QPR’s 5 worst managers ever (Ranked) | OneFootball

On a points-per-game basis, which gaffers have had the most disastrous spells at Loftus Road? (Minimum 10 games)

Life as a Queens Park Rangers supporter can be an arduous existence at times. In the 21 seasons since the rebranding of the modern Football League in 2004, QPR have been a Championship team for 18 of them. In fact, aside from their two successful promotion campaigns, the West London club have NEVER finished higher than ninth in the division.

With this in mind, it is unsurprising that the team’s long list of managers is a myriad of mediocrity, and in this article we uncover the five worst gaffers to ever take the helm at Queens Park Rangers football club.

The rules are simple, the ranking is on a points-per-game basis (as per Transfermarkt), and they must have been in charge of at least ten games for The Hoops.

At risk of bringing up some most unwanted memories to the Loftus Road faithful, do feel free to use our list of 10 best QPR managers as appropriate eye-bleach afterward.

5 Ray Harford (0.8 PPG)

5 Dec 1997 to 28 Sep 1998

Much like with players, there comes a time when managers simply surpass the peak of their powers. Unfortunately for The R’s, when League Cup winning manager Ray Harford joined the Shepherd’s Bush side in December 1997, it became evident that his time had come.

Perhaps best known for his assistant manager role with the Premier League winning Blackburn Rovers side of 1995, Harford was also a well respected No. 1. Prior to taking the job at QPR, Harford had never left a managerial role with less than a 35% win ratio. Alas, this proved to be a job too far for the man from Halifax.

Stewart Houston got the sack after six wins in 16 found his team in 14th, with Harford coming in to pick up the pieces. It would transpire that Houston was actually doing a tremendous job with the tools at his disposal as Harford went on to secure just three wins in 28.

Miraculously, six draws in their final seven games was enough to escape relegation by a single point. Harford was sacked in September of the following season; it was to be his final permanent role.

4 Gareth Ainsworth (0.77 PPG)

25 Oct to 19 Nov 2008, 10 Apr to 30 Jun 2009, 21 Feb to 28 Oct 2023

The rock-and-rolling Wycombe Wanderers legend would have been higher up on this list had two short stints as player-caretaker in the late 2000s not bolstered the numbers.

Ainsworth made 152 appearances for The Super Hoops and was finally anointed permanent head coach in February 2023.

With 13 games left of the season, Ainsworth won just three games, all by a single goal, while the low-lights included a 3-0 home loss to Coventry City and a 6-1 drubbing at fellow relegation candidates Blackpool. QPR finished 20th, accruing the joint-worst goal difference in the league.

Joining the club in tumultuous circumstances, Ainsworth was granted a second opportunity to succeed. 14 games saw Rangers sitting second from bottom in the table with 8 points from a possible 42. The former midfielder was sacked three days before Halloween, as results had well and truly spooked the board.

Ainsworth is currently taking a break from management, claiming to be focusing instead on his music career.

10 Aug 1978 to 10 May 1979

Perhaps unlucky to be included in this list, Burtenshaw is the only manager of the five to have fronted the London club in the top-flight.

QPR were enjoying a period of relative success in the mid-to-late 70s, having finished as high as second in 1975-76 under the tutelage of Dave Sexton. When Sexton was snapped up by Manchester United, QPR struggled, finishing 20th the following campaign, leading to the employment of former Everton caretaker boss Steve Burtenshaw.

Burtenshaw was an unusual appointment; his only previous permanent role ended in relegating Sheffield Wednesday to the third-tier. Almost destined to fail, the Hoops finished 20th, ending a six-year-stint and the precipice of English football.

Burtenshaw never managed permanently again.

6 Feb 2006 to 19 Sep 2006

Growing up in Alperton, a mere 4 miles from Loftus Road, Gary Waddock played over 200 times for the R's across the 1980s.

It is perhaps this golden reputation with the club that allowed the current Walsall assistant coach to bite off more than he could chew, as in 2006 he was shockingly granted the role of head coach, his first in management.

All began well for Waddock as he beat London rivals Millwall 1-0 in his first game in charge, though he was to win just once more that season. With one point from the final seven games, QPR had narrowly escaped relegation as their former hero had taken them from 14th down to 20th.

It was a similar showing in the following campaign, as only Southend United felt the true wrath of Waddock-ball in QPR's opening eight fixtures. Waddock was sacked in mid-September with his beloved team sitting rock bottom of the division. QPR went on to win their following two fixtures...

1 Neil Critchley (0.67 PPG)

12 Dec 2022 to 19 Feb 2023

The former Liverpool under 18's coach and two-time stand in manager has undoubted tactical talent, but for one reason or another, it just really didn't happen for him in Hammersmith.

Neil earned his managerial wings by winning the League One play-offs with Blackpool FC, and in December 2022, when QPR boss Michael Beale was snapped up by The Rangers' Scottish namesakes, Critchley was seen as the man to continue the team's fine start to the season.

The man from Crewe started strong, winning 1-0 away to Preston North End, though unfortunately, that was to be his sole victory for the club.