FORMER England striker Dion Dublin is warning QPR they need to get the new season off to a fast start or risk spiralling further downwards.

After last season’s relegation, QPR have already begun rebuilding, with Joey Barton, Bobby Zamora, Adel Taarabt, Richard Dunne and Shaun Wright-Phillips all released.

In place of these big names come Swindon duo Massimo Luongo and Ben Gladwin, as well as jay Emmanuel-Thomas, who fired Bristol City to a league and cup double last term.

As their return to the Championship begins to take shape, so has the fixture list with QPR drawn away to League Two Yeovil in the first round of the Capital One Cup.

Cup ambassador Dublin said: “This is a tie QPR have to win, Yeovil are not going to lay down and die. I’m pretty sure that Paul Sturrock will have them fired up.

“It’s important for Chris and the squad to say ‘right, let’s take stock of what we have’. He needs to keep the ones that want to play the Chris Ramsey way and the ones who want to do well in a competition like the Capital One Cup.

“It’s all about attitude for me and QPR’s players have got to set a good example because, over the last couple of years, they haven’t really done what we expected them to do, with good names and good players."

League clubs don’t enter the Capital One Cup until the later stages but there is still plenty of intrigue in the first round.

QPR squaring off against Yeovil isn’t the only David against Goliath tie as Fulham travel to Wycombe Wanderers and relegated Burnley travel to Port Vale.

Dublin said: “This is a great opportunity for clubs to make a name for themselves, get a bit of silverware and make a few quid as well.”

Dion Dublin was speaking following the Capital One Cup Round 1 draw on behalf of Capital One – the credit card in your corner. Visit facebook.com/CapitalOneUK