Football: NATIONWIDE LEAGUE: Francis back in charge at QPR
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Your support makes all the difference.GERRY FRANCIS has promised an end to "First Division mediocrity" after returning to Queen's Park Rangers for his second spell in charge.
Francis, appointed both manager and director of football at Loftus Road, was in ebullient mood as he outlined his plans for the future. "Although I'm not setting any targets, I'm not here to keep this club in First Division mediocrity," he said yesterday. "QPR should be in the Premiership and in time that's where we intend to be."
Francis could hardly have had a more difficult start to his new tenure at QPR. Second from bottom of the First Division, today they visit the division's leaders, Huddersfield. Peter Jackson's Huddersfield side have gone from strength to strength since he took over the task of trying to restore one of the game's fallen giants. He looks close to combination to unlock the door to the Premiership, but the Terriers performed poorly last time out in a 3-0 defeat at Swindon. Francis, who warned QPR fans that he is no saviour, could catch the backlash.
Jackson is not alone in his desire to get his side back on the rails. Birmingham City's manager, Trevor Francis, wants a convincing victory over Crewe to emphasise his third-placed side's Premier credentials.
Sunderland, lying second, are again without their leading scorer, Kevin Phillips, who has a toe injury, for tomorrow's match at West Brom, so Niall Quinn and Danny Dichio will continue up front.
Colin Todd believes a strong squad will help Bolton, who faces Oxford today, to yo-yo back up to the top flight, while Sheffield United's player- manager Steve Bruce is hoping his run of derby success continues when Barnsley visit. "This is my first taste of a Yorkshire derby," Bruce said. "I did quite well in the Manchester derbies I played in so I'm looking for that run of luck to carry on."
The Wolves manager, Mark McGhee, is without his suspended Australian international right-back, Kevin Muscat, for the trip to Portsmouth, but believes he has an ideal replacement in the former Blackburn Rovers man Mark Atkins.
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