Loan spells

He experienced his first taste of first-team football when he signed for League One side Yeovil Town on a month-long loan on 31 December 2010, with the deal to be officially completed the next day.^[6] He made his debut against Plymouth Argyle on 1 January 2011, playing the whole match in a 0–0 draw at Home Park.^[7] After impressing in the first two weeks of the loan spell, with Yeovil having secured two victories and one draw without conceding a goal,^[8] it was announced that Ehmer would remain at the club for the remainder of the 2010–11 season.^[9] He went on to make 27 appearances during the second half of the campaign,^[8] with a good end of season run ensuring Yeovil finished in a comfortable mid-table position.^[10] The final game of his loan spell was a 2–0 away victory at Carlisle United on 7 May 2011, in which Ehmer was used a half-time substitute.^[11]

He returned to QPR following the end of his loan agreement, and subsequently signed a new one-year contract extension with the club in June 2011, keeping him contracted to the club until 2013.^[12] QPR manager Neil Warnock stated – "Max has made great progress over the last few months. He had a very productive spell at Yeovil and the feedback we received was very promising. The experience he gained there will stand him in good stead to really push on over the next 12 months or so".^[12] Shortly before the start of the 2011–12 campaign, on 21 July 2011, Ehmer returned to Yeovil on loan, this time on a six-month deal.^[13] He played in the club's first game of the new season, playing the first 56 minutes in a 2–0 away loss to Brentford.^[14] Ehmer scored his first professional goal in a Football League Trophy tie against Bournemouth on 5 October 2011, netting a late consolation strike from close range in a match Yeovil lost 3–2 at Dean Court.^[15] In December the same year, his loan deal was extended until the end of the season.^[16] However, having made 28 appearances in all competitions during his second loan spell,^[17] Ehmer returned to QPR on 19 January 2012, with his loan deal being terminated by mutual consent following a change in management at both Yeovil and his parent club.^[18]

After a brief spell back at QPR, without making any first-team appearances, Ehmer was loaned out, this time joining League One side Preston North End on 16 March 2012, on loan until 5 May.^[19] He made his debut in the Preston's 2–1 away victory at Exeter City a day after joining the club, coming on as an 89th-minute substitute.^[20] Ehmer went on to make nine appearances during his time at the club,^[17] before returning to QPR at the end of the 2011–12 season.^[21] In August 2012, Ehmer signed a new three-year contract at QPR, keeping him at the club until 2016.^[3][22] In March 2013, Ehmer joined League One side Stevenage on loan for the remainder of the 2012–13 season.^[23] He made his debut for the club a day after signing, on 29 March, playing the whole in a 1–1 draw away to Crawley Town.^[24] In the club's next match just three days later, Ehmer scored the only goal of the game as Stevenage secured a 1–0 home win over Hartlepool United.^[25] Playing at left back, he scored with a first-time finish after Filipe Morais' initial shot had been blocked, scoring with just fifteen minutes remaining.^[25] Ehmer made six appearances during the brief loan spell, scoring once, as he returned to his parent club following Stevenage's final game of the season.^[26][27]

On 4 November 2013, Ehmer joined League One side Carlisle United on loan for a month up to and including 1 December 2013.^[28] On 3 December 2013, two days after his original loan expired it was announced that Carlisle had extended Ehmer's loan at the club until 2 January 2014.^[29] In November of the same year he was loaned out, this time to League One side Gillingham.^[30]