FYI, there's a small photo of Crowther on the QPR site's profiles of academy players: http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/YouthProfiles/0,,10373~1054632,00.html QPR's backup goalkeeper (Jake Cole) was injured last week and Chris Goodchild (born October '89, mini-profile also at the link above) was the one promoted to the first-team bench, rather than Crowther. In a November 28th reserve match against Watford, Goodchild was the starter; Crowther was an unused sub. http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~1178554,00.html In a November 20th reserve match against Palace, Cole started and Crowther was an unused sub (no mention of Goodchild). http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~1172196,00.html Lee Camp is QPR's unquestioned #1; Jake Cole is #2 but has very little first team experience and just turned 22; then it looks like Goodchild may be ahead of Crowther among the kids.
QPR has sent 19-year-old American-born keeper Reece Crowther on a work-experience loan to Ryman Premier League side Wealdstone. QPR's U-18 coach, Steve Brown, said "It's a good opportunity for the pair of them [another young player was sent out to a different team]. The youth set-up closes down over Christmas, so it is handy for them to continue training and playing matches. Chris [Arthur, the other player loaned out] has done really well for me this season, and this will give him a new challenge in the men's game. It is also great for Reece to get some match minutes under his belt. If I can get some more of the lads out on similar arrangements, then I will do because I believe it benefits everybody." Wealdstone, in the London Borough of Harrow, sits 16th in the 22-team Ryman Premier Legaue (Ryman Isthmian Football League, Premier Division). That league is in the 7th tier of English football (two teams from this league are promoted to the Conference South). AFC Wimbledon currently plays in this division. There's nothing on the official or unofficial Wealdstone sites as yet (these mostly have match reports).
Thanks for the update about Reece. Hopefully he'll go and impress in his first team matches at Wealdstone.
It also got a small story on the BBC site: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/q/qpr/7138609.stm
Young American keeper Reece Crowther has been named to the QPR substitute's bench for the first time in his career. He's been assigned squad number 33. Lee Camp is the QPR starter. http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~1219061,00.html Jake Cole is normally the backup, but QPR manager Luigi DeCanio hasn't had a substitute keeper on the bench for the last two games. I haven't read news about Cole being hurt, so I'm not sure if Crowther's addition is due to Cole's form or fitness. QPR is about to sign former Villa and Wolves keeper Stefan Postma from ADO Den Haag, so this may be a unique opportunity for Crowther. Game thread here: https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?p=13675909#post13675909
World on one of the QPR message boards is that Jake Cole has a hand injury and that's why Crowther ended up on the bench last weekend. No word on how long he'll be out, but the Postma signing (assuming it comes off) will likely be completed before the next game (Jan. 29th), so that's likely to be it for Crowther this season.
Just a small bit of data; Reece was born in the States but moved to Australia when he was very young, and was raised there.
It looks like Stefan Postma won't be signing with QPR, but the club has confirmed that it has reached an agreement with Bradford City on the transfer fee for Jamaican international Donovan Ricketts. Personal terms are being discussed and he'd due for a physical today. If this goes through, he'll back up QPR #1 Lee Camp. #2 Jake Cole remains out with a thumb injury, so Crowther could be on the bench for tomorrow's game at Cardiff if the Ricketts signing doesn't come through in time.
Crowther is on the bench for the Rs again tonight. This might be his last appearance there though - we're about to finalize the signing of Donovan Ricketts. Plus Jake Cole is only out with a bruised thumb. On the bright side, he's training with a squad of players that's improving every day. At least he's getting some good experience.
With Matt Pickens apparently injured, Reece Crowther has been an unused sub for the last two QPR games. The R's will close their season at home against West Brom this Saturday with Crowther likely to again have a place on the substitutes bench.
