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I few weeks back I posted some sad news about Trevor Kingham, and the massive heart attack he'd suffered in Turkey. Trev was in the National Heart Hospital in Marylebone. Unable to communicate as he was in a coma, apart from the odd flicker of his eye's there was nothing coming from him.
I'm not sure when he was moved from that hospital, but he was transfered back to the East Surrey Hospital where he still remains.
The good news is, Trev has come out of that deep coma and has started to comunicate with his family. According to his brother Peter, he's also started to get some movement in his arms and legs, something they thought would never happen.
I'm sure all QPR fans will join me in wishing Trevor a steady recovery, however long and slow that process maybe - I hope to visit him in the coming weeks, and fingers crossed I'll have even better news about our 'Brother in Hoops'. Peter says it's just family at the moment, but would like thank everyone for the kind messages and good will sent to his brother.
I hope the second part of this post won't offend any of you, as I'm sure many of the younger Rangers fans reading this, I guessing under the age of 35 years, possibly won't have a clue who the Kingham Brothers are, so here's my small insight into who they are.
I first met twins Peter and Trevor in the early 1970's ... not at Loftus Road, but on the inter-city bone shakers going to QPR away games. Both of them were alway very smartly turned out, usually wearing Harrington Jackets, or the American Fly-Jackets! You didn't want to call either of them by the others name .... I made that mistake once and got a right volley, I never did it again! The pair of them .... OK, the best word to describe Pete and Trev is TASTY!
They never backed down from the sort of confrontations that happened at the majority of QPR matches, plus in those early days there would be times when they'd be at loggerheads with each other. In saying that, they'd back each other to the hilt, and stand by any Rangers fan that found himself in a sticky situation - If you were Rangers, then that was good enough for the Kinghams!
Trevor is a natural leader. In the mid 1970's he ran his own coach travel to away games, in direct opposition to The QPROSC. Rangers fans loved it, because Trevor organised proper pub stops, with a burger and chips meal included with the price of the coach travel ticket, he had pick-up's and drop off's unlike The QPROSC, it was a real revelation for QPR supporters! Don't sound like much now, but trust me, back then in the 70's and 80's, football fans all over the country were treated worse than any poor bugger who'd fallen foul of 'The Plague' in Victorian England.
The 1977 League Cup semi-final at Villa Park, and the 1986 Milk Cup semi-final at Anfield are just two games out of umpteen others, that Trev ran his own coach travel to.... both games will stick in my mind for ever and a day.
When QPR got to the FA CUP Final in 1982, Trevor had a Newsagents Shop in Edgware north London. Anyone who knows Edgware will tell you it's very highly populated by Spurs fans - Anyway, Trevor decide to stock navy blue and white balloons in his shop once QPR knew we'd got Tottenham in the final.
He told us, Spurs fans couldn't get enough of his balloons, buying 'em hand over fist .... I know what your thinking, Trev's Rangers, and he's selling Spurs balloons? We all thaught the same! But when he told us what he'd done .... He sat up night after night, opening and re-sealing packets of Spurs balloons, and then carefully made sure the navy ones were on top in the packets, as all the white balloons had 'QPR for the Cup' written on them in blue felt tipped pen..... Man alive, did we laugh when he told us that story! For the weeks leading up to the Cup-Final, everytime we saw Trev, we mimicked blowing up balloons ..... it was a, you had to be there quality moment!
So as I've said, Trev ran his own coach travel, but not only that, I've lost count of the number of times Trev went to court to represent QPR fans who'd had their collar's felt at matches. He did it out of his own pocket, and got many a Rangers fan off football related charges, not just in London but places like the Midlands, Liverpool, in fact all over the country and earned himself a reputation for making police officers look daft in court.
The big one! Everyone knows about QPRLSA! The LSA was Trevor's baby, it was his invention, it united QPR fans like no other orginisation had done for the QPR fan base! Trevor was the leader, and made himself LSA Chairman. You all know the story about Jim Gregory putting QPR up for sale near the end of 1986 - I can't think of a Rangers fan who wasn't 5hitting themself over the various newspaper reports in ALL the daily papers. First a ground share with chel5hit and Fulham, and then the real big fear that came out ..... the Fulham Park Rangers merger! Not just back page but front page tabloid news.
