QPR player in stand-off with angry fans before getting dragged away by teammate at Wigan

QPR player Leon Balogun found himself in a stand-off with angry fans before getting dragged away by a fellow teammate of his.

The Queens Park Rangers supporters who travelled over to bottom club Wigan lost their patience, losing another game to take just TWO wins from 15 games in 2023.

It proved to be the final straw as the fans turned on the players in unsavoury scenes at the end of the game with Balogun confronting the travelling support.

This is how far we’ve fallen, shocking. pic.twitter.com/cgXxoo9ODn

— UpTheRs (@UpTheRs) April 1, 2023

Balogun starting on a QPR fan calling him out for being shit, absolutely detest this squad #QPR pic.twitter.com/wxejLl3WyP

— Eddie (@E_S_14_15) April 1, 2023

Balogun saw the clip, and wrote on Twitter: “I am aware of a video going around of me with some QPR fans at the end of yesterday’s game and want to clarify what happened.

“Did I expect it to be pretty? No. My intentions were genuine and without malice of any kind.

“I do acknowledge that my body language looks a certain way in the video going around, but the sole purpose was to show that I can’t hear what one particular person was trying to say and I wanted to speak with him – not argue back but speak.

“I didn’t go there to have a go at fans as some are saying on social media – after giving away a penalty I was hardly going to do that!!!

“Yes, I said “calm down” but followed by “talk to me” as I was approaching the stand.

“Not because I think you have no right to be angry (of course you do!) but in order to enter into a dialogue.

“I’ve been in situations like this before and always found that an opportunity to build a better bond between players and supporters, but also to show some accountability, especially during bad periods.

“Unfortunately, that dialogue didn’t and couldn’t happen, which is why my team mate Albert tried to pull me away in order to protect me.

“Me resisting him makes the whole situation look worse, I can see that.

“But at no point was I trying to be arrogant, mock any of the supporters let alone argue with them.

“Like I said before: I didn’t expect it to be pretty, but I did think that after the initial bit of abuse, we could talk openly.

“I have a lot of respect and appreciation for the support you’ve been constantly showing us this season, which is why I came over in the first place.

“And I know as a team we’ve let you down massively and you feel like we’ve not been able to match your efforts, yet again.

“I have been just as frustrated as you that I haven’t been able to contribute for the last few months.

“I have asked the club to invite some fans to the training ground so we can talk and I can answer their frustrations directly which is all I wanted to do after the game.

Wigan Athletic, struggling with their finances, picked up a win and boosted their Championship survival hopes.

The Latics were docked three points by English Football League last month after failing to pay player salaries for March. However, they won their first game in nine thanks to Max Power’s penalty just six minutes in.

After Danel Sinani was brought down by Leon Balogun, Power sent the ball into the roof of his net.

Wigan goalkeeper Ben Amos kept out Kenneth Paal’s chance in injury time, with QPR falling to their seventh league defeat and are now three points above the drop zone.

Wigan’s Shaun Maloney: “It feels like a pretty big win at the moment, and I’m really happy. I was really happy with the way we played in the first half. I’d like us to be even more aggressive in some of the situations we got ourselves into.

“We had to defend more in the second half, and I think we saw both sides of the game overall.”

QPR’s Gareth Ainsworth: “You can’t be giving away silly goals like that, especially after only four minutes. We made a point before the game of saying to be solid from the off and trying to keep it as secure as possible. It’s just a big punt downfield from the edge of their box and we don’t defend it well enough. It’s criminal really, it’s just basic stuff, not even something you’d work on in training because it’s so simple.

“We give a penalty away, to be fair the boy dispatches it really well, then we’re chasing the game. After that there were positives and we probably tested their goalkeeper more than they tested ours. But we just couldn’t find that finishing touch and, at the moment, goals are proving few and far between. Hopefully we can put that right as quickly as possible.”

Here’s what Twitter users said with QPR player Leon Balogun in a stand-off with angry fans before getting dragged away by his teammate…

@Jordan_wafcV2: Was nout but a top lad at Wigan. You’ll stay up by the skin of your teeth but you don’t wanna be starting with Balogun he’s a top professional. Nothing but good things to say about him. Sure he will do the business for you now he’s fit.

@champagnesooper: Goes to show how most of the team have no respect for the club, the badge and mainly the fans – us – the people that pay their wages!! Fair play to those fans 🙌🏻

@frederikd10: Makes me sad.

@normillenial: I’d also be pissed if I paid my hard earned money, traveled to see this team and back them, and be presented with today’s performance. All 800 have been conned

@Matthew_Mudie95: The absolute cheek that Balogun has here🤣 Been away for about 6 month on the injury table, comes back and then give away a STUPID penalty. @LeonBalogun You have some nerve geeza

@JaydenQPR: Baloguns attitude stinks. #QPR

@martinyemi: This is a horrible sight. I wouldn’t blame the players for downing tools if they get treated like that. We’re all p***ed off but this is time for unity not division

@HT_2022_: 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 shambles of a club

@IanStewart1982: @Amit_Bhatia99 @QPR….. Get Les out of the club. Its become a total embarrassment. The failed recruitment of players, selling of loyal players. You’ve messed up bigtime. Sums it up saying to Chaz ..”Are you now retiring”

@E_S_14_15: Good on those fellas for giving the cunt abuse instead of chanting Gareth Ainsworth’s name as we get spanked by Wigan

@Powelly1985: Travelled from London to wigan , lost 8 of 9. It doesn’t hurt the players to see what it means to loyal fans. Good on the QPR fans.

@number8buser: Shame those players didn’t show that passion ON the pitch.

@Terry_D74: Not surprised nearly a 4hr drive back after watching that rubbish…

@sparefinch: Oh dear, they have a right to voice their opinions as they pay good money, but apart from giving the penalty away he had a decent game, please let’s not start turning on each other, we need to be together more than ever now. Come on U Rsss