Palace ready for QPR showdown

Thursday, 10/03/2011

by Chris Kirby, Shoot's Crystal Palace blogger

This Saturday sees QPR boss Neil Warnock face his former side Crystal Palace at Loftus Road.

The table-topping Hoops go into the game as firm favourites against a Palace side who have picked up just one away victory all season.

But with QPR’s costly midweek defeat at Millwall, coupled with an impressive Eagles victory over promotion-chasing Cardiff City, the result may not be so cut and dry.

It’s over a year since Warnock departed SE25 for the bright lights of West London, following Palace’s ten-point deduction for entering administration, but there are many fans that still hold a grudge at the way the Yorkshireman left.

With Palace facing the prospect of relegation, Warnock declared he no longer had the stomach for such a dog-fight and it was left to Paul Hart (assisted by current manager Dougie Freedman) to save the club's Championship status.

The summer of 2010 saw Warnock return to the Eagles, but not as manager. This time it was more of a shopping trip. Deals were completed for out-of-contract players Shaun Derry and Clint Hill, whilst Warnock declared his interest in Palace Player of the Year Julian Speroni, top scorer Darren Ambrose and midfield dynamo Neil Danns.

Naturally, the Palace faithful were riled by Warnock’s actions, believing him to have shown a complete lack of class and respect for the very fans that used to adore him.

Warnock was met with predictable howls of derision on his managerial return back in October 2010. His QPR side, littered with former Eagles, secured a controversial late victory over a youthful looking Palace team, and the Rangers boss was quick to praise his former students, in true Neil Warnock fashion: “I thought the young lads did great today. If they were playing against a Neil Warnock side every week, they’d be in the play-offs”.

But it’s not just Warnock, Derry and Hill who have recent ties with Palace. Assistant manager Keith Curle, centre-half Fitz Hall and tricky winger Wayne Routledge have all represented the South Londoners in the last six years, and will no doubt be on the mind of the Eagles faithful come Saturday. Derry and Hill’s heroics at the butt-end of the 2009-10 season should merit a standing ovation, but the others may not be so lucky.

They say elephants never forget. One thing’s for sure, Mr Warnock will come face to face with 3,000 of them on Saturday.

Kirby’s prediction: QPR 1-1 CRYSTAL PALACE.

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