9. Tony Thorpe

Tony Thorpe has been a regular goalscorer in the Nationwide leagues for the last six or seven years and came to QPR amid controversial circumstances.

He began his career at Luton as an attacking midfield player but was switched up front and responded with 28 goals for Luton in one season, the best tally of his career so far. Thorpe moved on to join Fulham and was signed by former QPR manager Ray Wilkins. Thorpe never really broke into the Fulham side though and had loan spells at Reading and Luton before making a million pound move to Bristol City.

In Bristol he became a very consistent goalscorer getting into double figures three years in a row before making an emotional return to Luton where he was adored by the Luton fans. Last season he hit 15 goals for the Hatters and fired in three in three games this year before leaving to join QPR.

His move to QPR though was a controversial one. With Luton in administration and having not paid the players for three months Thorpe was able to give 14 days notice and leave for nothing. Instead though a fee was agreed with the Luton administrators of £50,000 and Thorpe became a QPR player much to Luton manager Mike Newells disgust.

Amazingly he slammed QPR for a lack of ethics, coming from a manager who stole Joe Kinnears job in a rigged phone vote it is a little bit rich for him to talk of ethics.

Thorpe took over the number 9 shirt once worn by Sir Les Ferdinand and aimed to be the 20 goal a season man that QPR desperately need to win promotion.

He made a good start scoring twice in his second start for the club during a 3-0 win over Chesterfield. His fast feet and movement off the ball was giving the team plenty of options to play it o the floor and when we did Thorpe usually benefited.

As is typical of a QPR player though he was soon in the treatment room but returned for a not so great home coming to Luton. He was booed off the pitch before he had even got on but had a hand in a late equaliser which seemed to upset the natives even more. Thorpe was taking his time to settle but still added another goal in a win over Barnsley.

Injury to Paul Furlong gave Thorpe an extended run in the side and he grabbed it with both hands. He got the winner against Brentford and showed some great inter play with Gallen as his popularity rose.

Thorpe and Gallen were looking top class as they both got on the scoresheet in the wins over Plymouth, Hartlepool and Sheffield Wednesday and Thorpe even got a goal of the month award for his cracking effort against Brighton.

His ninth goal of the season came in the win over Colchester before he got injured in training and was forced to sit out a few weeks. His return saw him back in scoring action but he never looked fully fit and soon found himself down to fourth choice among the strikers when Jamie Cureton was signed.

This season though has not been a good one for the striker. He got injured during the second game of the season at Watford which ruled him out for two months.

He returned against Millwall and looked sharp but a few days later at West Ham a disgusting tackle by Repka put Thorpe out again. This time he was out for three months.

More niggly injuries kept him out of the side before he moved on to Rotherham on a months loan to gain some match fitness. Thorpe was released on a free transfer at the end of the 2004/05 season.

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