station, I knew Shepherd’s Bush Green was the place for us thanks to this site. We arrived at Shepherds Bush Market around 1pm and we were walking into the Walkabout just three minutes later, very easy to find. The place was packed already full of Villa fans who were in good voice, and a bonus for me being the Formula 1 was showing on what I can only describe as the biggest screen I have seen in my life!
We staggered out of there about 3.45pm and followed the crowds on the ten minute walk to the ground, again it was very easy to find. I think in terms of walking distance from the station to a drinking venue and onwards to the ground, Loftus Road is one of the shortest and easiest walks I have experienced on away days.
I was a bit confused though with the large amount of Police on duty around the ground either side of the match; they were everywhere, but as far as I know there has never been any trouble between the two sets of fans and there was certainly no trouble in the air on this occasion. I have seen far less Police at Villa Park where we on average attract double the size of crowd than at QPR; a complete waste of Police resources in my opinion.
On first sight of the Ellerslie Road Stand and School End I was wondering whether I was walking into a Premier League ground or an old rusty industrial unit. The concourse areas are extremely tight at Loftus Road. At half-time it was a complete nightmare, we came down five minutes before half-time and we could barely squeeze into the toilets and there was no chance of queuing for food. I do wonder how a place like that has a health and safety certificate, £45 a ticket for facilities like that is a joke! There’s more room in a baked bean can!
Villa fans were housed in the upper tier of the School End, which gives you a great view of the action, and the roof is quite low so a great noise can be generated. The rows and seats are quite tight, but a part of me does like Loftus Road; it’s small but it has its own character and history.
With their recent promotion to the Premier League, takeover of the Club and a number of exciting signings, I was expecting the home fans to be in great voice for this game but I was quite disappointed to be honest. The section of the Ellerslie Road Stand nearest to the Villa fans made some noise but even they were more interested with what the Villa fans were up to and reacting to that.
As for match itself a lot of Villa fans, including myself, came into it dreading the worst. We were unbeaten in the League, but there had been too many draws and the football had been poor and negative. While on the other hand QPR were coming off an impressive 3-0 victory over Wolves and fielded the likes of Joey Barton and Shaun Wright-Phillips who were just two among Rangers’ recent signing spree.
The first-half saw a terrible performance from Villa; one of the most disappointing and negative performances I have seen from a Villa side. QPR fans broke into a ‘boring, boring Villa’ chant at one point which was clapped by the Villa fans! However, despite striking the post once QPR failed to really test Shay Given and we escaped to half-time still at 0-0.
Second-half was a complete u-turn in performance from the Villa; our performance had 100% more effort and we appeared to easily push Rangers on the back foot. Villa took a 1-0 lead from the penalty spot via Barry Bannan on 58 minutes; “1-0 to the boring team” was soon rattling out of the Villa end. While luck was with us for two Alan Hutton handballs which the referee adjudged to be accidental or simply did not see, luck deserted Villa in stoppage time when a Stephen Warnock clearance cannoned off Richard Dunne and into the net; 1-1 it finished and probably about the right outcome.
I think the ticket prices and facilities would put me off going back to the Loftus Road anytime soon but it was an enjoyable day and would recommend visiting to anyone as a one-off if you have not seen your team at QPR already.