Sheffield Wednesday (1) – QPR (3) – ‘Reject Stainrod Shoots Down Boyhood Heroes’
Football League Division Two
Team: Burridge, Gillard, Gregory, Fenwick, Howe, Roeder, Waddock, Micklewhite, Allen, Stainrod, Flanagan
Sub: Hazell
Attendance: 17,024
On 14th November, 1981, the R’s travelled to Hillsborough. John Osborne’s match report later followed:
‘Simon Stainrod demolished Sheffield Wednesday – the Club he watched from the Spion Kop as a boy – with a superbly taken hat-trick at Hillsborough.
The 24-year-old striker – rejected in his mid-teens by Wednesday, forcing him to cross the city to Bramall Lane to start his professional career – gained sweet revenge over the club that almost broke his heart.
“I was heartbroken when Wednesday did not take me on as a boy. My dream as a kid was to captain them at Wembley,” he said.
“It’s the first time I’ve ever played at Hillsborough, the ground where I used to stand on the Kop and it’s a most incredible feeling to score a hat-trick here,” said Rangers’ £300,000 striker after the match.
Wednesday crashed to their second home league defeat of the season and slipped two places to sixth position in the Second Division table.
They have now gone four matches without a win, conceding eight goals and scoring only two. Defensive errors must take much of the blame for Stainrod’s good fortune.
Wednesday’s rearguard was particularly vulnerable in the middle of the back-four. But it would be unfair to lay the entire blame at their feet for Rangers’ first league win at Hillsborough.
Stainrod’s first goal after 43 minutes was a bizarre affair, and up until then Wednesday had looked quite promising.
Gary Micklewhite played the ball in from the right, Stainrod took advantage of a gaping hole in Wednesday’s straggling and static defence, and lobbed over Bob Bolder’s head.
Just before half-time, he hammered home his second after a tremendous piece of individual skill, which must have impressed Manchester United boss Ron Atkinson, who was watching from the stand.
He turned on a sixpence before firing a low drive past Bolder’s outstretched fingers.
And Stainrod completed his hat-trick after 56 minutes, adding the final touch to a fine team move, but again Wednesday’s defence stood still.
Wednesday’s lone reply came with 23 minutes remaining. Charlie Willamson crossed from the left and Gary Bannister, well placed inside the penalty area, put the ball in with his right-foot.’
It was noted that Bob Hazell replaced Clive Allen on 76 minutes.
And Colin Seel booked four players, Gary Bannister for Wednesday and Clive Allen, Simon Stainrod plus Gary Micklewhite for the R’s.
The Wednesday starting line-up included former Rangers striker, Andy McCulloch.
The following week the R’s went on to lose 1-2 at Shrewsbury.
Steve Russell