David Bardsley

David Bardsley was a vital member of the QPR team for almost ten years and gained International caps during his time at Rangers.

David Bardsley joined QPR a few weeks into the 1989/90 season from Oxford United. Bardsley had been in the game for a few years having been a popular player at Watford helping them to success in the old Division one and getting to an FA Cup final in 1984.

His arrival at QPR saw him come into a team low on confidence after a disappointing start to the season. Under Trevor Francis we had a good squad of players but never really found the consistency that was required. Players fell out with Francis and the club never seemed a happy place at that time.

I remember seeing Bardsley for the first time in a home game against Derby County where he failed to impress. He looked out of his depth and I couldn't understand why we had signed him. He quickly became a target for the boo boys before he had a chance to settle at his new club.

He got his first goal for QPR a few weeks after joining with a header at White Hart Lane in a 3-2 defeat against Spurs. He looked like a defender playing as a winger (which is what he was of course) and his early performances never hinted at the brilliance that was to come from him.

During Francis last few games Bardsley went back to right back where he did well against his old team mate John Barnes but he didn't come into his own until Don Howe took over a few weeks later. As with most of the squad the improvement was drastic as Bardsley looked far more comfortable with the new manager and we began getting better results.

To be honest I still didn't rate Bardsley at this time and felt that other defenders used to bail him out due to some poor positioning but I was in a small minority over this. I remember sitting in the upper Loft with my dad and his mates they used to have several arguments about him with some blokes in front of us claiming he was a quality player and a few of my dads mates saying he was rubbish. In truth he was somewhere in the middle and fair play to him as he began to turn his form around.

As Rangers form improved we reached the quarter finals of the FA Cup and beat several of the top teams in the country with Bardsley beginning to establish himself as the first choice right back.

The following season saw Bardsley start again as right back and the team got off to a mixed start before Bardsley picked up an injury, which saw him out of the side for a few weeks. When he returned a massive injury crisis had hit us, which is when Bardsley came into his own. He played at centre back for a few games and his natural right back position and he used his experience to push us through a really tough period.

We lost several games around that time but when Don Howe brought in Darren Peacock and Andy Tilson it was Bardsley who seemed to help them settle by being more vocal on the pitch and organising the defence. By the end of the season Rangers had pulled well clear of relegation and Bardsley was gaining a reputation as a quality right back.

It was in this season that he began to strike up a great rapport with Les Ferdinand. His overlapping runs down the right would see him whip in some excellent crosses for Ferdinand to get on the end of and begin to score a few goals for us.

The following season saw another change in manager as Gerry Francis took over and Bardsley again continued to improve. His passing and positioning had sometimes left a lot to be desired but these areas of his game really improved and I'd had a complete change of heart over him. After thinking he was awful for around 8 months when he first joined he really won me over and he was now one of my favourite players in the team.

Bardsley was shockingly left out of the squad for the 1992 European Championships despite the country having no fit right backs available. The England manager instead went for QPR's left winger Andy Sinton as England right back which pretty much summed him up.

As Rangers went into the first season of the Premiership Bardsley was one of the first names on the team sheet. He scored a stunning free kick in the first home game of the season as we got off to a great start to the season. Bardsley was now coming into his own keeping some of the best wingers in the country quiet and proving to be a real threat going forward. He linked well with Andy Impey on the right and was always on hand at the back to keep the goals against column down.

Rangers finished fifth that season with Bardsley making a brief appearance for his country before getting injured and being substituted and thus ending his International career before it really got started. It’s a crime that such a good right back as Bardsley got so few England caps when rubbish like Philip Neville still commands a place in the England squad.

Bardsley was now one of several QPR players linked with so called bigger clubs. Arsenal and Blackburn expressed an interest but he ended up staying put and produced another consistent season in 1993/94 season. Rangers weren’t quite as successful that season finishing in mid table but Bardsley continued to impress and remained one of our best players at the time.

The return of Ray Wilkins as manager saw Bardsley play some of his best football. In a more attacking line up he was able to get forward more and he combined well with Andy Impey to make us one of the most attractive teams to watch in the Premiership. His defending was improving with experience and although he continued to be linked with bigger clubs he made it clear he wanted to stay at QPR and see out the rest of his career.

Sadly the rest of Rangers career was tinged with disappointment. A loss of form and injury problems saw him well below his best as we got relegated from the Premiership. The sight of his curling passes down the line turned from cheers to jeers as he regularly found the back of the paddock rather than the space in front of Impey.

Bardsley clearly became frustrated with himself but he was still able to produce some excellent performances against the top sides in the division and he helped a very young defence through some tough times that season. He played through the pain with injuries when he probably should have rested and he paid the price missing the next season with Achilles tendon problems and his career appeared to be over.

He spent 18 months out of the first team before making a triumphant return towards the end of the 1997/98 season when Rangers now faced relegation to division two. His return to the team saw him back to his best and he was outstanding as Rangers escaped the drop on goal difference. Many fans attribute the survival to Neil Ruddock and Vinnie Jones but the return of Bardsley was vital and he was a key part in us stay in the division.

He was treated pretty poorly by the club at the end of the season, given a free transfer to Blackpool when he was still good enough to do a job for us in what proved a problem position the next season.

David Bardsley will always be remembered as a quality player from the successful team of the early to mid 1990’s. He turned the crowd around from being the boo boy target to being the most popular right back since the days of Dave Clement at Loftus Road.

Bardsley split the fans at first and as I said he wasn’t my favourite player when he first joined but I’m pleased to say he won me over with some brilliant performances and he remains one of the best full backs I’ve seen in my time supporting QPR.