HISTORY TODAY: 27th MARCH
Thursday 27th March 2008
by Ron Norris

A new feature on QPRnet.com takes a look back at some memorable, and some not so memorable moments from our history. We delve into the archives to find a great win, a poor defeat, a debut, a hatrick and the birth of a former Rangers player from March 27^th in years gone by.  

Win

The late 40’s saw The R’s win our first major league title when we finished the 1947/48 season as Third Division South Champions, four points ahead of runners up Bournemouth.

On the way to the title we beat Reading 2-0 on this day in 1948 with the goals coming from Danny Boxshall and Cyril Hatton. This match was part a great run the side went on, losing just once in seventeen games between November 1947 and April 1948. 

Defeat  

In 1982 Rangers were in the old Division Two under Terry Venables. Just a couple of months later we would go on to reach our first and only FA Cup final, ultimately losing out to Spurs in the replay of course.  

In the league however we only finished in fifth place, not helped by a poor run in March of three defeats from the first four games of the month, including this one a 1-0 reverse at Millmoor against Rotherham United.  

Born  

Born on this day in 1896 was Stephen Smith. Smith was a goalkeeper and signed for Rangers in 1926 from Clapton Orient making his debut at the age of 30 in a 1-0 Division Three South defeat against Aberdare Athletic. Smith would make only one more appearance, in the following and final game of the campaign before leaving in the summer.  

This was a disastrous season for Rangers who parted company with manager Ned Liddell, replaced him with Bob Hewison and promptly lost half of the playing staff. Hewison was forced to rebuild the squad with no money and we finished the season bottom of the league, winning just six games all season, and were forced to re-apply for membership of the Division the following summer.  

Debut 

Barry Salvage made his debut for Rangers on this day in 1971 in a 4-2 home win over Bristol City. The Bristolian signed for QPR from Millwall on a free transfer and went on to make 23 appearances and scored a single goal in Hoops before moving onto Brentford in February 1973 for £9,000.  

It was during this season that Gordon Jago succeeded Les Allen as manager and began building the great squad that would give his successor, Dave Sexton, such a great platform to build on.  

Hatrick 

In Rangers formative years they played in the old Southern League alongside such sides as West Ham, Crystal Palace and Southampton. The 1908-09 season saw The R’s playing as defending champions having won the league by two points from Plymouth the previous season. This campaign was not as effective however and we finished in fifteenth place after an inconsistent season.  

However our biggest win of the season came on this day in 1909 when we beat Swindon 5-1 at home thanks to a hatrick from Percy Skilton. This was Percy’s final season with The Super Hoops after enjoying a five year run in West London having joined from Harrow in 1904. In all the striker made 64 appearances scoring 22 goals over his R’s career.