Unless you are paying for the privilege, it is rare you get the support of an ex-pro at this level, but that is exactly what the 1st Team having been reaping the benefits of this season.

Player/Manager Luke Gregson’s father-in-law Doug McClure was on the books at Queens Park Rangers in the early 1980s when Terry Venables was manager. Doug even has his own Wikipedia page!

Having looked into what looks like a modest footballing CV (well on Wikipedia anyway!), it transpires that there is more to our “Man with the Tan” than I thought!

Doug was a left back and was spotted by Queens Park Rangers at the age of 13, whilst playing for Middlesex County. He was offered his first contract at the age of 18 and played his Youth Team football under a certain George Graham.

I asked Doug if he saw the signs and qualities in Graham from his youth days that he would go on to manage the title-winning Arsenal side of 1989. He said “It was brilliant playing for George Graham. The way he setup the defence was quality and you always had to show everyone inside”.

There were some other familiar names in his youth side that went on to have careers at the top of the game. Players such as Alan McDonald (Captain of Northern Ireland & QPR), Martin Allen (West Ham & QPR), David Kerslake (Spurs) and Alan Comfort.

McClure never made the first team at QPR, but he always trained with them and felt he must’ve been close as Terry Venables turned down an offer of £75,000 from Wimbledon for his services not long before the future England manager departed QPR for Barcelona.

Alan Mullery took over from Venables in an ill-fated six month spell. When asked if he felt Mullery’s arrival contributed to him not getting his chance at QPR, Doug said “He hated me as I was Venables’ blue-eyed boy, he didn’t like me from day one!”

I asked Doug if he ever got the call from El Tel to join him at Barcelona and he joked “Yeah, but thought I’d stay at home with my Mum and Dad ;-)”

After earlier turning down a fee for him, Doug eventually joined Wimbledon on a Free, signing a two-year deal. He recalls his time with the Dons being blighted by injuries and a number of times he found himself out on loan. He had two short spells at both Exeter City and Torquay United in the old Fourth Division.

Asked about what life was like in the South West, McClure replied “Being from London, it was hard living down there. They all had funny accents and 3 toes, so I didn’t want to stay there! I was offered a permanent deal after impressing on loan at Crewe, but couldn’t do it – I hated being up north! I had also met my beautiful wife by then, so I was thinking what the f**k am I doing here, I need to get back to London!”

In the late 80s Doug had three seasons in the Conference with Wealdstone, Enfield and Fisher Athletic. He was part of the Enfield FA Trophy winning side of 1988, which beat Telford United in a replay at The Hawthorns after drawing 0-0 at Wembley. In most footballers eyes, that would be a highlight, but although he said “The banter with the boys in those teams was brilliant” Doug had some other memories that he was about to let me in on.

Doug captained both England Schoolboys and Youth in his time and played in a tournament against a Holland side featuring Frank Rijkaard, Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten. He also played in front of 110,000 spectators at the age of 14 in Berlin’s Olympic Stadium.

Whilst on an End of Season Tour in Indonesia, McClure recalls playing against the great Johan Cruyff, who was with Feyenoord at the time. Doug said “He’s the only bloke who could chain smoke and be the greatest player ever! He absolutely tore the whole of QPR a new a**ehole in that game, that’s how good he was!”

I just want to thank Doug for his insight into his life in the game and also to his son Charlie for responding to my bombardment of questions!! I’m sure Doug has many other stories to tell if you want to buy him a beer in the bar after a home game some time!!