Seven memorable moments that made Mackie a QPR favourite
QPR announced on Friday that Jamie Mackie will be released by the club when his contract expires at the end of the season.
Mackie has been hampered by injury problems during his second spell Loftus Road, but his contribution during his first stint means he will remain a well-liked figure among Rangers fans.
Here are seven memorable moments which made Mackie one of the most popular R’s players of recent years.
The perfect start
Signed from Plymouth in the summer of 2010, Mackie gave QPR fans an immediate glimpse of what was to come in a debut performance full of energy and enthusiasm. And he marked the occasion with a goal, finishing emphatically to score the second in a 4-0 hammering of Barnsley at Loftus Road on the opening day of what was to prove a memorable season.
The Pride Park fightback
The spirit of the promotion season was summed up by a late comeback at Derby. Trailing 2-0 and heading for defeat, Rangers pulled a goal back through Patrick Agyemang before Mackie poked in a dramatic equaliser to send the travelling fans into raptures.
Crisp Walkers Stadium finishes
Mackie was QPR’s main man again at Leicester, scoring two more in what seemed another significant step on the road to the Premier League – a 2-0 win in which he drifted in from the right to head home and then pounced on a defensive mistake to score a late second. By this stage, Mackie had scored eight goals in as many Rangers appearances and was already a huge fans’ favourite.
That brace at Ipswich
On Kyle Walker’s QPR debut, Mackie was unstoppable, firing in the opener and netting a magnificent second in a 3-0 triumph at Portman Road. The home side simply couldn’t contain him.
Return of the Mack
If it was possible to draw anything positive from a 6-0 hammering at west London neighbours Fulham, Mackie coming on as a substitute to a rousing welcome from QPR fans provided it. His return to action following a broken leg was a timely boost as Rangers, by now in the Premier League, were struggling badly. He would go on to play a significant role in keeping them up.
Back from the dead against Liverpool
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Trailing 2-0 and seemingly on the way back to the Championship, Rangers hit back and Mackie’s last-minute winner clinched a remarkable – and ultimately crucial – 3-2 win against Liverpool on a truly unforgettable night at Loftus Road. Wonderful stuff.
Stunning City as QPR clung on
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In a second-half comeback that threatened to deny Manchester City the title, Mackie’s far-post header from Armand Traore’s left-wing cross, right in front of the QPR fans, put the visitors 2-1 up. City of course won the game in dramatic fashion and were crowned champions, but Bolton’s draw at Stoke meant Rangers still stayed up.
