Episode Summary
Hosts
Graham Dunn, Jamie Rooney
Stuart Burgess
Guest(s)
Release Date
6 February 2025
Duration
86 min
In this episode of By Far The Greatest Team, Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney are joined by London regular Stuart Burgess to revisit one of the most thrilling and culturally rich stories in English football — Queens Park Rangers’ 1975–76 season.
At a time when the music of glam rock filled the airwaves, QPR became football’s embodiment of style and swagger. Managed by the cerebral Dave Sexton, the team played with precision and flair, mixing tactical sophistication with the confidence of a band at the top of their game.
With Stan Bowles, Gerry Francis, Phil Parkes, and Dave Thomas, Rangers became one of the most entertaining sides in the country — a blend of creativity, intelligence, and togetherness that thrilled Loftus Road and terrified opponents. The season developed into a nail-biting title race with Liverpool, one that went down to the final week, as QPR’s slim hopes were heartbreakingly dashed by results elsewhere.
Beyond the numbers, this episode explores QPR’s cultural resonance: how their style mirrored 1970s London life, the underappreciation of English flair players like Bowles, and how Sexton’s methods signalled the coming of modern coaching.
It’s the story of a team that didn’t quite win — but changed perceptions of what English football could be.
Takeaways
QPR’s remarkable 1975–76 title race with Liverpool
Stan Bowles as the club’s cult icon and creative heartbeat
Gerry Francis and Phil Parkes as vital leaders on the pitch
Dave Sexton’s coaching and the evolution of football tactics in the 70s
The cultural crossover between 70s glam rock and football flair
How QPR’s success faded as the decade wore on, but their legacy endures
Queens Park Rangers 1975–1976: The Nearly Champions
In 1975–76, Queens Park Rangers came within a single point of rewriting English football history.
Managed by the thoughtful and progressive Dave Sexton, QPR played football that felt decades ahead of its time — intelligent, fluid, and breathtakingly stylish. Anchored by the brilliance of Stan Bowles, the leadership of Gerry Francis, and the reliability of Phil Parkes, they went toe-to-toe with Bob Paisley’s Liverpool in one of the most dramatic title races the First Division had ever seen.
At Loftus Road, the atmosphere was electric. QPR’s football reflected the energy of 1970s London — creative, daring, and full of personality. Sexton’s side passed, moved, and attacked with a confidence rarely seen in English football, earning praise from across Europe for their artistry and cohesion.
Yet, as fate would have it, they finished one point behind Liverpool, their dreams undone not by failure but by timing. The story of QPR 1975–76 is one of near-miss greatness — a team that didn’t win the league but won something perhaps more enduring: admiration and cultural immortality.
This was the moment when football met fashion, when artistry met structure, and when Queens Park Rangers briefly stood as England’s most beautiful team.
Main Topics
Iconic Moments
QPR’s thrilling title race with Liverpool in 1975–76
Dave Sexton’s tactical revolution and man-management
Stan Bowles’ artistry and cult hero status
The cultural crossover between football and 1970s glam rock
The legacy and influence of QPR’s stylish near-miss
QPR’s thrilling title run to the final week of 1975–76
Stan Bowles dazzling Loftus Road crowds with flair and finesse
Gerry Francis captaining England during the same season
The tactical evolution under Dave Sexton’s coaching
The heartbreak as Liverpool clinched the title by one point
Notable Manager
Dave Sexton
Notable Players
Stan Bowles, Gerry Francis, Phil Parkes, Dave Thomas, Don Givens, Ian Gillard, Dave Webb, Frank McLintock, Mick Leach, John Hollins, David Clement, Terry Mancini
Style of Play
4-4-2, Possession-Based, Fluid, Creative, Intelligent, Attacking
Under Dave Sexton, QPR were pioneers of precision football in England’s top flight. At a time when many teams relied on physicality, Sexton built a side rooted in movement, intelligence, and creativity — one of the most fluid English sides of the 1970s.
Playing a 4-4-2 that often morphed into a 4-3-3, QPR used controlled possession, overlapping full-backs, and rotational midfield play. Gerry Francis dictated tempo from deep, linking defence to attack, while Dave Thomas provided width and Bowles offered improvisation between the lines.
Up front, Don Givens gave the team a reliable goal threat, supported by intelligent runs from wide areas. Sexton’s training was innovative for its time — short passing drills, positional rotations, and an emphasis on ball retention — giving QPR a continental feel that was rare in English football.
While not as physically dominant as their rivals, they compensated with tactical fluidity and flair. It was a style that combined artistry and application, bridging the gap between English graft and European guile.
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