Soccer: Dons and Rangers in merger talks

Wimbledon and Queens Park Rangers are in talks over a possible merger of the two London clubs.

The move would see the groundless Dons move to Loftus Road, home of Rangers, and help solve QPR's debt problems.

But Dons chairman Charles Koppel cautioned that discussions were in their infancy and the move would go ahead only if the two sides' respective fans were in favour of a merger.

And Koppel was upset that the story had appeared in the media before talks were at a more advanced stage involving supporters from the two clubs.

In a released statement, Koppel said:

"Contrary to the story in the Sun this morning, no agreement to merge Wimbledon with QPR has been reached.

"We have been approached by QPR and while discussions regarding the idea of a possible merger have taken place, we realise that no agreement could ever be reached without consulting our supporters first.

"Clearly we are all upset about the story in the Sun. I strongly believe and maintained throughout the discussions that an issue like this must be discussed with supporters before appearing in the media."

"We had already planned a meeting with our supporter organisations before our game on Sunday to discuss again how best to take our club forward including the above idea. This meeting will proceed as planned.

"We are committed to exploring all available options for strengthening the club on and off the pitch.

"We continue to work extremely hard to find a proper home ground for the future."

The talks started after QPR were put into administration with debts of around £8million, while Wimbledon have been searching for a permanent home for several years.

The name of any new team and the club colours could be the main sticking-point, with QPR Dons and Wimbledon Rangers thought to be two of the possibles, while QPR's distinctive hoops are part of their heritage.

Although financial matters would obviously have to be sorted out as well between the clubs, those two decisions could be crucial in swaying the minds of supporters.

Both clubs appear to be insisting that their name should be first in order to appease their fans, many of whom will be concerned by the proposal.

Under initial plans, it is thought that Wimbledon boss Terry Burton, rather than QPR's recently-appointed manager Ian Holloway, would take charge of any new side.

Those in favour of the merger hope that any new team would be allowed to play in the First Division, although this would inevitably cause a headache for the Football League.

For it would leave one place vacant in the Second Division, to which QPR were relegated this season.

The possibility does remain that any merged club would have to play in the lower of the two divisions, meaning that a deal could be put forward as a takeover of QPR by First Division Wimbledon.

That remains at the discretion of the Football League board, with no formal regulations existing on the matter.