1980–81 Queens Park Rangers F.C. season

Queens Park Rangers
1980–81 season
Chairman	Jim Gregory
Manager	Tommy Docherty resigned Oct 7th,Terry Venables from Oct 14th
Stadium	Loftus Road
Second Division	8th
FA Cup	Third round
Football League Cup	Third round
Top goalscorer	League: Tommy Langley (8); All: Tommy Langley (9)
Highest home attendance	23,811 v West Ham United F.C. (26 December 1980)
Lowest home attendance	6,668 v Cambridge United 25 April 1981
Average home league attendance	10,938
Biggest win	5-0 Vs Cambridge United (25 April 1981)
Biggest defeat	0-4 Vs Leyton Orient (31 March 1981)

During the 1980–81 English football season, Queens Park Rangers competed in the Second Division

Season summary

Having led the Rangers to a fifth-place finish in the Second Division in his first season in charge, manager Tommy Docherty fell out with chairman and Gregory resulted in him leaving the club by mutual consent at the end of that season but, following a player revolt, he was reinstated as boss nine days later, ahead of the start of the 1980/81 season. His 'third' spell in charge would only last 10 league games, however. After failing in an attempt to sign Andy Ritchie from his former club Manchester United, "Doc" announced that Ritchie should not sign for Chelsea because he was too good for the Second Division, despite the R's competing in the same league themselves.

Rangers chairman Gregory made Docherty apologise to the Chelsea chairman and following a goalless draw with Leyton Orient – and with Rangers towards the bottom of the second tier – he was dismissed and left the club for a third and final time. his replacement Terry Venables previous club Crystal Palace were bottom of Division One when he left during October to join Second Division Queens Park Rangers.With 11 away defeats Rangers fell to eighth position seven points short of the third promotion spot.

In the League Cup, Rangers beat Derby County on penalties but were knocked out in the next round by division foes Notts County, In the F.A. Cup eventual winners Tottenham Hotspur triumphed after a replay ^[1]

Kit

Adidas remained as QPR's kit manufacturers.

League Table

Second Division

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
6	Derby County	42	15	15	12	57	52	+5	45
7	Grimsby Town	42	15	15	12	44	42	+2	45
8	Queens Park Rangers	42	15	13	14	56	46	+10	43
9	Watford	42	16	11	15	50	45	+5	43
10	Sheffield Wednesday	42	17	8	17	53	51	+2	42

