uRRRs blog The Debutants' Ball: QPR 2 Barnsley 1

Posted: August 12th 2008
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As the summer season inches towards its close, would-be members of the international set have clearly decided that Flavio’s new joint is the place to be seen through the long autumn and winter months that lie ahead, and so it was that the debs descended on W12 on Saturday.

Flav and the boys are clearly determined to make this previously unfashionable corner of town a more desirable proposition for their wannabe stellar new regulars. To date, time constraints have meant that the once grand but of late somewhat decrepit space has had little more than superficial improvements, but a first marker has been laid out.

A number of debs lined up for an expectant throng on Saturday. Big Czech, Geordie Lad, Latvian Hulk, Argentinian Boy Wonder and Prodigal Son all got a chance to strut their stuff from the off. Spanish Boy Wonder and Italian Boy Wonder were made to wait.

Early proceedings proved to be an utter shambles, and not at all what the crowd had been expecting as they braved the unseasonal rain. Latvian Hulk in particular looked wracked with nerves (at least we hope that’s all it was), and this in turn put pressure on Geordie Lad who was trying to cover for him (incidentally, he does have a bit of the Peter Beardsley about him...and we’re not talking his jinky dribbling skills...).

The chaos led to Big Czech being more of a bouncing Czech as he bobbed around trying to stem the flow. When, under severe pressure, he briefly became flapping Czech, there were harsh cat calls from a section of the crowd who’d been hoping to see the return of old favourite Mullet Man. Others countered this with applause, relieved that Big Czech had only let his guard slip the once.
Prodigal Son was understandably keen to make an impression, and showed fleeting glimpses of the class we all have such fond memories of. ABW, however, must have been wondering what he’d committed himself to, watching on in bewilderment at the showers surrounding him (both meteorological & footballing).

However, ABW it was who determined that he would take centre stage, reducing Prodigal Son to something of a supporting role, but turning the afternoon on its head in doing so. This in turn allowed for some surprise opportunities for older heads, with One Size proving the chief beneficiary.

Big Czech began to settle down and, along with Geordie Boy, show the masses more of what they had been expecting. Latvian Hulk, wild hair barely controlled by a head band of dubious merit, still flailed around somewhat, but appeared to become increasingly comfortable with his surroundings.

SBW made a belated appearance, and for 10 minutes or so was a bemused spectator. However, like ABW before him, he eventually grabbed the chance provided and produced a classy cameo, which IBW, in an even shorter timeframe, gamely tried to match.

As proceedings came to an end, the talk was less of what had been, and more of what might be to come.