Venables was replaced by Alan Mullery, who early in his brief reign presided over one of the worst defeats in QPR's history, a 0-4 loss against Partizan and elimination from the UEFA Cup despite a 6-2 1st leg advantage.
Jim Smith replaced Sibley that summer and oversaw a period of relative stability for the club, comfortably avoiding relegation in his first two seasons and also being runners up in the 1986 League Cup, losing to Oxford United.