Conor Washington believes the small band of QPR fans headed to Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday have a massive part to play in future success.

Hoops are at Hillsborough knowing a recent survey placed them second-last on a Championship fans away table. Only neighbours Fulham have fewer in number on the road.

Admittedly, the survey was before a near 4,000 Rangers army arrived down the road at Craven Cottage for a 2-1 derby win before the international break.

Nevertheless, tiny Burton Albion (average, 763) got more of an away following than Rangers (689) at the time of the survey. One reason is probably the lack of southern clubs in the second tier.

See chart below.

Aside from west London rivals Brentford and Fulham, Reading and Brighton, plus a trek down the M4 to Bristol City - all other journeys point north.

Despite this, the Northern Ireland striker contends those following Rangers have been in good voice.

“Obviously away from home you are not expected to be the loudest,” Washington added.

“But I think the fans have been brilliant and we are going to need them when we go to Sheffield Wednesday on the weekend.”

Keeper Alex Smithies admits the long treks to his former club Huddersfield and the like put a strain on loyalty of all but the absolute die-hard hoops fans.

Mercifully this weekend’s trip, and forthcoming ones to Nottingham Forest, Ipswich and Rotherham all fall on a Saturday.

Even so, he believes the onus is on the team to make fans want to make the journey.

“It is hard to expect fans to travel 200 miles or whatever on a midweek game when they are all working, so that can make a difference,” he said.

“We have got to put the performances in that make the fans want to come to those games.”