Former QPR boss Howe dies

Don Howe has died at the age of 80.

Howe was QPR head coach between November 1989 and May 1991, during which time the club signed Ray Wilkins, Clive Wilson, Roy Wegerle, Rufus Brevett, Darren Peacock and Andrew Impey, while Les Ferdinand broke into the first team after initially struggling to establish himself.

The R’s also reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, losing at Liverpool in a replay having knocked out Howe’s former club Arsenal in a memorable fourth-round clash at Loftus Road.

Rangers were ravaged by injuries during the first half of the following season but came on strong, with the likes of David Bardsley and Andy Sinton emerging as stand-out performers and Wegerle forming an exciting partnership with Ferdinand.

They also secured QPR’s first and only victory over Liverpool at Anfield – a 3-1 triumph in which Ferdinand, Wegerle and Wilson scored.

However, with Howe then aged 55, he was sacked and replaced by Gerry Francis, with the club keen to appoint a younger manager.

He played 23 times for England and coached the national team under Ron Greenwood, Bobby Robson and Terry Venables.

He was Robson’s right-hand man for the 1990 World Cup and part of Venables’ coaching team for the 1996 European Championships. England reached the semi-finals of both tournaments.

Howe played for, managed and coached at Arsenal prior to his time at QPR. In later years he returned to the north London club as a youth coach.