QPR legend Brian Bedford dead at 88: Hoops’ second-highest scorer ever passes away
QUEENS PARK RANGERS legend Brian Bedford has passed away aged 88, the club confirmed.
The striker netted 180 goals in a six-year spell with the west Londoners, the second most in Rangers’ history.
Part of a QPR statement read: “The club is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Brian Bedford at the age of 88.”
It added: “The thoughts of everyone at QPR are with his family and friends at this sad time.
“May he rest in peace.”
First joining QPR from Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic in 1959, Bedford didn’t score less than 25 goals in any one of his six-seasons at the club.
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The Welshman also spent time with Reading, Southampton, Scunthorpe and Atlanta Chiefs in America, plus a short spell down the road from QPR at Brentford.
But it was at Loftus Road, now the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium, where Bedford made the most impact.
The 1961/62 season in particular was Bedford’s best for the R’s – the striker netting an incredible 39 goals in a single campaign.
All in all his 180 goals came in just 284 appearances for the club.
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Only George Goddard’s 189 goals in 259 appearances for the R’s is higher than Bedford’s scoring record.
But Bedford is the club’s leading scorer in the post-war era.
He netted a remarkable 14 hat-tricks in the colours of QPR, and even bagged four goals in one game on two separate occasions.
Bedford was inducted into QPR’s “The Forever R’s Club,” similar to a Hall of Fame, in 2017.