Birthday for QPR's England Defender Ian Gillard...Other QPR Snippets
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- Tony Fernandes on the New QPR
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- Kevin Gallen's New Column: Number 1
- Three Year Banning Order for QPR Fan -- Further story re Banned QPR Fan
Ian Gillard Turns 63
Born
October 9, 1950, Fullback Gillard made his debut in QPR's 1968/69
Relegation season. (Tommy Dochery gave him his debut at home to
Nottingham Forest in November 1968.)
QPR won 2-1 (Marsh and Hazell) Team: Kelly Clement Watson Hazell Gillard - Morgan Sibley McGovern Morgan - Bridges Marsh
It took Gillard several seasons before he made the #3 Shirt his own -
Initially competing with Ian Watson and Tony Hazell for that position.
For several years, QPR was blessed to have as its full backs: Dave
Clement and Ian Gillard. Not so sure that people watching Gillard in his
early years thought "future England International." But he improved and
improved.
Gillard also played three times times for England in 1975, making his England debut at Wembley vs West Germany in March 1975
Gillard
played 400+ Games for QPR. Gillard's last game was in the FA Cup Replay
against Spurs before joining Aldershot as player coach.
Give his debut by Tommy Docherty in our 1968/69 Relegation season vs Nottingham Forest. QPR won 2-1...(Docherty's one win)
400+ Games for QPR
England caps...
[Football Sporting Heroes]
1968-1969 Played 6 Scored 0 goals (Division 1)
1969-1970 Played 15 Scored 1 goals (Division 2)
1970-1971 Played 17 Scored 0 goals (Division 2)
1971-1972 Played 24 Scored 0 goals (Division 2)
1972-1973 Played 8 Scored 0 goals (Division 2)
1973-1974 Played 23 Scored 0 goals (Division 1)
1974-1975 Played 42 Scored 2 goals (Division 1)
1975-1976 Played 41 Scored 0 goals (Division 1)
1976-1977 Played 41 Scored 1 goal (Division 1)
1977-1978 Played 38 Scored 0 goals (Division 1)
1978-1979 Played 38 Scored 3 goals (Division 1)
1979-1980 Played 38 Scored 1 goal (Division 2)
1980-1981 Played 42 Scored 0 goals (Division 2)
1981-1982 Played 35 Scored 1 goal (Division 2
www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=40227
See Wikedia-
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Gillard
FLASHBACK FIVE YEARS
QPR Official Site
BLAST FROM THE PAST
Posted on: Thu 24 Jan 2008
In our latest instalment of exclusive past player interviews on www.qpr.co.uk, Ian Gillard comes under the spotlight.
Ian Gillard (1968-1982)
When
Ian Gillard retired from playing football, he went to work in the Mars
Bar factory and he put on so much weight that his former R's team mates
thought he was eating up all the chocolate he was making!
"Yes I piled on a few stone," said Gilly.
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"It
was a different sort of living altogether for me. Football had been in
my blood and then all of a sudden things changed and I was out in the
big wide world.
"Some guys are quite lucky in that they can stay
involved in sport and keep themselves in trim. But I took one look at
my FA Cup Final shirts and my England shirts and thought 'how the hell
did I ever fit into them?'"
Joking apart, Gillard was an
accomplished left-back who joined Rangers as an apprentice in 1968 and
went on to make nearly 500 appearances for the first team. He loved his
time at Loftus Road.
He said: "It was a big part of my life. I
had my ups and downs like most professional footballers, but I really
enjoyed it at QPR. It was a good Club and very well run.
"We had
a super Chairman in Jim Gregory. He knew exactly what he was doing
business-wise. He was a bit of a devil when you tried to negotiate with
him, but he understood how to rule a Football Club."
Gillard was
an integral part of the great R's side that challenged for the League
Championship in 1975/76 - and he still regrets missing out on a title
medal.
"I felt that we deserved to win it. We were an attacking
side that played lovely flowing football, but it wasn't to be. Liverpool
pipped us by a point and it was a real disappointment for us.
"That
was the best team I ever played in. They were good times and we had a
host of quality players. There was an excellent balance throughout the
squad.
"Dave Sexton was the finest Coach I ever worked with. He
was top notch. Dave was a very private and quiet man, but all the
players had so much respect for him."
Gilly's excellent form for
the Super Hoops led to three full England appearances in the mid-1970's.
He takes massive satisfaction when looking back on his international
caps.
"I was very proud obviously. I was lucky as a few regulars
in the squad like Kevin Beattie and Alan Kennedy got injured. So I got
my chance and I was really chuffed to play for my country.
"It
was just nice to be part of the set-up and be in the England squad as
there were a lot of good players involved in those days. I was very
honoured."
Snappy in the tackle and lethal on the overlap,
Gillard was a formidable defender. He only scored 11 times for the
Hoops, but one particular strike sticks in his mind.
"It was at home to Manchester United in September 1978. I still talk about it to this day as it was quite funny!
"Paddy
Roche was in goal for United and I put the ball between his legs at the
School End. It wasn't meant to be that way but I miss-hit my shot and
it just happened!
"I didn't notch many goals in my career so to get one against Manchester United was quite a privilege really."
After
completing 14 years with Rangers, Gillard bowed out at the very top.
His last games for the Club were at Wembley Stadium in the 1982 FA Cup
Final and Replay.
"We had two bites of the cherry against Spurs.
We played on the Saturday and then the Replay was on the Thursday night.
I knew that I was about to move on from QPR so it was a really good way
for me to bow out.
"Tottenham dominated the first match and if
wasn't for our keeper Peter Hucker, then we could have lost by two or
three goals. But we got over that and Terry Fenwick headed the equaliser
towards the end to make it 1-1.
"Then in the Replay, I thought
we really did well. We had a good Manager in Terry Venables and he knew
what was required to damage Spurs. The plan worked but unfortunately we
didn't score, so it was a sad occasion to lose 1-0."
Gilly has had a varied life since leaving Rangers - both in football and in his existence beyond.
"I
went to Aldershot as Player-Coach in July 1982. I retired from playing
four years later but I stayed on the coaching staff at the Recreation
Ground until 1990. We won promotion to the Third Division during my time
there.
"But when you have played at the top, it is very hard to
go down to the lower levels and I could see a contrast in the players'
attitudes. It was so different that it really hit me, to be honest.
"After
my time at Aldershot, I worked for Mars before I set up a cleaning
company with my wife. It was just the two of us involved and it was very
successful actually. But you get a little bit older and we decided to
call it a day. So I have jacked that in and I am semi-retired."
Ian
Gillard is now 57 years-old and lives in Surrey. He remains a firm
follower of our beloved R's and wishes the Club every success.
"It
is the first result I look for every week. QPR have always been close
to my heart and I pop up to Loftus Road occasionally to watch games with
my son or my wife.
"I don't want to see the team where they are
at the moment in the lower half of the Championship. They have come
through so many difficult years and I am hoping for an exciting future
ahead under the new owners."
www.qpr.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~1222076,00.html
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