No QPR fan really knew what to do! Oh there were all kinds of daft ideas floating around, but Trevor Kingham knew what to do - He formed the QPR Independent Supporters Association at the start of Febuary 1987. That name last a mere week, when he decided to changed the name to the QPR Loyal Supporters Assocation. The upper bar in The Springbok became the LSA club-house. The day Rangers played Man City, the LSA membership opened. Trev got 250 membership cards printed, little did he or any of us know!
The que for memberships streched way down South Africa Road to Hammersmith Park ... over 2000 QPR fans joined up to The LSA that day. We had strength, unity and a voice for QPR fans with Trevor at the helm, everyone trusted him. It's quite possible, but for Trevors determination, there might not be a QPRFC as we know today. The club, David Bulstrode and his directors, the press/TV all listened to Trevor Kingham ..... the rest is history!
Peter and Trevor Kingham followed QPR and England everywhere. I don't think you can lable any QPR supporter THE BEST FAN. If you've followed our beloved Hoops for one season, or fifty seasons, were all QPR fans, and we all want the best possible outcome every season for Rangers.
I've tryed to pay this small tribute to a man who's been my friend, a 'Brother in Hoops' for almost forty years now ... And I hope I've given you an insight into a very special QPR fan who really did care about every Rangers supporter, which is not an easy thing to do! I don't know how to measure the best QPR fan, but I honesty say with my hand on my heart .... Trevor Kingham is right up there with whoever is the best!
Trevor turned his back on QPR and The LSA in the early 90's. He walked away from football mainly due to compulsory ALL-SEATER stadiums. Trev fought endless battles with all sorts of organisations including The FA. He strongly opposed the ALL-SEATER. He went to countless seminars, and meetings all over our country .... but the authoritys wouldn't listen to him or the other fans from various clubs, that he made friends with over those years.
Today as you know, ticket prices have gone through the roof - Sadly Trevor was always fighting a loosing battle with that one ..... For now, and more importantly, it looks like Trevor Kingham is winning the battle for his own life.
Joe Hylton.
I'm not sure when he was moved from that hospital, but he was transfered back to the East Surrey Hospital where he still remains.
The good news is, Trev has come out of that deep coma and has started to comunicate with his family. According to his brother Peter, he's also started to get some movement in his arms and legs, something they thought would never happen.
I'm sure all QPR fans will join me in wishing Trevor a steady recovery, however long and slow that process maybe - I hope to visit him in the coming weeks, and fingers crossed I'll have even better news about our 'Brother in Hoops'. Peter says it's just family at the moment, but would like thank everyone for the kind messages and good will sent to his brother.
I hope the second part of this post won't offend any of you, as I'm sure many of the younger Rangers fans reading this, I guessing under the age of 35 years, possibly won't have a clue who the Kingham Brothers are, so here's my small insight into who they are.
I first met twins Peter and Trevor in the early 1970's ... not at Loftus Road, but on the inter-city bone shakers going to QPR away games. Both of them were alway very smartly turned out, usually wearing Harrington Jackets, or the American Fly-Jackets! You didn't want to call either of them by the others name .... I made that mistake once and got a right volley, I never did it again! The pair of them .... OK, the best word to describe Pete and Trev is TASTY!
They never backed down from the sort of confrontations that happened at the majority of QPR matches, plus in those early days there would be times when they'd be at loggerheads with each other. In saying that, they'd back each other to the hilt, and stand by any Rangers fan that found himself in a sticky situation - If you were Rangers, then that was good enough for the Kinghams!
Trevor is a natural leader. In the mid 1970's he ran his own coach travel to away games, in direct opposition to The QPROSC. Rangers fans loved it, because Trevor organised proper pub stops, with a burger and chips meal included with the price of the coach travel ticket, he had pick-up's and drop off's unlike The QPROSC, it was a real revelation for QPR supporters! Don't sound like much now, but trust me, back then in the 70's and 80's, football fans all over the country were treated worse than any poor bugger who'd fallen foul of 'The Plague' in Victorian England.