Reece Crowther is still on the books at QPR entering this season. He played as an 85th minute sub in the preseason opener against Stevenage Borough today, a 3-1 win. Stevenage scored their goal before Crowther entered. QPR retained Lee Camp and signed Radek Cerny, so those two will be the top two keepers this season. Now-third keeper Jake Cole went on a three-month loan to Oxford United. I'll post updates as we move through the preseason.
A QPR reserve & U21 side was sent to play Windsor & Eton yesterday, winning 2-1. It was a mixed team -- two first-team subs, one player likely to be transferred to Blackpool, a trialist, a youth-teamer on the cusp, and the rest were kids with no first-team games. Reece Crowther started and played 90. The match report on the official site says the goal scored by W&E was a "stunning volley from 25 yards" on which Crowther had "no chance."
Radek Cerny is still being held out with a minor injury. Camp starts, but Crowther is on the bench for tonight's friendly at Northampton Town. Given injures, etc., Dowie has named a pretty strong starting lineup for tonight's game. QPR: Lee Camp, Matthew Connolly, Damien Delaney, Damion Stewart, Fitz Hall, Martin Rowlands, Hogan Ephraim, Gavin Mahon, Dexter Blackstock, Patrick Agyemang, Emmanuel Ledesma. Subs: Angelo Balanta, Reece Crowther, Simon Walton, Gareth Ainsworth, Adam Bolder, Samuel Di Carmine, Matteo Alberti, Zesh Rehman, Romone Rose. http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~1349879,00.html
So what are Crowther's chances at a loan move? Because he's clearly not going to see any playing time ahead of the likes of Lee Camp and Radek Cerny. Or is Crowther resigned to sticking around in the unenviable role of 3rd keeper?
It's early to say, but as of now I'd guess he's #4 (promoted to #3 with Cole on loan to Oxford). With Cerny nursing a minor injury, he's obviously not going anywhere. After that, who knows? In the past, they've sent Cole and other young keepers out on "work experience" to local lower-level sides. Crowther was briefly with Wealdstone last season. I'd think that would be the most likely chance for him to get some playing time since they'd want him available for bench duty at the drop of a hat if something happened to Cerny or Camp.
Camp went 90 in a 1-0 QPR victory. 18 players were used, but Crowther was one of two unused subs (along with a youth teamer with a single first-team sub appearance in the last game of last season). http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~1349881,00.html
Cerny is back from injury and as a result Reece did not make the bench for the friendly vs Kilmarnick on the 29th. http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~1353827,00.html Looks like he'll be doing some work at their "summer soccer school" this month. http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/CommunityScheme/0,,10373~1334498,00.html
With both Cerny and Camp both fit, Crowther won't likely be involved in the first team for awhile, but he has been assigned a squad number -- #33.
Crowther is in the squad for a behind-closed-doors friendly with West Ham today at Upton Park. QPR Squad (17): Crowther, Oastler, Stewart, Harris, Femy, Alberti, Rowlands, Bolder, Di Carmine, Ephraim, Rose, Bulmer, Flood, Arthur, Maguire, Nanetti, Ford. http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~1370198,00.html If you're interested in the mix of the 16 others Crowther is playing with today: Rowlands is the QPR team captain who missed the first three games of the year due to suspension. Ephraim is in the first-team mix (many starts last season), but has missed the early games due to injury. Stewart is a Jamaican international who has been pushed to the bench this season. Bolder is a former starter who is no longer in the mix for playing time (is probably being offered out on loan). DiCarmine (sub in two games) and Alberti (sub in all three games) are new, young Italian signees who have been on the subs bench for the first team. The rest (Oastler, Harris, Femi, Rose, Bulmer, Flood, Arthur, Maguire, Nanetti, Ford) are youth teamers although Rose appeared in the final first-team match last season.
QPR Manager Ian Dowie was sacked today. "The decision comes after reports of in-fighting among the club's owners." Hopefully the new manager will show some common sense and place Reece Crowther in the starting line-up, where he belongs...
I bought Reece in my football manager game, he did well. Hopefully he will get some chances in real life.