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Today's game brings with it the end of one era and the start of another. Brian Laws has been gone from Turf Moor for over two weeks now but officially we are still without a manager and Laws' first team coach Stuart Gray continues in charge.
But the new era will be here with Eddie Howe and Jason Tindall, last night in charge of Bournemouth's team at Colchester, both expected to be at the ground ahead of them signing contracts to become manager and assistant manager of Burnley Football Club.
They'll see us facing a QPR side that have, for most of the season, been top of the league but their interest will be in a Burnley side that have at least got back to winning ways at home since Laws' left with victories over Sheffield United and Port Vale.
We are not a million miles away - just four points from the top six, but we could do with putting a run together soon if we are to get anywhere near those positions by the end of the season.
It's a watching brief today for Howe who is likely to be on the training ground with his new players early next week. Let's hope he leaves his seat in the stand this afternoon with a favourable impression.
QPR were one of my tips at the start of the season. A club with as much money as they have should always be in with a chance although I do recall, ahead of our game at Loftus Road, hearing manager Neil Warnock confirm they couldn't match the sort of wages Portsmouth are paying for their players.
Should we ever believe what he says though? According to a lot of Burnley fans the same old Warnock is always cheating, although a week ago the boot was very much on the other foot as he launched a tirade at Blackburn's El Hadji Diouf, something that seemed to sit very easily with Burnley fans, indeed most fans around the country.
He is, though, doing a good job at Loftus Road. I certainly wouldn't have complained had we appointed him in January of last year and his move soon after from Crystal Palace is without doubt proving to be a good one.
They didn't lose a league game until mid-December and when they did fell to successive defeats against Watford and Leeds. They've lost once more since, at Norwich, meaning all three defeats have come against teams in the top six.
QPR will be without Jamie Mackie who suffered a serious injury in last week's cup game at Blackburn. There's good news though with Matt Connolly fit again and Petter Vaagan Moen set to make his debut.
Moen will replace Mackie whilst Connolly is expected to return in the centre of defence with the back four shuffling to replace Kyle Walker who has now ended his loan and has gone on loan to Aston Villa.
In their last league game they lined up: Paddy Kenny, Bradley Orr, Clint Hill, Kaspars Gorkss, Kyle Walker, Shaun Derry, Adel Taarabt, Alejandro Faurlin, Jamie Mackie, Tommy Smith, Rob Hulse.
Stuart Gray isn't likely to make many, if any, changes for his last game in charge and it would come as no surprise if he named the side that beat Port Vale last week.
Dean Marney was a doubt but is expected to be fit to take his place on the bench. If not then either Kevin McDonald or Alex-Ray Harvey will be named.
Our team will be: Lee Grant, Tyrone Mears, Clarke Carlisle, Michael Duff, Danny Fox, Graham Alexander, Wade Elliott, Jack Cork, Chris Eagles, Chris Iwelumo, Jay Rodriguez. Subs: Brian Jensen, David Edgar, Andre Bikey, Brian Easton, Dean Marney, Ross Wallace, Steven Thompson.
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There was a surprise in the Burnley team with Jay Rodriguez preferred to Martin Paterson and thus getting his first start in the first team with Pato having to settle for a place on the bench.
We started and ended the first half brightly although there was very much a dull patch between the two spells but the only real fright we gave QPR was from a Graham Alexander shot that Radek Cerny did really well to save.
There is no doubt we were building up some real momentum as the half drew to a close but when the whistle went it was still 0-0.
It needed a good start to the second half, and it came. In the very first minute Clarke Carlisle hit the post with a header from a corner, and when he got his head to the next corner just a few minutes later it was turned in by Chris Eagles. By his hand said QPR but referee Mark Haywood awarded the goal.
That gave us a real boost and we came close to adding a second. It didn't come and in the closing stages of the game we did get anxious, but held on for the win and moved ever closer to a play off place with just four games to go.
The teams were;
Burnley: Brian Jensen, Rhys Williams, Clarke Carlisle, Steven Caldwell, Christian Kalvenes, Graham Alexander, Chris Eagles (Kevin McDonald 89), Wade Elliott, Chris McCann, Robbie Blake (Joey Gudjonsson 79), Jay Rodriguez (Martin Paterson 86). Subs not used: Diego Penny, Michael Duff. Yellow Cards: Christian Kalvenes.
QPR: Radek Cerny, Matthew Connolly, Damien Delaney, Kaspars Gorkss, Peter Ramage, Wayne Routledge, Mikele Leigertwood, Hogan Ephraim (Jordi Lopez 71), Adel Taarabt, Samuel Di Carmine (Lee Cook 54), Rowan Vine (Matteo Alberti 84). Subs not used: Damion Stewart, Gavin Mahon.
Previous 20 Seasons | |||||
Season | Div | Ven | Result | Att | Scorers |
2000/01 | 1 | a | 1-0 | 11,427 | Mullin |
| . | . | h | 2-1 | 14,018 | Smith Taylor |
2004/05 | C | a | 0-3 | 15,638 | . |
. | . | h | 2-0 | 10,396 | Akinbiyi(2) |
2005/06 | C | a | 1-1 | 12,565 | McCann |
| . | . | h | 1-0 | 11,247 | Gray |
2006/07 | C | h | 2-0 | 12,190 | Jones(2) |
. | . | a | 1-3 | 10,811 | McCann |
2007/08 | C | h | 0-2 | 10,522 | . |
| . | . | a | 4-2 | 13,410 | Cole(3) Akinbiyi |
2008/09 | C | a | 2-1 | 13,226 | Blake Mahon |
. | FA | a | 0-0 | 8,896 | . |
. | FA | h | 2-1 | 3,760 | Thompson Rodriguez (won after extra time) |
. | C | h | 1-0 | 15,058 | Eagles |
2010/11 | C | a | 1-1 | 15,620 | Alexander(pen) |