Back in the summer of 2014, Queens Park Rangers signed Norwich City midfielder Leroy Fer with Harry Redknapp continuing to modify his squad for what would prove to be a very difficult season back in the Premier League.
Fer’s move to QPR came after Norwich’s relegation to the Championship, a development that allowed the west London club to acquire the Dutchman, much to the delight of the Loftus Road faithful.
@QPRFC @LeroyFer10 welcome Leroy, do the shirt proud mate, the number 10 is special to our club, good luck for the season #QPR
— Neil Hutchins (@Neil_Hutchins) August 20, 2014
@QPRFC looking forward to "Leroy! Leroy!" echoing round the ground again. #80s memories
— Wanstead Rs (@WansteadRs) August 20, 2014
@QPRFC @LeroyFer10 Gefeliciteerd best brush up on my Dutch, make us proud & we will sing "Leroy, Leroy" aka '80's #QPR
— Val Foster (@valerie7foster) August 20, 2014
Leroy Fer is a great signing. If we sign Vargas as well then you might as well start engraving our name on the premier league title.
— Charlie (@CHARLIEB0ND) August 20, 2014
Really happy with the signing of Leroy Fer, we've had a really good season and I'm very confident for the season ahead! #QPR
— Tom Bermingham (@TQPRBermingham) August 20, 2014
Great capture for #QPR signing @LeroyFer10 earlier today. Onwards and upwards #W12 #PremierLeague #weRtogether
— Ben Horlock (@BenHorlock) August 20, 2014
Described as a “massive boost” and “excellent signing” by Redknapp upon his signing (Guardian), Fer initially arrived in England with the reputation of being an energetic box-to-box midfielder who also had strong technical qualities.
At former Eredivisie clubs Feyenoord and FC Twente, Fer was seen as a player who was capable of getting up and down the pitch, making tackles and retaining possession, something Norwich supporters saw in glimpses at Carrow Road.
Unfortunately for the Canaries, though, that alone was not enough to keep them up, while QPR also went on to suffer the same fate with Fer in their side in a Premier League season that proved to be a disastrous one for the club.
Ultimately, in the end, Fer turned out to be a disappointing signing for most, with some very surprisingly lazy performances given what his game in the Netherlands was built on and a knee injury doing him no favours.
Fer would eventually go on to join Swansea City, who just like QPR and Norwich, saw relegation with him in their ranks which would result in the Netherlands international earning the title of relegation specialist.