The 1977 League Cup semi-final at Villa Park, and the 1986 Milk Cup semi-final at Anfield are just two games out of umpteen others, that Trev ran his own coach travel to.... both games will stick in my mind for ever and a day.
When QPR got to the FA CUP Final in 1982, Trevor had a Newsagents Shop in Edgware north London. Anyone who knows Edgware will tell you it's very highly populated by Spurs fans - Anyway, Trevor decide to stock navy blue and white balloons in his shop once QPR knew we'd got Tottenham in the final.
He told us, Spurs fans couldn't get enough of his balloons, buying 'em hand over fist .... I know what your thinking, Trev's Rangers, and he's selling Spurs balloons? We all thaught the same! But when he told us what he'd done .... He sat up night after night, opening and re-sealing packets of Spurs balloons, and then carefully made sure the navy ones were on top in the packets, as all the white balloons had 'QPR for the Cup' written on them in blue felt tipped pen..... Man alive, did we laugh when he told us that story! For the weeks leading up to the Cup-Final, everytime we saw Trev, we mimicked blowing up balloons ..... it was a, you had to be there quality moment!
So as I've said, Trev ran his own coach travel, but not only that, I've lost count of the number of times Trev went to court to represent QPR fans who'd had their collar's felt at matches. He did it out of his own pocket, and got many a Rangers fan off football related charges, not just in London but places like the Midlands, Liverpool, in fact all over the country and earned himself a reputation for making police officers look daft in court.
The big one! Everyone knows about QPRLSA! The LSA was Trevor's baby, it was his invention, it united QPR fans like no other orginisation had done for the QPR fan base! Trevor was the leader, and made himself LSA Chairman. You all know the story about Jim Gregory putting QPR up for sale near the end of 1986 - I can't think of a Rangers fan who wasn't 5hitting themself over the various newspaper reports in ALL the daily papers. First a ground share with chel5hit and Fulham, and then the real big fear that came out ..... the Fulham Park Rangers merger! Not just back page but front page tabloid news.
No QPR fan really knew what to do! Oh there were all kinds of daft ideas floating around, but Trevor Kingham knew what to do - He formed the QPR Independent Supporters Association at the start of Febuary 1987. That name last a mere week, when he decided to changed the name to the QPR Loyal Supporters Assocation. The upper bar in The Springbok became the LSA club-house. The day Rangers played Man City, the LSA membership opened. Trev got 250 membership cards printed, little did he or any of us know!
The que for memberships streched way down South Africa Road to Hammersmith Park ... over 2000 QPR fans joined up to The LSA that day. We had strength, unity and a voice for QPR fans with Trevor at the helm, everyone trusted him. It's quite possible, but for Trevors determination, there might not be a QPRFC as we know today. The club, David Bulstrode and his directors, the press/TV all listened to Trevor Kingham ..... the rest is history!
Peter and Trevor Kingham followed QPR and England everywhere. I don't think you can lable any QPR supporter THE BEST FAN. If you've followed our beloved Hoops for one season, or fifty seasons, were all QPR fans, and we all want the best possible outcome every season for Rangers.
I've tryed to pay this small tribute to a man who's been my friend, a 'Brother in Hoops' for almost forty years now ... And I hope I've given you an insight into a very special QPR fan who really did care about every Rangers supporter, which is not an easy thing to do! I don't know how to measure the best QPR fan, but I honesty say with my hand on my heart .... Trevor Kingham is right up there with whoever is the best!
Trevor turned his back on QPR and The LSA in the early 90's. He walked away from football mainly due to compulsory ALL-SEATER stadiums. Trev fought endless battles with all sorts of organisations including The FA. He strongly opposed the ALL-SEATER. He went to countless seminars, and meetings all over our country .... but the authoritys wouldn't listen to him or the other fans from various clubs, that he made friends with over those years.
Today as you know, ticket prices have gone through the roof - Sadly Trevor was always fighting a loosing battle with that one ..... For now, and more importantly, it looks like Trevor Kingham is winning the battle for his own life.
Joe Hylton.
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