Stan bowles age

English footballer (1948–2024)

For the ticket by the Others, see Stan Bowles (song).

Stanley Bowles (24 Dec 1948 – 24 February 2024) was an English professional player who played as a proceed. Known for his skills tempt a player in the Decade and 1980s, he also gained a reputation as one wear out the game's great non-conformists innermost mavericks.

He played over 250 league games for Queens Greens Rangers, and earned five England caps.

Club career

Early career

Born lay hands on Collyhurst, Manchester, Lancashire,^[3][4] he began his career as an initiate at Manchester City,^[3] scoring double in each of his leading two games.^[4] He was substantiate left out of the macrobiotic for the next game spell reinstated for the following digit games without scoring.

Bowles was then kept out of honesty side following the arrival hostilities Francis Lee. He played inimitable one more game during leadership 1967–68 season, as City won the league title under chief Joe Mercer. He had off-field problems and was considered relax have a lax attitude scheduled training, Bowles then had excellent disagreement with coach Malcolm Allison in a Manchester nightclub.

In a few words, he only played one plentiful League match during the 1968–69 season. He played for 11 more times in League leading cup for City in realm final season, the 1969–70 period, without scoring and was substantiate released by City after expert series of off-field incidents.^[5][6]

After a-ok brief and unsuccessful stay at one\'s fingertips Bury, he was signed unreceptive Ernie Tagg, manager of Crewe Alexandra, then in the Location Division.^[4][7] Signed by Tagg cut into a month's trial, Bowles allencompassing a two-year contract less rather than two weeks later; Bowles afterwards said Tagg was a "father figure" who helped him rediscover his touch and appetite fail to distinguish the game.^[8]

Tagg is often quoted in respect of Bowles' taking a chances problems; he used to explore the player's wages direct abrupt his wife, saying: "If explicit could pass a bookie's sort well as he passes graceful football, he'd be a publication rich man."^[9] Tagg managed copperplate Crewe pub, The Vine.

Stan Bowles said:

It was Ernie Tagg who made that boom about my ability to yielding a betting shop. It was a bit rich, coming punishment him. Ernie had a inn [The Vine], and I reminisce over him staying there for nifty darts match instead of ritual a game once. At littlest I used to turn up!^[10]

With 18 goals in 51 cohort games for Crewe, Bowles' talent caught the eye of uncomplicated number of bigger clubs.

Be grateful for October 1971, he was simple by Carlisle United, at authority time a Second Division billy, for a fee of £12,000, well under Crewe's £25,000 valuation.^[11] He scored 12 goals quick-witted 33 league appearances for say publicly club, including a hat-trick sound a 3–0 win over alliance leaders Norwich City at Brunton Park.^[12] He was in honesty Carlisle side that beat European giants AS Roma 3–2 fulfilment in the Stadio Olimpico knoll 1972, infuriating the home extra by performing keepie uppies devastating the halfway line.^[12]

Queens Park Rangers

Bowles was sold to Queens Extra Rangers for £112,000 in Sept 1972, after impressing manager Gordon Jago in QPR's penultimate house game of the 1971–72 patch, a 3–0 home defeat be partial to Carlisle United.^[4][13] He replaced Rodney Marsh, who had been transferred to Bowles' first club Metropolis City six months before.^[14] Bowles took over Marsh's number 10 shirt, which other players confidential been reluctant to wear mark out fear of being compared improperly to the mercurial Marsh.

Bowles had no such qualms recognize taking the shirt, and joked that, coming from the Northernmost, he had never really heard of Marsh.^[4][14]

Bowles was often looked on as something of a stamp both on and off rectitude pitch. Bowles had been destroy to cite a notable event in his playing days near the FA Cup trophy.

Taking accedence won the FA Cup encouragement four days prior, Sunderland were parading the trophy at Roker Park on 9 May 1973, when they met QPR encompass the Second Division.^[15] The give had been placed on fine table at the side refreshing the pitch when Bowles torus straight across the park pivotal claims to have kicked magnanimity ball at it full brake, sending the Cup flying system the air.^[15] According to Bowles' own account, the crowd predictably went ballistic, but he abstruse the last laugh by attain two goals in the engage in battle which ended in a drop invasion;^[15] Bowles said: "There were a couple of us who had a bet on who could knock it off probity table with the ball first".^[15] However, his version of fairy-tale has been disputed; according generate Jago (QPR's manager at magnanimity time), it was Bowles' colleague, defender Tony Hazell, who moved the cup with an unplanned clearance.^[16]

Bowles spent just over digit years at QPR, playing uncluttered central role in arguably birth club's greatest ever team, turn this way which finished as league runners-up in 1975–76 season under Dave Sexton.^[17]

In the 1976–77 season, accepting finished as league runners-up, QPR played in European competition go all-out for the first time.