Source:
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored

Results

QPR scores given first

Win Draw Loss

Second Division

Date	Opponents	Venue	Half time score	Full Time Score F – A	Scorers	Attendance	Position	Woods	McCreery	Gillard	Waddock	Wicks	Roeder	Hill, G.	Shanks	Walsh	Currie	Burke	Neal	Fereday	Hazell	Langley	Neill	King	Stewart	Howe	Silkman	Wilkins	Micklewhite	Stainrod	Fenwick	Flanagan	Burridge	Francis	Sealy	Muir	Hucker
16 August 1980	Oldham	A	0-1	0-1		6,986	20	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
19 August 1980	Bristol Rovers	H	0-0	4-0	Fereday 2, Shanks, Hazell	9,031	4	1	2	3	4	5	6	12	8		10	11		7	9
23 August 1980	Swansea City	H	0-0	0–0		10,854	10	1	2	3	4	5	6		8		10	11		7	12	9
30 August 1980	Chelsea	A	1-0	1–1	Langley	23,381	8	1	2	3	4	5	6		8		10	11		7		9	12
6 September 1980	Notts County	A	0-2	1–2	Hill	7,197	15	1	2	3	4	5	6	11	8					7	12	9	10
13 September 1980	Newcastle United	H	0-1	1–2	Hazell	10,865	19	1	2	3	4		6	12	8		10	11		7	5	9
20 September 1980	Sheffield Wednesday	A	0-1	0-1		15,195	20	1	7	3	4	5	6	11	2		10	12				9		8
27 September 1980	Bristol City	H	2-0	4-0	Neal 2, Shanks, Langley	8,551	17	1	2	3	4	5	6		8		10	11	7			9
4 October 1980	Blackburn Rovers	A	0-0	1-2	Neal	12,209	19	1	2	3	4	5	6		8		10		11			9		7	12
7 October 1980	Orient	H	0-0	0–0		9,627	18	1	11	3	4	5	6		2		10		9			8		7
11 October 1980	Bolton Wanderers	H	1-0	3-1	Langley, Neal, Burke	8,641	12	1	4	3	12	5			2		10	11	9		6	8		7
18 October 1980	Derby County	A	1-1	3-3	King 2, Langley	16,021	13	1	7	3	4	5	6		2			11	9			10		8
22 October 1980	Cardiff City	A	0-1	0-1		14,489	17	1	7	3	4	5	6		2			11	9		12	10		8
25 October 1980	Wrexham	H	0-1	0-1		9,050	20	1	7	3	4	5	6		2			11	9	12		10		8
1 November 1980	Grimsby Town	A	0-0	0–0		10,015	19	1		3	4	5	7		2				9			10		8		6	11	12
8 November 1980	Luton Town	A	2-2	3-2	Neal 2, King	10,082	17	1	12	3	4	5	7		2				9			10		8		6	11
11 November 1980	Bristol Rovers	A	2-0	2-1	King, Langley	6,612	12	1		3	4	5	7		2				9			10		8		6	11
15 November 1980	Oldham Athletic	H	1-0	2-0	Silkman, Neal	8,223	12	1		3	4	5	7		2				9			10		8		6	11		12
22 November 1980	Preston North End	A	0-1	2-3	Roeder, Neal	6,762	13	1		3	4	5	7		2				9					8		6	11			10
29 November 1980	Shrewsbury	H	0-0	0-0		7,982	12	1		3	4	5	6		2				9			7		8			11			10
6 December 1980	Cambridge United	A	0-0	0–1		6,349	17	1		3	4	5	7		2		6		9					8			11			10
13 December 1980	Cardiff City	H	pp
19 December 1980	Bolton Wanderers	A	1-1	2-1	Flanagan, Stainrod	6,315	14	1		3		5	6		2		10							8			11			9	4	7
26 December 1980	West Ham United	H	1-0	3-0	Currie, Stainrod, Silkman	23,811	12			3	12	5	6		2		10							8			11			9	4	7	1
27 December 1980	Watford	A	1-0	1-1	King	23,547	12			3	10	5	6		2									8			11			9	4	7	1
10 January 1981	Preston North End	H	0-0	1-1	Stainrod	8,415	12			3		5	6		2		10		7					8			11			9	4		1
17 January 1981	Chelsea	H	0-0	1–0	Langley	22,873	12			3		5	6		2		10					7		8			11			9	4		1
31 January 1981	Swansea City	A	2-1	2–1	Langley, King	12,518	11			3	12	5	6		2		10					7		8			11			9	4		1
3 February 1981	Cardiff City	H	0-0	2-0	Fenwick, Langley	9,834	8			3		5	6		2		10					7		8			11			9	4		1
7 February 1981	Newcastle United	A	0-0	0-1		20,404	9			3		5	6		2		10					7		8			11			9	4		1
14 February 1981	Notts County	H	0-0	1-1	Howe	11,457	11			3					2		10				5	7		8		6	11			9	4		1
21 February 1981	Bristol City	A	0-0	1–0	Waddock	11,036	8			3	12	5			2		10				6	7		8			11			9	4		1
28 February 1981	Sheffield Wednesday	H	0-0	1-2	Stainrod	15,104	10			3		5	6		2		10					7					11			9	4	12	1	8
7 March 1981	Blackburn Rovers	H	0-0	1-1	Francis	9,513	10			3		5	6		2		10					12					11			9	4	7	1	8
31 March 1981	Orient	A	pp
21 March 1981	Derby County	H	1-1	3-1	Francis 2, Flanagan	8,905	11			3		5	6		2		10							12			11				4	7	1	8	9
28 March 1981	Wrexham	A	1-0	1–1	Waddock	5,887	10			3	11	5	6		2		10							12							4	7	1	8	9
31 March 1981	Orient	A	0-1	0-4		6,724	11			3	11	5	6		2		10										12				4	7	1	8	9
4 April 1981	Grimsby Town	H	1-0	1–0	Francis	8,906	7			3	11	5	6		2		10										4					7	1	8	9
11 April 1981	Luton Town	A	0-1	0-3		12,112	10			3	11	5	6		2		10	12									4					7	1	8	9
11 April 1981	Watford	H	0-0	0-0		10,571	10			3	7	5	6				10	11					2								4	9	1	8
21 April 1981	West Ham	A	0-2	0-3		24,599	10			3	7	5	6				10	12					2								4	9	1	8	11
25 April 1981	Cambridge United	H	2-0	5–0	Sealy 2, Muir 2, Roeder	6,668	8			3	4		6				10									5					2	9	1	8	7	11
2 May 1981	Shrewsbury Town	A	2-1	3-3	Flanagan, Waddock, Fenwick	5,714	8			3	8		6				10									5		4			2	9			7	11	1

