The controversial QPR moment involving Gareth Ainsworth that paid dividends - but at what cost? | OneFootball

Queens Park Rangers experienced a series of controverisal moments under their former owners

Queens Park Rangers have experienced a rollercoaster of highs and lows throughout the past 20 years, but perhaps the most turbulent few years they've had were under the ownership of Flavio Briatore.

The west London outfit have enjoyed thrills such as promotion to the Premier League on multiple occasions over the last two decades , with their last-minute play-off triumph in 2014 a particularly high point.

Despite this, Rangers have also suffered their fair share of lows, which has included flirting with relegation to League One numerous times, and during this timeframe, there has perhaps not been a more exciting period than the years stretching from 2007 until 2011.

Encompassed within this time was new ownership at Loftus Road, an increase in competitiveness, multiple new managers and promotion to the Premier League.

Formula One kingpins Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone took over QPR in November 2007, at a time when the club was debt-ridden and struggling to compete in the Championship.

Briatore became the more central figure in proceedings, looking to actively involve himself with the footballing side of the Rs.

Despite being involved with race-fixing controversies in the world of motorsport, Briatore knew how to win, transforming Benetton and Renault into world championship-winning teams in F1, whilst helping uncover talents such as Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher.

The Italian was looking to bring this mentality to Loftus Road and install it within the club personally. Continuing in classic Briatore fashion, he made a number of controversial decisions during his time at QPR.

These were documented by filmmaker Mat Hodgson, who created a documentary covering this takeover named the Four Year Plan. Within this footage, there was one particular moment that highlighted the unique dynamic within QPR at that time.

Flavio Briatore's decision to undermine Gareth Ainsworth as QPR manager made for huge controversy

Before a match against Cardiff City, the documentary shows Briatore and then QPR sporting director Gianni Paladini discussing tactics.

Briatore states that Gavin Mahon should be brought on during the game, despite just returning from injury. Whilst the match was ongoing, the Italian became frustrated with the caretaker boss at the time - club icon Gareth Ainsworth - for not doing so.

After a goalless first hour of play, Briatore ordered Paladini to tell Ainsworth to bring Mahon into the field of play, which moments later, becomes reality.

To Briatore’s immense pleasure, midfielder Mahon headed in an 80th-minute winner, but that didn’t make up for how much he had undermined his manager’s authority.

Although the sequence made for brilliant theatre, it wasn’t a good look for QPR as a football club.

Briatore continued to interfere with on-pitch decisions, such as telling Paulo Sousa to change his team at half-time and discussing formation choices with Marc Bircham when he also became caretaker manager in 2009, but his controversial nature would soon be his downfall - even if he did put the plans in motion for the club's return to the upper echelons of English football.

Flavio Briatore was controversial, but helped put QPR on the road to success

Briatore continued to produce controversial moments during his time as QPR chairman, but this eventually became too much for everyone involved, and he resigned from his position in February 2010.

The Italian sold his shares in the club to Ecclestone in December of that year, but by then, QPR were putting together an impressive charge towards promotion.

Briatore had helped appoint Neil Warnock as manager in 2010, which proved to be a decision that paid dividends. The de facto Alpine F1 team principal announced that he had a four-year plan when taking over QPR, which would end in promotion to the Premier League.

Despite his controversies, Rangers achieved just that in less than four years since Briatore’s arrival. Although he never would’ve been a long-term solution for QPR, he ultimately helped bring them immense success.