QPR’s £500k Plymouth Argyle raid was a Neil Warnock masterstroke | OneFootball

QPR's signing of Jamie Mackie in 2010 proved a real masterstroke during Neil Warnock's reign as manager

Neil Warnock pulled off a transfer masterstroke in the summer of 2010 when he signed Jamie Mackie for £500,000.

It was reported by the Guardian that the deal amounted to around half a million pounds, with Warnock looking to build a team capable of fighting for promotion to the Premier League.

Mackie had been a key figure for the Pilgrims in the previous campaign, but the club suffering relegation to League One led to his departure.

QPR capitalised by signing the forward for a reasonable fee, and he proved a regular part of the side as the London outfit won the Second Division title.

The then 24-year-old made 25 appearances in the Championship, all of which came as a starter, contributing nine goals and two assists.

Jamie Mackie’s importance to QPR

Mackie ended up playing 31 times in the Premier League, including 24 times from the start, scoring seven times as the club survived with a 17th-place finish.

While the forward wasn’t always available during his time at Loftus Road, he proved a shrewd signing for just £500,000, playing a pivotal role in keeping the team in the top flight beyond just one year.

During the 2011/12 campaign, he scored goals in crucial games against Swansea City, home and away, and against Liverpool.

In the final weeks of the campaign, with QPR fighting against relegation to the Championship, Mackie’s 91st-minute strike at Loftus Road sealed an important three points against the Reds to complete a remarkable 2-0 comeback win.

He also scored at the Etihad on the final day, a match now made famous for Sergio Aguero’s goal in stoppage time that clinched the title for Roberto Mancini’s side.

But it was Mackie’s 66th-minute goal that had the R's in position to stay up should results elsewhere be going against them, which ultimately wasn’t the case as Bolton Wanderers failed to beat Stoke City.

Neil Warnock's transfer was a masterstoke but return didn't have same impact

Mackie spent another season with the London outfit, but relegation to the Championship in 2013 led to his move to Nottingham Forest.

But the forward was unable to make it work at the City Ground, despite a positive first campaign with the club, which led to his return to QPR.

While he didn’t hit the heights of his first stint when he returned, Mackie still proved a solid member of the first-team squad.

QPR were in a much worse place through this period, finishing 12th, 18th and 16th during his three seasons back at the club, with the forward contributing six goals in that period.

But supporters won’t forget the impact he made during those first three years at Loftus Road, where he provided a number of great moments, with that winner against Liverpool the standout.

Given the £500,000 cost, he more than proved his worth in that run, playing a key role in promotion and then Premier League survival.