Ian Gillard

The Loftus Road career of full back Ian Gillard spanned 16 of the most eventful years in the history of QPR. Ian joined QPR as a 16 year old apprentice in 1966 and watched from the sidelines as we won the League cup and Division three in 1966/67 then gain promotion to division one twelve months later.

He was just five weeks past his eighteenth birthday when he made his first team debut but at that time we were facing relegation back to division two. The experience proved valuable though as he learnt and regained his place to become a regular during the 1972/73 season when he established himself at the club and helped QPR to promotion again.

Speaking to the match day magazine in 1992 he revealed more about his early years at the club. He said: "It took me a long time to get established at the club and at one stage I asked Gordon Jago for a transfer. I'd made my debut under Tommy Docherty but when he got sacked Les Allen came in and went for more experience players. I just had to bide my time but it became very frustrating. When I spoke to Gordon I told him I couldn't see a future for myself at the club and he told me Reading and Oxford wanted to sign me. That seemed to be the end for me at QPR but within two weeks I was back in the QPR first team and three weeks after that I was called up for the England under 23 squad. It was quite a turn around for me and I never looked back."

Ian became a regular in the first team and made his England under 23 debut against Scotland. He was now a regular in the first team and was part of the greatest ever QPR team in 1975/76 and he went on to play in Europe the following season. Ian was never one to get loads of praise but whilst Stan Bowles and Gerry Francis grabbed the headline it was the likes of Gillard who helped make the team so great.

Ian was a very good defender and passed the ball very well to get the ball moving for the quality attacking players we had. During this time he played three times for England one of the biggest honours of his career. His England debut came against World Champions West Germany at Wembley.

Now he was one of the club senior and longest serving players and relegation back to division two was hard on him as the 75/76 team quickly broke up. Ian wanted to stay but admitted it was never the same until Terry Venables came back as manager and Ian was still around to help the club get back on it's feet.

Ian played an important part in bringing on the youngsters and his old head he had a great final season before Ian was handed a free transfer in 1982. His final season saw him enjoy some great results and an FA Cup Final appearance. It seemed a fitting way to end his long QPR career but it sadly didn't end in glory for him as we lost 1-0. Ian left QPR on a free transfer after the cup final replay.

He quickly found a new club though joining Aldershot as a player coach before retiring as a player in 1986. He stayed at Aldershot as a full time coach and helped them gain promotion from the fourth division before they were relegated two years later and went out of business in 1990. Ian ended up working shifts at the Mars factory in Slough after leaving Aldershot before coming back into the game with some coaching at the Reading School of excellence.

During his time at QPR he made 484 appearances which is the second highest in the clubs history. He played under seven different managers in his 16 years at the club and was around for a roller coaster of a ride which saw two cup final appearances, three promotions, two relegations and he came within a point of being crowed League Champions. Life at QPR was never dull for Ian Gillard and will go down as one of QPR's finest ever servants.