HDU Members Spotlight: Lee Maynard (QLD)
- Mark Davis
- Jun 24
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 2
Next up in our Hoops Down Under Member Spotlights, we skip over to Brisbane, Queensland where we meet up with QLD Rocker 🎸 Lee Maynard for a chat about all things QPR!
Q: Hey Lee! So how long have you been a QPR fan?
A: I have been a QPR fan for over 50 years. I lived in Collingbourne Road and went to Ellerslie Primary/Junior School. One of my earliest recollections was during a warm afternoon sitting in class with the huge windows open and I could hear the first team training next door at Loftus Road. I vividly remember thinking I'd give anything to be playing football rather than stuck in class!
The community team at QPR were always dropping into the school with tickets for matches and I managed to bag one. I remember my first game being in the lower tier of the school end sometime in the 1974/75 season. After that I was hooked on everything QPR (much to the dismay of my Dad who was/is a Fulham supporter!). I was a Junior R's member and had a Junior Season Ticket for the lower loft where I used to stand about 5 rows back just to by the right hand post as you were looking towards the pitch.
During the Ray Wilkins era I even managed to get my Dad to get a season ticket with me in the upper Loft and convert him into an R's fan! 😅
Q: What is your most favourite QPR memory to date? A: My favourite memory was as a junior R's season ticket holder. We had just played our last home game of the season against Wolves and had been crowned Division 2 Champions. There was a pitch invasion. After the game I was waiting outside the players entrance in South Africa Road to get autographs.
I had been waiting ages and it was freezing 🥶 The security guy came over and said the players were in the players lounge and wouldn't be leaving for a while. I asked if he could take my autograph book and get Terry Venables autograph.
He came back and apologised saying he couldn't get it for me. But then said because Mr Venables would like you (me) to come in so he could sign it! I followed the guy to Terry's office and sure enough there he was behind his desk. He signed my book and then took me down to the players lounge. He introduced me to Terry Fenwick and asked if I needed any other players' autographs.
Terry Fenwick then took me around to all the players still there. I just couldn't believe what was happening! I do remember however big Bob Hazel was pretty pissed 🥴
I've still got the autograph book.
Q: Who is your all time favourite QPR Player? And Why?
A: There's a few. There's the obvious Gerry Francis, Stan Bowles (I have his autobiography that he signed for me), but as a kid it was Simon Stainrod. Then later I'd have to say the late great Ray Wilkins.
Q: Who is your all time favourite QPR Manager? And Why?
A: Terry Venables! He got us playing some fantastic football. Also got us back up to Division 1 and to the FA Cup Final. If he'd not gone all El Tel and gone to Barcelona (what was he thinking!!!) who knows where he could have taken us!
Q: Who is your current favourite QPR Player? And Why?
A: Jimmy Dunne. Proper defender in the mould of QPR greats like Hazell, Wicks, Parker and Macca.
Q: Where would you like to see QPR in say, 5 years time (2030-31)? How do QPR reach this achievement? A: A team consistently being in or around the playoff places in the Championship. Unless we can do a Wrexham and get some rich Hollywood/filthy rich Arabian Prince to invest in us I think top end Championship is about our level nowadays.
LEE'S PREDICTION FOR 2025-26
Bottom Half of Table (Finishing 12th-16th but never really relegation threatened)
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