Hope for QPR fans: the opening day Premier League thrashings that didn’t matter in the end
Bolton Wanderers welcomed QPR back to the Premier League with a 4-0 beating at Loftus Road, which was a nightmare start for a club whose aspiration is to stay in the top flight this season. Fear not, Rs fans, because as we've discovered, an opening day humiliation does not always mean doom and gloom…
OPENING DAY OF THE SEASON: WIGAN 0-4 Blackpool (14/08/10)
WIGAN FINISHED: 16TH
Newly-promoted Blackpool were not given a prayer before the start of last season, but they had a dream start to Premier League life. Wigan, however, seemed doomed and they followed this thrashing with another home tonking, losing 6-0 to Chelsea. Results were mixed after that, but in December Roberto Martinez banked valuable points with draws against Stoke, Everton and Arsenal, while they beat Wolves away from home. Eleven points from the Latics last six games – including a final day win over Stoke – meant they retained their league status by a point.
OPENING DAY OF THE SEASON: CHELSEA 4-0 Portsmouth (17/08/08)
PORTSMOUTH FINISHED: 14TH
FA Cup winners Pompey were humiliated by Chelsea under new manager Luiz Felipe Scolari and after a defeat to Man United in the second match, balanced a UEFA Cup campaign with some good wins in the Premier League. Their inconsistency didn't matter in the end because they survived the drop by seven points, finishing a respectable 14th, before totalling collapsing the following year as financial trouble bit and they were relegated having amassed just 19 points.
OPENING DAY OF THE SEASON: MAN UNITED 5-1 FULHAM (20/08/06)
FULHAM FINISHED: 16TH
The Cottagers barely survived the 2006/07 season after their hammering by United, who would go on to win the Premier League. Wayne Rooney and Ronaldo combined to give the home side a 4-1 half-time lead and Fulham were also on the end of some heavy defeats to clubs like Tottenham, Everton and Liverpool. They conceded 60 goals, lost 15 times yet survived the drop by a point, although manager Chris Coleman received his marching orders.
OPENING DAY OF THE SEASON: BOLTON 4-1 CHARLTON (14/08/04)
CHARLTON FINISHED: 11TH
After this crushing defeat at the Reebok, the Addicks recorded home wins against Portsmouth and Villa. A five-game unbeaten run in December came in handy as the team finished the last 15 matches with just one win – a 2-0 victory against Tottenham – to finish in a tidy 11th place. The club ended the following season in 14th and then, without manager Alan Curbishley in the 2006/07 campaign, were relegated.
OPENING DAY OF THE SEASON: FULHAM 4-1 BOLTON (17/08/02)
BOLTON FINISHED: 17TH
Fulham were playing at QPR's Loftus Road while Craven Cottage was being redeveloped, but goals from Louis Saha, Steve Marlet and a Sylvain Legwinski brace opened their season in style. For Bolton, it didn't get any easier with matches against Man United, Liverpool and Arsenal all to come before the end of September, all of which were lost. The Trotters won just once in their opening 13 Premier League matches, but towards the end of the season the club picked up crucial points home and away and scraped to safety, avoiding the drop by two points.
OPENING DAY OF THE SEASON: MAN UNITED 4-0 BOLTON (16/08/03)
BOLTON FINISHED: 8TH
Memories of another opening day humbling for Bolton were quickly forgotten, as was the previous season, with the Trotters blasting their way to a very impressive eighth place. With away wins over Chelsea and good draws with Liverpool and Arsenal's Invincibles, Bolton surprised everyone and very nearly picked up silverware, losing the League Cup final to Middlesbrough.
OPENING DAY OF THE SEASON: CHELSEA 4-0 Sunderland (07/08/99)
SUNDERLAND FINISHED: 7TH
Despite an opening day annihilation, Sunderland had a very good season. Striker Kevin Phillips topped the Premier League scoring charts with 30 goals, seven ahead of second place Alan Shearer, while they got their revenge on the Blues in December with a 4-1 home win. The Black Cats ended the season level on points with sixth-placed Aston Villa, who edged the higher spot on goal difference.
OPENING DAY OF THE SEASON: ASTON VILLA 4-1 QPR (14/08/93)
QPR FINISHED: 9TH
The west London club made up for a shaky August start, where they lost to Liverpool and Chelsea in addition to the defeat at Villa, by producing a few more steady displays in September and October. This included a 2-1 away win against Newcastle, who took third place, while the Rs recorded wins against second-placed Blackburn and drew with Arsenal twice. Les Ferdinand scored 16 goals as Rangers ended the Premier League's second season in ninth place with 60 points.
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