Rangers start planning for a brighter future

Ian Holloway and at least six of his Queens Park Rangers players will be offered new contracts this week as the club begin preparing for life in the First Division.

Holloway's side secured the second automatic promotion spot with a 3-1 win at Sheffield Wednesday but there is plenty of hard work ahead if they are to compete in a division they were relegated from three years ago.

Rangers have 14 players and their manager out of contract this summer and plans for next season will start to be drawn up today. Key players Marc Bircham, Paul Furlong, Clarke Carlisle and Richard Johnson are certain to be offered new deals, while Matthew Rose and Richard Edghill may also be retained.

The club will also offer improved contracts to top-scorer Kevin Gallen and inspirational midfielder Martin Rowlands, as their current deals expire next summer, but the most important negotiations will be with Holloway.

He has transformed the atmosphere at Loftus Road since taking over a demoralised side three years ago and chief executive David Davies said: "I hope a deal with Ian can be done in the next few weeks and we can begin planning for next season. The players will want to be away by the end of May and we'll try to sort out new contracts as soon as possible."

Rangers will make over £1million from promotion which, on the back of Gianni Paladini's £650,000 investment last month, will help secure the future of the club. Holloway will have money to recruit four or five players and expects to do well in the First Division. He said: "The club wants to move forward and we're in a fantastic state to do that. Saturday is a day I'll never forget and I'm so so proud."