Can Ilias Chair(7th) become QPR's all-time record appearance holder?

Photo taken from Wikimedia Commons

By Alessandro Schiavone

Ever since firing in eight goals during the 2021/22 revelation season, the Premier League has been mooted as a likely destination for Ilias Chair.

But fast-forward three years, the Moroccan playmaker is still at Loftus Road and could go down a Hoops legend.

After a stop-start season, marred by injuries and a court case hovering above him, Chair found the going tough mentally.

As a a result, goals came in short supply with the Belgian-born ace netting only twice in 28 outings last term.

But every flipside has its perks. And his drop of form translates to Hoops supporters not having to brace themselves for big-money bids this time around.

Aged only 27 (or already, depending on how you look at it), Chair has for one reason or another never made the grade to the Premier League thus far.

And barring a coup de grâce, he will still be in W12 next term as the club face an increasing fight for Championship relevance having been nowhere near promotion since dropping down in 2015.

Only six players have donned the QPR shirt more than him. And with 265 appearances under his belt across his seven-and-a-half season spell in west London, his loyalty to the club now gives him the chance to overtake Ian Gillard on 269 games in white and blue.

The milestone can be celebrated with the transfer window still open on August 30, when Julien Stephan's side host Charlton Athletic on Matchday 4.

Fifth-placed David Bardsley's 278 appearances for the club are also within reach. But to add those 14 games needed to topple the former right-back and gatecrash the top 5, he'd have to stay at the club well beyond the transfer window shuts.

And to knock Alan McDonald off his perch he needs to represent QPR another 172 times which amounts to at least four injury-free seasons.

Improbable surely especially if he rediscovers his mojo and the club fail to seal promotion.

But far from impossible.

Hand on heart, did anyone a few years ago have their money on him still being at QPR in the year 2025?