Ben Guest
Queens Park Rangers have announced that they are exploring options around a potential move away from Loftus Road, with their current stadium being branded ‘unsustainable.’
QPR first called Loftus Road home back in 1917, and despite two attempts to leave in 1931 and again in 1962, the R’s have always returned to their spiritual home.
However, with a capacity of just over 18,000, and being in the middle of a built-up area in West London, QPR Chairman Lee Hoos has deemed their home no longer fit for purpose, saying that they are interested in a move to the Linford Christie stadium, an athletics track which is less than one mile from Loftus Road.
“We love our home at Loftus Road, but it is unsustainable for a professional football club in the long term due to its size, age and lack of non-matchday use,” Hoos told qpr.co.uk.
“It is very obvious to thousands of fans who pile in to Loftus Road every fortnight, and it has been made clear to the current council leadership since they took office in 2014.
“We hoped they would work with us to find a solution that keeps QPR in the borough for another 100 years, and we still do.
“Everyone at our club still wants to remain in Hammersmith and Fulham if at all possible. However, we have been very open with our fans and the local community that, in the absence of any alternative, the Linford Christie Stadium is, as far as we can see, our last chance to stay in the borough.
“The council is shortly to launch a public consultation on the future of the Linford Christie site, which we will encourage our fanbase, local residents and stakeholders to take part in.
“Ultimately, the council owns the site and if they do not want QPR to be involved in its redevelopment then that is their choice. But we have to be honest with people about the likely consequence of that, which is QPR’s medium to long-term future will be out of Hammersmith and Fulham.
“We would like to invite the leader of the council Stephen Cowan to Loftus Road to meet club representatives, with any fans’ groups they wish to meet as well, to understand the severe limitations we gave here, and see how we can work together to keep QPR in W12.”