^[2]

Football League Cup

Date	Round	Opponents	H / A	Half time score	Result F – A	Scorers	Attendance	Woods	McCreery	Gillard	Waddock	Wicks	Roeder	Hill, G.	Shanks	Currie	Burke	Neal	Fereday	Hazell	Langley	Neill	King
26 August 1980	Second Round First Leg	Derby County (Second Division)	H	0-0	0–0		11,244	1	2	3	4	5	6		8	10	11			7	9
3 September 1980	Second Round Second Leg	Derby County (Second Division)	A	0-0	*0-0 5-3 on Pens**		16,728	1	2	3	4	5	6	11	8	10			7		9	12
23 September 1980	Third Round	Notts County (Second Division)	A	0-1	1-4	Langley	6644	1	2		4	5	6		8	10	3	11		12	9		7

FA Cup

Date	Round	Opponents	H / A	Half time score	Result F – A	Scorers	Attendance	McCreery	Gillard	Waddock	Wicks	Roeder	Hill, G.	Shanks	Currie	King	Silkman	Stainrod	Fenwick	Flanagan	Burridge
3 January 1981	Third Round	Tottenham Hotspur (First Division)	H	0-0	0–0		28,829		3	10	5	6		2		8	11	9	4	7	1
7 January 1981	Third Round Replay	Tottenham Hotspur (First Division)	A	0-2	1-3	Stainrod	36,294	12	3		5	6		2	10	8	11	9	4	7	1

Friendlies^[3]

Date	Opponents	H / A
14 July 1980	Sochaux Auxerre (FRA)	A
16 July 1980	Racing Strasbourg (FRA)	A
20 July 1980	Olympiakos Athens (GRC)	A
29 July 1980	Uleaborg (FIN)	A
31 July 1980	Helsinki (FIN)	A
1st August 1980	Jaro (FIN)	A
3rd August 1980	IF Kamraterna (SWE)	A
4th August 1980	Rauma Pallo (FIN)	A
24th January 1981	Newport County	A

Football Combination (Reserves)

	Opponents	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
9th	Queens Park Rangers	42	19	9	14	80	64	47

South East Counties League (Juniors)

	Opponents	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
6th	Queens Park Rangers	30	13	8	9	47	46	34

Squad

Pos.	Nat.	Name	League Appearances	League Goals	Cup Appearances	League Cup Goals	F A Cup Goals	Total Appearances	Total Goals
GK	ENG	Chris Woods	22		3			25
GK	ENG	John Burridge	19		2			21
GK	ENG	Peter Hucker	1					1
DF	ENG	Terry Fenwick	19	2	2			21	2
DF	ENG	Ian Gillard	42		4			46
DF	JAM	Bob Hazell	5	2	1			10	2
DF	ENG	Ernie Howe	8	1				8	1
DF	ENG	Warren Neill	3					5
DF	ENG	Don Shanks	38	2	5			43	2
DF	ENG	Glenn Roeder	39	2	5			44	2
DF	ENG	Steve Wicks	38		5			43
MF	ENG	Tony Currie	31	1	4			35	1
MF	ENG	Barry Silkman	22	2	2			25	2
MF	ENG	Gerry Francis	10	4				10	4
MF	NIR	David McCreery	14		3			19
MF	ENG	Andy King	24	6	3			29	6
MF	ENG	Gary Micklewhite						1
MF	IRE	Gary Waddock	29	3	4			37	3
MF	ENG	Dean Wilkins	1					2
FW	ENG	Gordon Hill	3	1	1			6	1
FW	ENG	Steve Burke	11	1	2			15	1
FW	ENG	Tommy Langley	24	8	3	1		28	9
FW	ENG	Wayne Fereday	5		1			7
FW	ENG	Mike Flanagan	13	3	2			16	3
FW	ENG	Ian Muir	2	2				2	2
FW	ENG	Tony Sealy	8	1				8	1
FW	ENG	Simon Stainrod	15	4	2		1	17	5
FW	NIR	Ian Stewart						1
FW	ENG	Dean Neal	15	8	1			17	8

^[4]

