'An inexplicable loathing of Queens Park Rangers'

I was intrigued to see how the Spectator would handle the passing of Millwall fan Rod Liddle today. The magazine's cover was in black and there were tributes from Boris Johnson and Kemi Badenoch among others.   There is no doubt that he was an exceptional journalist.  De mortuis nihil nisi bonum.

One contributor referred to Liddle's inexplicable loathing of Queens Park Rangers and that put him up in my estimation.   It seems to me to be entirely rational:

• I always think of them as a Third Division South team but their supporters have an exaggerated view of their potential.   When they had their first takeover one supporter said that the only question in five years would be whether Real Madrid or QPR was the bigger club.
• Their ground looks like a shoe box on its sides.
• They tried to recruit Alan Curbishley on the grounds that they were a bigger club
• They sold seats to Japanese tourists so they could laugh at fans in the away end

Liddle was the leading and most articulate exponent of Lord Gove's campaign against the 'Charltification' of football.  Lord Gove notes that only Millwall was spared criticism by Liddle.  Rather oddly, the noble lord  sees his attachment to Millwall as 'romantically Tory', the first time I have heard that phrase applied to anyone at the toolbox.

The mantle of Charlton scourge will presumably now pass to QPR super fan Lord Young of Acton who has been pursuing an unfulfilled feud with VOTV editor Rick Everitt whom he castigated in his column.  But then Lord Young reveals in today's issue that Liddle had vowed to punch him in the face, although this in part related to Young publicising Liddle's early departure from his honeymoon to pursue his affair with a 22-year old at the Speccie.

Young goes on to reveal that his wife Lady Caroline did get caught up in a street battle between the police and Millwall fans outside Loftus Road.   Liddle offered to take Caroline to a game at the toolbox in recompense.

Fortunately the Government has decided not to pursue an investigation into British links with Epstein as Young was mentioned several times in the files.   It should be emphasised that this was the result of a tenuous acquaintance with G Maxwell who inadvertently gave Epstein Young's contact details.

I doubt we have heard the last of this saga as Lord Gove is not one to let things rest.