THE LATEST NEWS ON THE GAS STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX SIGN UP Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Ian Holloway has hit out at the way he was sacked by QPR, and feels he laid the groundwork for their positive campaign this season.

The R's currently sit 11th, six points off the play-offs under Steve McClaren having finished 16th under Holloway last season.

Holloway, who led Blackpool to the Premier League, believes ensuring QPR's safety last season was one of his finest achievements as a manager, and he requested a new contract because of it.

Yet he departed Loftus Road at the end of the season, being swiftly replaced by former England boss McClaren.

(Image: Getty)

Writing in his Bristol Live column, the Bristol Rovers legend also hit out at Southampton for the way they treated Mark Hughes after sacking the Welshman this week.

He said: "Over the years Southampton have consistently sold their best young players, pocketed the money, and tried to promote better ones from within.

"Adam Lallana and Dejan Lovren were sold in the same year. Virgil van Dijk was holding their defence together and is now doing the same job at Liverpool, turning them into Premier League title contenders.

"No club can keep parting with their key performers and hope to make progress. What did Southampton expect of Mark Hughes, having continually depleted their work-force over a long period?

"New players brought in are expected to hit the ground running and it doesn’t always happen for a variety of reasons.

"Last season I did the best job I have ever done as a manager at Queens Park Rangers, saving them a huge amount of money and not only avoiding relegation from the Championship, but actually improving on our position the previous year.

"My chief scout and old friend Gary Penrice told me: “Ollie, I don’t know how you did it.” My reward was the sack within days of the campaign ending when I asked for a longer contract.

"I knew I had built a foundation that would bring success with just a few signings. Steve McClaren made them shortly after this season started, bringing in four solid senior pros, and the results are there for all to see."