Transfers Out

Name	from	Date	Fee	Date	Club	Fee
Mark Hill	Queens Park Rangers Juniors	July 1979		July 1980	Brentford
Karl Elsey	Pembrokeshire	January 1979		August 1980	Newport	Free
Paul Goddard	Queens Park Rangers Juniors	July 1977		August 1980	West Ham	£800,000
Michael Walsh	Everton	March 29,1979	£280,000	September 1980	Porto (Por)	£170,000
Gordon Hill	Derby	November 22,1979	£150,000	January 1981	Montreal (Can)	£80,000
Tommy Langley	Chelsea	August 15,1980	£425,000	March 1981	Crystal Palace	£200,000
Chris Woods	Nottingham Forest	June 28,1979	£250,000	March 1981	Norwich City	£225,000
David McCreery	Manchester United	August 16,1979	£200,000	March 1981	Tulsa Roughnecks	£125,000
Martyn Rogers	Manchester United	July 26,1979	£7,500	May 1981	Sydney Olympic	Free
Dean Neal	Queens Park Rangers Juniors	July 1978		Mar 1981	Tulsa Roughnecks	£125,000
Andy Pape	Feltham	July 1980		May 1981	Ikast (Den)	Free
Steve Wicks	Derby County	September 20,1979	£275,000	May 25,1981	Crystal Palace	and £700,000 for Clive Allen
Martyn Busby	Queens Park Rangers Juniors	April 1970		June 1981	Retired (Injury)

Transfers In

Name	from	Date	Fee
Tommy Langley	Chelsea	August 15,1980	£400,000
Wayne Fereday	Queens Park Rangers Juniors	August 28,1980
Warren Neill	Queens Park Rangers Juniors	September 3,1980
Ian Muir	Queens Park Rangers Juniors	September 3,1980
Andy King	Everton	September 12,1980	£400,000
Barry Silkman	Brentford	October 30,1980	£20,000
Simon Stainrod	Oldham Athletic	November 19,1980	£270,000.
Terry Fenwick	Crystal Palace	December 15,1980	£110,000
Mike Flanagan	Crystal Palace	December 15,1980	£150,000
John Burridge	Crystal Palace	December 16,1980	£250,000
Ian Dawes	Queens Park Rangers Juniors	December 24,1980
Gerry Francis	Crystal Palace	February 24,1981	£150,000
Tony Sealy	Crystal Palace	March 12,1981	£80,000
Clive Allen	Crystal Palace	May 25,1981	Steve Wicks and £700,000
John Gregory	Brighton & Hove Albion	June 1981	£300,000

References

^ https://www.qpr.co.uk/news/club-news/tommy-docherty-rip/
^ Rothmans 1982-83, pp. 306
^ "QPR Programme Guide". www.qpr-prog.co.uk. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
^ Rothmans 1980–81, pp. 306–308

^[1]

Bibliography

Rothmans Football Yearbook 1980–81 (Editor: Jack Rollin). London: Queen Anne Press. ISBN 0362020167.
Rothmans Football Yearbook 1982-83 (Editor: Jack Rollin). London: Queen Anne Press. ISBN 0-356-07888-4.

^ "Seasonal Stats - Files". QPRnet. Retrieved 27 May 2025.

[1] ttps://www.qpr.co.uk/news/club-news/tommy-docherty-rip/

[page_306-2] Rothmans 1982-83, pp. 306

[3] "QPR Programme Guide". www.qpr-prog.co.uk. Retrieved 12 February 2026.

[page_306-308-4] Rothmans 1980–81, pp. 306–308

[5] "Seasonal Stats - Files". QPRnet. Retrieved 27 May 2025.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[1]

Queens Park Rangers F.C. seasons
1880s	1880–81 1881–82 1882–83 1883–84 1884–85 1885–86 1886–87 1887–88 1888–89 1889-90
1890s	1890–91 1891–92 1892–93 1893–94 1894–95 1895–96 1896–97 1897–98 1898–99 1899–1900
1900s	1900–01 1901–02 1902–03 1903–04 1904–05 1905–06 1906–07 1907–08 1908–09 1909–10
1910s	1910–11 1911–12 1912–13 1913–14 1914–15 1915–16 1916–17 1917–18 1918–19 1919–20
1920s	1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30
1930s	1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40
1940s	1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50
1950s	1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60
1960s	1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70
1970s	1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80
1980s	1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90
1990s	1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000
2000s	2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10
2010s	2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20
2020s	2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25 2025–26

Season summary

Kit

League Table

Second Division

Results

Second Division

Football League Cup

FA Cup

Friendlies[3]

Racing Strasbourg (FRA)

Olympiakos Athens (GRC)

Uleaborg (FIN)

Helsinki (FIN)

Jaro (FIN)

IF Kamraterna (SWE)

Rauma Pallo (FIN)

Football Combination (Reserves)

South East Counties League (Juniors)

Squad

Transfers Out

Transfers In

References

Friendlies^[3]