QPR loving it as Premier League beckons
Neil Warnock said he was "loving every minute" as his side look to win the Championship trophy on Monday and seal their return to the English Premier League after a 15-year absence.
QPR can ensure their promotion to the top flight with victory over visitors Hull at their Loftus Road home.
"We're really thriving on it. I'm loving every minute," said Warnock after QPR were held 2-2 at third-placed Cardiff on Saturday.
"I couldn't be any prouder to manage a team like that. It has been a long season and the Championship is the hardest to get out of."
QPR were London's top club in the 1992-1993 inaugural Premier League season, finishing fifth ahead of the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham.
However, life has not been easy out of the top flight and they even plunged down to the third tier before former player Ian Holloway, now the Blackpool manager, guided them back up in 2004.
Cardiff boss Dave Jones said his Welsh side had been determined to postpone QPR's promotion celebrations in front of a 26,058-strong crowd.
They sit one point behind second-placed Norwich with just three matches remaining for all teams.
"There was no way they were coming here to have a party. They had champagne in their dressing room and the Championship trophy was here but we were not going to lie down," Jones said.
"We have ensured our play-off place but there is still a lot of football to be played and there will be twists and turns before the end."
Warnock said the Cardiff game was a "super match".
"It was a great advert for Championship football with two great sides giving everything," he said.
For their part Hull are in no mood to gift QPR the trophy.
They lost 4-2 at home to Middlesbrough on Saturday, leaving them three points short of the fourth and final play-off place.
"Three wins might not be enough but there are nine points to play for and I won't tolerate anyone sulking," Tigers manager Nigel Pearson said.
Cardiff's south Wales rivals Swansea blew a good chance stay close in the race to finish second with a goalless draw at mid-table Portsmouth.
Despite now being six points short of Norwich, Swansea boss Brendan Rodgers was optimistic ahead of their clash at home to mid-table Ipswich.
"We go into Monday with big motivation to get three points and we'll just see what happens. We'll win our games and hope the others slip up," he said.
Along with Cardiff and Swansea, Reading and Nottingham Forest hold the other play-off places.
Burnley drew level on points with Forest with a 4-2 win at lowly Derby.
"It's looking good although we are still behind and playing catch-up, but it certainly looks a lot rosier," said Burnley manager Eddie Howe.
"There are only three games to go but we have a home game to come and hopefully we can get Turf Moor rocking."
Millwall kept their lingering play-off hopes alive with a 4-0 thrashing of lowly visitors Preston at The Den.
Elsewhere Saturday, hosts Watford beat Barnsley 1-0 and though Sheffield United beat visitors Bristol City 3-2, they are still six points from safety at the foot of the table.
