16. Steve Lomas

Steve Lomas joined QPR on a free transfer from West Ham August 2005.

The 31 year old midfielder had been at Upton Park for eight years and was a first team regular for most of his time with the Hammers helping them to promotion last season.

Lomas started his top flight career at Manchester City making over 300 appearances for them.

He is possibly best known for one of his last games at City when his side needed a win to stay up but news came through that a draw was enough so Lomas kept the ball by the corner flag for a few minutes before it turned out they needed another goal and the time wasted ended up costing them as they were relegated along with QPR in 1996. Doh!

Lomas made 45 appearances for Northern Ireland scoring three goals in a decent international career. He is a defensive midfield player who is excellent at organising those around him, strong in the tackle and a good passer of the ball.

His days of attacking bursts into the box are behind him but he is still a very good player with a few years left in him.

Lomas soon settled into the side with a strong debut at Southampton. He brought to the club leadership skills as he talked non stop through games and was a great help to the younger players.

He was also still a very good player, strong in the tackle and a good passer of the ball, when Lomas played we usually looked a better side especially when he got the chance to play alongside a more attacking player like Langley or Rowlands.

The last few years for Lomas have been injury hit and this season was different as he missed two months with a hamstring injury but his return to the side was a welcome one as he quickly got back in the grove and was one of our best players.

In the win over Southampton Lomas was outstanding in midfield winning tackles and providing a link between the back four and midfield.

He combined well with Langley doing the hard work and letting the more creative players get forward. As a leader Lomas was the main man for QPR and was captain in all but name organising all areas of the team and looking one of our best players.

His performances remained of a decent standard as the season came to an end and it was somewhat surprising to see him placed on the transfer list at the end of the season.

Lomas is still a player with plenty to offer especially if played alongside a more attacking player and to give up a player of his experience did seem an odd decision.

Things changed for Lomas though and after being out in the cold and not invovled during pre season he was brought into the first team for the first game of the new season and has been around the first team ever since.