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[Steve Russell]

With the FA Youth Cup tie at Loftus Road coming up next month, some R’s fans may not know that QPR reached
the semi-final for the first time in 1964.

There was a convincing 4-2 away win at Southend in Round One with Ian Morgan and Mick Leach grabbing a couple of
goals each. Rangers were then drawn away again in the next Round and forced a replay with Watford after drawing 2-2.
Leach and Vafiadis were the scorers.

Then a lone goal from Ian Morgan was enough to put the R’s through. A hard fought goaless draw against Tottenham led
to a superb away win after extra time with Mick Leach netting a brace.

Next up were Norwich City at Loftus Road in Round Four and the R’s managed a 2-0 victory with two goals from
Frank Sibley. This was followed by a 2-1 win at Luton in Round Five with goals from Ian Morgan and George Jacks.

Unfortunately, Rangers didn’t go all the way and were knocked out by Swindon Town in the semi-finals after losing the
first leg 2-0 at Loftus Road and then 4-1 in the return.

Colin Parker was the scorer of our goal. 17 year old Peter Springett had played in all five games for England in
the ‘Little World Cup’ in Holland before flying back for the first leg.

Another emerging star was Don Rogers who had also played for England and he scored one of Swindon’s goals at
Loftus Road and made the other one.

The crowd was given as just under 5,000. The team lined up as follows: Springett, Gale, Nash, Blake, Hunt, Hazell, Sibley,
Jacks, Leach, Vafiadis and Ian Morgan. Surprisingly, the second leg was played the same night as the First Team’s match
against Reading?

However, Rangers did win the South East Counties League on Cup Final day with a victory over Chelsea. Their record
reads: played 30, won 23, 6 were drawn and just one defeat. 106 goals were scored and 30 conceded.

Chelsea finished 4 points behind on 48 points. The 1964-65 Handbook lists the leading scorers in league and cup that
season as: Leach 29, Ian Morgan 26, Vafiadis 26 and Roger Morgan notched up 17 goals.

The league also included the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham, West Ham, Fulham and Portsmouth.

Derek Healy was the Youth Team Manager and he wrote: “Every effort is made to make the boys realise that they have
not merely joined a professional football club but they have also become members of a happy team.
Team spirit and a belief in the club is most essential. That is half the battle towards making a good footballer.”

As a reward for such a successful season, the Club Directors approached the FA who nominated the Rangers Youth Team
to enter the Martini Tournament in Geneva.

The Handbook also mentions that the Tournament winners were Torino of Italy who beat Caroupe from the host country
and goes on to say: ‘The Swiss keeper saved Tony Hazell’s penalty thus denying a place in the final.

The FA Youth Cup started in 1952-53 and Rangers did well to reach Round Five. Manchester United actually won
it for the first five seasons.

Good luck to the team next month.

[Steve Russell]

News from the Club...

'QPR Under-18s have been drawn at home in this season’s third round proper of the FA Youth Cup.
Tom Charles’ youngsters will host either Gillingham or Swindon Town at MATRADE Loftus Road, with the tie to be
played prior to Saturday 14th December 2024.

Full details will be finalised once Rangers’ opposition has been confirmed, following Gillingham and Swindon’s
second-round tie on Tuesday 19th November.

Last season, the R’s knocked out Premier League outfit Wolverhampton Wanderers on penalties before bowing out to
Burnley in the fourth round.'

[ESSEXURs]

Those were the days we produced many quality players for the first team.
I attended the game against Chelsea and that success laid the foundations for a brilliant period in our history.
We did it with old fashioned methods and limited finances and as an unfashionable club.
Great times.