Ian Holloway took two players on trial with the squad to Scotland, Luke Hamilton and Jon Hjelde.
QPR MAD has done some investigation and research into both players to give its viewers a bigger picture on the two possible new signings for August 7th.
As all supporters know, Rangers currently lack a defender or two and Ollie has been working overtime in the hope of recruiting players good enough to make the grade at 1st Division standard. So here is the low-down on the two players.
Luke HAMILTON- trialist/ defender/ English/ Released by Derby County last season.
Luke trialled with Rangers last season making 3 appearances in the reserve team fixtures. With obvious potential, Ollie has decided to bring him back for second viewing and now must rate him highly.
Equally at home either at right or left back, Luke also filled the centre half spot in one of his games on trial with the reserves, showing his versatility.
Many R’s fans expressed their early optimism of signing the youngster after his impressive displays against Millwall, Colchester and Portsmouth reserves and against Nairn County and Inverness CT this week. Rangers scout Mel Johnson has overseen his nurturing at the Derby County Academy and also watched all his matches in a Rangers shirt, offering Ollie more insight to the player.
Although not being such a "big-name" player that many fans may want, to fill Clarke Carlisle’s boots, Lewis would offer versatility, hunger and a certain degree of skill. His lack of first team experience may hamper his chances of being offered a deal at Loftus Road.
Jon HJELDE- trialist/ defender/ Norwegian/ Released by Busan Icons this summer.
Hjelde was signed by Nottingham Forest from Rosenborg in 1997. Dave Basset splashed out £600,000 to sign the Norwegian centre-half who had been playing regular Champions League football before moving to England.
A regular in the side right up until he left in 2003 he made 153 appearances scoring 4 goals at the City Ground. He was voted Forest’s player of the season in 2001/02 when he formed a formidable partnership with Riccy Scimeca (now Leicester City). However the season that followed was his worst in his 6-year stay. Continually dogged by injury he found it hard to break into the side.
At the end of the season, due to Forest’s rising debt and Hjelde’s high wages the club were reluctantly forced to part company with the player when his contract expired.
He left on a free transfer and after a few months without a club, he was snapped up by Jamie Cureton’s former club- Busan Icons (Korea). He spent one season in the Far East, again impressing many followers but injury struck again and after only being offered a short-term deal the Club’s management chose to pay up his contract and let him return to Europe.
QPR MAD will bring you the latest news on the two players as and when he hear it. Any views on the two trialists? Email the Editor your own view and the site will print the best of them for all to see.