text: He has been a colossus of the game. He has made 700 professional club appearances and won 81 caps for England, six Premier League titles, the FA Cup and the Champions League. In his pomp, he was the stuff of strikers' nightmares, driving some of the world's greatest goalscorers to distraction with lightning-sharp reactions and an instinctive reading of the game. That's why it's such a shame that what is likely to be Rio Ferdinand's farewell year in the English game has fizzled out. Rio Ferdinand pictured in training at Queens Park Rangers last week. The 36-year-old defender started regularly in the first part of the season but has been unable to hold down his spot in the side . Ferdinand started the first seven matches of QPR's Premier League campaign before being dropped . Ferdinand has enjoyed a fantastic career, winning six Premier League titles, but a fairytale finish is unlikely . Ferdinand and Ryan Giggs lift the European Cup for Manchester United in Moscow back in 2008 . Ferdinand also won 81 caps for England during his glittering career . He would love to be out there, hunting down and hassling opponents, robbing attackers of the ball, winning the aerial duels, playing his part in Queens Park Rangers' survival mission. Keeping them up would be a fitting curtain call. Instead, Ferdinand's season has been one spent on the margins - either suspended, benched or out of the squad altogether. Once again, the 36-year-old was forced to watch on from the sidelines as Rangers claimed a potentially crucial point away to Aston Villa on Tuesday night. Ferdinand had picked up a slight knock and was ruled out. He has played just five times since the start of October - not much of a swansong. On Sunday, he posted a Twitter picture of a pile of chicken bones after lunch at his mum's. He had not been involved in the 4-1 win at West Brom 24 hours earlier and it weirdly seemed to sum up his peripheral role at the moment. By contrast, Ferdinand had started QPR's first seven games of the campaign, lasting the full 90 minutes in all of them. Harry Redknapp had grand plans and the best of intentions last summer. Having called time on his Manchester United career after 12 trophy-laden seasons, Ferdinand moved to Loftus Road in what Redknapp described as a 'remarkable coup for the club.' Harry Redknapp described Ferdinand's signing last summer as a 'remarkable coup' for the club . But after initial promise, Ferdinand has largely spent the season on the bench . Premier League (6): 2002-03, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2010-11, 2012-13 . FA Cup (1): 2003-04 . Football League Cup (2): 2005-06, 2008-09 . FA Community Shield (5): 2003, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2013 . Champions League (1): 2007-08 . FIFA Club World Cup (1): 2008 . Even in his mid-thirties, Redknapp believed Ferdinand would bring 'quality, class, experience and know-how' as QPR returned to the top flight. He envisaged Ferdinand in a sweeper role, the central pivot of a three-man defence in an in-vogue 3-5-2 system. He would bring all that experience to bear, helping Clint Hill and Steven Caulker keep opposition attacks at bay. Unfortunately, it just didn't work. In their first seven Premier League games of the season, QPR won one, drew one and lost five. They leaked 15 goals and the scale of their task in staying in the top division was clear. Ferdinand was demoted to the bench, Richard Dunne and Nedum Onuoha were introduced and the dye was cast for the season. His suspension for using the word 'sket' in a tweet didn't help and by the time that was served, Ferdinand was down the pecking order. Ferdinand has shown glimpses of his imperious best for QPR this season . But Ferdinand's farewell season in English football has not lived up to his expectations . Chris Ramsey has played Ferdinand on three occasions since taking over from Harry Redknapp . Queens Park Rangers find themselves two points from safety after their 3-3 draw at Aston Villa on Tuesday . As you would expect, Ferdinand has conducted himself like a model professional on the training ground, maintaining his fitness in case he was called upon. And there have been such occasions, notably the 2-0 win at Sunderland in February - Chris Ramsey's second game in charge after replacing Redknapp, that ended QPR's 11-game losing run on the road. Ferdinand may yet be called upon again in the run-in, with QPR sitting two points shy of safety, but the season so far will have fallen short of his hopes and expectations. That fairytale finale, with Ferdinand leading an heroic resistance to keep Rangers in the Premier League, seems unlikely. There are rumours that clubs in the money-soaked Qatar Stars League are preparing to tempt Ferdinand with one final payday but that remains to be seen. For now, Rio's farewell has sadly fallen a bit flat. The fixtures remaining for the bottom six in the Barclays Premier League .
target: Rio Ferdinand missed 3-3 thriller with Aston Villa through injury .
  He has featured in just five QPR matches since the start of October .
  Harry Redknapp initially wanted him to be at centre of a back three .
  But the plan backfired as Rangers made a poor start in Premier League .
  Ferdinand has found it difficult to regain his place in farewell year .