1976: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times!
CHAMPIONS, or at least clubhouse leaders, for nine days, it took just 14 minutes for the land of Hoops and glory to turn to ashes.
Gerry Francis has never forgotten the gut-wrenching anguish of Queens Park Rangers preparing for their coronation as the kings of English football, only to be turfed off the throne at the last gasp.
Rangers and their inspired young captain were the uncrowned princes of Shepherd’s Bush in 1976.
Instead of wearing a king’s robes, Gerry and the pacemakers saw their title snatched away by Liverpool and their Kop ensemble reciting a famous anthem by Gerry and the Pacemakers.
Leeds United’s visit to Loftus Road this lunchtime brings the bittersweet memories of a thrilling title race back to Francis – to the day when the Super Hoops dreamed they were champions.
But QPR’s kings never wore the royal mantle. Instead of being robed, they wuz robbed.
“It was both a wonderful time and a terrible time,” said Francis. “We were champions for nine days, but on the 10th we saw a whole season’s work disintegrate in a quarter of an hour.
“We beat Leeds 2-0 on the last day of the League season, which was a decent result in its own right because they had been in the European Cup final 12 months earlier and they were still a force to be reckoned with.
“I remember there were 31,000 people inside Loftus Road that day – I had never seen the place so rammed, and a lot of them were on the pitch afterwards, hoping we’d done enough to win the title.”
Rangers’ victory against Leeds left Liverpool needing a win, or a low-scoring draw, in their deferred final League game at relegationbound Wolves to deny Dave Sexton’s stylish Rs the trophy.
Francis said: “Those nine days, waiting for Liverpool to play their final game, were the longest of my football life. It felt like 10 years – the players didn’t know whether to celebrate or shut themselves away. Of course, the same situation would not be allowed now, with the top two playing on different dates more than a week apart.
“And one club knowing exactly what they had to do before their last game kicked off.
“But Liverpool were involved in the UEFA Cup final against Bruges, so they were allowed to play their final game at Wolves later.
“Don’t ask me why, I’ve never really worked it out.
“It was a magnificent season, we felt we played the better football and we actually won more games and scored more goals than them.
“When it came to the crunch, about 75 per cent of the players went round the corner from Loftus Road to the BBC Television Centre to watch a live feed of the WolvesLiverpool game in the studio.
“And it was heartbreaking... the worst kind of agony.”
Steve Kindon’s early goal fired
Wolves in front, and with 14 minutes remaining they were clinging to their lead.
Back in their corner of west London, Francis and his teammates could barely contain their excitement. But then Kevin Keegan’s equaliser punctured the home side’s resistance at a heaving Molineux, and Rangers’ fading hopes were snuffed out by goals from John Toshack and Ray Kennedy in the last five minutes.
“Along with Keegan’s Newcastle team from about 25 years ago, a lot of people say we were the best team never to win the title,” said Francis, now 68.
“We beat Liverpool 2-0 on the opening day of the season, we went up to Derby – who were the reigning champions – and played them off the park 5-1, and I was having the time of my life because Don Revie had made me the second-youngest England captain behind Bobby Moore.
“That crushing disappointment of being top of the League on the last day of the season, and then having the trophy snatched away from us, will never leave me.”