QPR figures don't add up, claims fan

Evidence of serious breaches of financial regulations

at Queens Park Rangers has been

uncovered by a fan examining the club’s records.

The Rangers supporter discovered that the

QPR Holdings company accounts for the financial

year ending May 31 2005 which were

approved by shareholders at the March 2006

annual meeting differed by millions of pounds

from the document which has just been lodged

at Companies House.

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The widespread alterations affected the

turnover figures, profit and loss numbers, commercial

revenues, administrative expenses,

operating accounts, matchday receipts and

sponsorship, as well as the valuation of the

Loftus Road ground that had risen from

£17.2million to £20m.

It has also emerged that the QPR auditors

Nieman Walters Niman had not signed off the

company accounts that were presented to

shareholders by the QPR executive.

Accountant Ed Nieman, who was asked to

resign as QPR auditor by the club last week,

said: "I didn’t go to the AGM because the

accounts weren’t final. They were only signed off

on January 22 this year.

"They shouldn’t have

been approved at the AGM as they were not

finalised. The QPR board know from me they

should not have been presented or voted on.

"I’ve no idea why the club no longer want me to

act for them. I haven’t had an opportunity to

discuss it."

No one at QPR was available for comment.

LEEDS UNITED, rock bottom of the

Championship, already charge some of the

highest ticket prices in the league. And now the

club are attempting to extract even more

money from their disillusioned fans by

introducing a premium price 0871 telephone

number for their ticket services.

RICHARD BOWKER, chief

executive of bus and train

operator National Express

Group, who was on the

final shortlist for the FA job

that went to Brian Barwick, found himself in

negotiations with the FA

chief executive over a sponsorship

deal. It might have

galled Bowker during their

talks that at least one of

the FA selection panel

wanted him to be chosen

ahead of Barwick.

Cup poser for Roman

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, whose

continued absence from Stamford Bridge suggests

his love affair with English football is not

as strong as it was, could be facing the mother of

all dilemmas over the 2018 World Cup.

While England are looking certain bidders to

host the tournament, well-informed speculation

suggests that Russia might also put themselves

in the frame. And as Abramovich currently

bankrolls the Russian national side, his enthusiasm

for their challenge will be all-important.

There could also be strong opposition to

England from China, Australia and America if

FIFA throw the bidding open to the world,

rather than just Europe, whose "turn" it will be.

Meanwhile, Gordon Brown’s World Cup feasibility

document puts pressure on the FA leadership

by saying that implementation of the Burns

restructuring proposals — looking less likely by

the day — is needed if they are to be fit to run a

World Cup campaign.

But it will please Premier

League clubs that Brown is opposed to the independent

sports review, instigated by Minister of

Sport Richard Caborn, that proposes bringing

UEFA regulations into English football.

NEW ZEALAND Rugby Union averted

another English club v country dispute

when they barred the NZ Maoris, who will be

over for the Churchill Cup tournament next

summer, from playing a Premiership XV at

Stamford Bridge. It was felt that as they will be

guests of the RFU, taking part in an

unnecessary Premiership initiative would be

counter-productive at such a sensitive time.