Fulham (2) – QPR (2) – ‘Danger from Flying Bombs – Spotters shall be Stationed to give Warning of imminent Danger…’ 

Football League South 

Team: Brown, Rose, Abel, Smith, Ridyard, Mallett, Jones, Sibley, Heathcote, Fitzgerald, Burley 

Attendance: 8,000 

On 9th September 1944, QPR travelled to Craven Cottage. Included in the Rangers line-up were two guest players. Jones at No.7 was a West Brom player and Sibley at No.8 was attached to Southend United. 

Ben Burley has ‘Chelmsford’ scribbled above his name, but Rangers had signed him two years earlier and had made his debut against Tottenham on 5th September 1942. 

The player had moved from Darlington to Chelmsford in 1939 and had guested for a number of different clubs during the War years.  

The programme issued a warning of potential danger from flying bombs: ‘Spotters shall be stationed to give warning of imminent danger, and a flag will be displayed on the scoreboard on the river side and also on the main Stand. 

On such warning being given, the game shall be suspended at once, those present being advised to take cover under the Stands or nearest available place. All exit gates will be opened for those who wish to leave the ground.’ 

The V-1 flying bomb, aka the doodlebug, was first launched against London a few months earlier on 13th June.  

And the day before the match, the first V-2 rocket hit Staveley Road in Chiswick.  

In the West Ham home match programme a week later, manager Dave Mangnall provided a few lines on the game. 

‘Those of our supporters who made the journey to Fulham last Saturday will be pleased with the show our boys put up. We had all the luck that was going; we might easily have run out winners by two clear goals.  

However, at any time it is an achievement to take a point from Fulham at Craven Cottage. 

Paddy Fitzgerald scored both our goals (one from a penalty), and Harry Brown made a brilliant save from O’Callaghan’s penalty kick.’ 

He also added the following about the reserve match played the same day against Fulham at Loftus Road.  

‘Meanwhile, the reserves had a hard game against them at Loftus Road against a much older team. 

Although they lost 0-1, reports assure me that they served up some very good football.’ 

That draw at Craven Cottage gave the R’s their first league point of the season after three games. 

Steve Russell