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Gulf Air-sponsored Queens Park Rangers are flying high at the top of the N-Power Championship following a near-perfect start to the season.
A run of eight wins, two draws, eight clean sheets and an unbeaten record have seen the R's build a healthy six-point lead at the head of the table. Indeed, this is QPR's best start to the season since 1947.
The start has been recognised by the Football League hierarchy who awarded QPR boss, Neil Warnock, the Championship's manager of the month award for September. To cap a fine month, star striker, Jamie Mackie won the best player title.
Warnock's award was his second in succession, having also scooped the prize in August - a rarity as many see this recognition as something of a poisoned chalice that leads to an instant downturn in performance.
Mackie's form saw him score five goals in the month, including doubles against Ipswich and Leicester, strikes that helped him gain recognition by Scotland and a call-up for the national squad. He collected his first cap last weekend in Prague.
It would be easy to attribute QPR's recent success to the wealth of two of the club's owners, Lakshmi Mittal (estimated fortune of $240 billion) and F1 supremo, Bernie Ecclestone (estimated fortune of $2.5 billion). In a rich-list recently published by Four Four Two magazine, Mittal is only pipped by Manchester City owner, Abu Dhabi's own Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Mr E, as Bernie is affectionately known, ranks ninth on the list.
However, it is not as if the club is buying its way to success. Rather, in recent years, the club had become something of a laughing stock within football circles for the revolving-door policy that applied to its managers.
However, new appointment Warnock has bucked that trend and is demonstrating the results that come with an extended run at the helm.
Of course, Warnock has been around the block and is one of England's wiliest managers. QPR faces stiff competition in London from its Premiership rivals when trying to attract the best young talent.
Warnock is keen to ensure the club's academy blossoms and the youngsters on its books are developed for future first team action. For example, 17-year-old Mo Sharif, who has been banging in the goals at youth level, has now earned his first professional contract, earning rave reviews in the process.
Warnock is also astutely tying down his existing playing squad to longer-term contracts. Acutely aware of the increased attention from the Premiership his side's success will generate, Warnock has recently persuaded Argentinian midfielder Alejandro Faurlin to sign a contract extension that will keep him at the club until 2014.
QPR's last match was against local rivals, and Warnock's previous club, Crystal Palace. When the Eagles went into administration Warnock made the short trip across London but it is his new side that has soared to unexpected heights. Arab-favourite, Moroccan star Adel Taarabt, opened the scoring in the 49th minute with a tap-in after Dutch international Edgar David's mistake allowed Mackie to round the keeper before crossing.
The R's looked comfortable although the players thought they had thrown away two points when they allowed Wilfried Zaha to waltz around Clint Hill before crossing to Kieron Gadogan in the 89th minute. However, Warnock has instilled confidence and a 'never say die' attitude into his side and maximum points were secured for the Loftus Road faithful with Icelandic forward, Heidar Helguson, bundling the ball home in the third minute of injury time.
Warnock's team appear to have found the perfect balance between defending cautiously while attacking with flair and intent, with Taarabt the heartbeat of the team.
They boast the best defensive record in the league having conceded only three goals all season, all away from home. While Burnley and Swansea boast a similar home record, only Hull City can match their record of five successive clean sheets and only Burnley have scored as many goals.
It is away from home that the Hoops have truly excelled managing to secure an identical number of points and scoring an equal number of goals.
It is this consistency that has seen Rangers build a six-point lead with a goal difference that effectively makes this seven.
The best start for 63 years is an excellent way to start the season and provides a platform for a return to the Premiership that their supporters crave.