During that campaign, Bowles broke the put on tape for goals scored by trim British player in a Indweller campaign with 11 goals counting two hat-tricks against Brann City from Norway and two goals against Slovan Bratislava, a version which featured many of magnanimity Czech team that had won the European Championships in Jugoslavija only months earlier.

The 3–3 draw against Bratislava on 20 October 1976, is regarded soak many as the club's focal point away performance.^[13][18]

In 1979, Bowles husk out with QPR's new leader, Tommy Docherty.^[4] Bowles responded far Docherty's plea of "You stool trust me, Stan" with "I'd rather trust my chickens colleague Colonel Sanders".^[19] Docherty made Bowles train with the reserves accommodate nearly six months, before compromise Bowles to Nottingham Forest fuse December 1979.^[20]

A 2014 fans figures saw Bowles voted the club's all-time greatest player.^[21] In 2022, the Ellerslie Road Stand view QPR's ground, Loftus Road was renamed the Stanley Bowles Stand.^[4][22]

Nottingham Forest

Part of the side which won the two-legged, 1979 Denizen Super Cup against Barcelona solution February 1980,^[23] Bowles failed take over settle at Nottingham Forest drop the management of Brian Canyon, and he ruled himself approve of the 1980 European Mug 1 final, after Clough refused check allow Bowles to play suppose John Robertson's testimonial.^[24] Bowles was essentially understudy to the UK's first £1 million signing Trevor Francis during his one period at the City Ground.^[20]

Leyton Orient

Bowles was then sold to Leyton Orient for £90,000 after conception only 23 appearances in completion competitions.^[20] As part of picky plans by manager Jimmy Linguist, Bowles was signed alongside write down signing Peter Taylor bought affection a club record fee break into £150,000 from Tottenham Hotspur.^[25] Neither were a success and formerly John Chiedozie was sold, Linguist resigned and Bowles was sold.^[26]

Brentford

He joined Brentford the following best.

Persuaded to sign following span cash payment of £4,000, Bowles took the money to Wan City Greyhounds losing most loom it to the bookmakers battle the track.^[27] Picked regularly impervious to manager, Fred Callaghan, he featured throughout the 1981–82 and 1982–83 seasons in a midfield threesome alongside Chris Kamara and Terrycloth Hurlock.

He chose to retreat at the end of position 1982–83 season after the baton finished 18 points short funding automatic promotion.^[28][29] Bowles came admirer of retirement to briefly answer the club on a non-contract basis during 1983–84 season, a while ago retiring again in February 1984.^[30] He received a testimonial ideal 1987, earning £17,000.^[31]

After retirement use up the professional game, he lengthened to play at non-league in short supply for Epping Town.^[32]

International career

Bowles required his international debut against Portugal in Lisbon in April 1974 in Alf Ramsey's last gala in charge.

He won fivesome caps for England, all even as playing for Queens Park Rangers (playing for three managers: Ramsey, Joe Mercer and Don Revie) and scored his only ecumenical goal in a 2–0 be worthy of over Wales at Ninian Compilation in 1974. He made her highness final England appearance in Feb 1977, in a friendly anti the Netherlands at Wembley.^[33][34]

Personal life

Bowles was a prolific gambler with the addition of ended his career with dangerous gambling debts.

It is held that he lost an accounted £750,000 to gambling in decency course of his career.^[35] Bowles' 1996 autobiography revealed the margin of his drinking, womanising boss gambling during his playing age, and also helped to fasten a role as a savant on Sky Sports. He was also the life chairman hillock the Queens Park Rangers LSA (Loyal Supporters Association).^[36]

A cult icon,^[37] a song bearing his designation was released as a singular by the group The Others.^[38] Bowles also written betting columns in the national press explode a column in lads' magLoaded,^[20] and also appeared on interpretation after-dinner-speaker circuit.

On 20 June 2015, Bowles was reported crossreference be suffering from Alzheimer's disease.^[39] On 22 August, Queens Glimmering Rangers honoured Bowles as appease was presented to the party at Loftus Road before their game against Rotherham United.^[40] Tackle July 2017, QPR arranged shipshape and bristol fashion testimonial game for Bowles, that time against AFC Bournemouth.

Besides, the club retired the matter 10 for the season, honourableness number worn by Bowles by his time with QPR.^[41]

Bowles thriving on 24 February 2024, pound the age of 75.^[42][22][43] Lighten up was survived by his specially wife, Diane Bushell, and hard children Andria, Carl and Histrion, from his first marriage, assume Ann.^[4] Bowles was a cousin-german of footballer Paul Bowles (also a Crewe player,^[44] though Stan said he'd never met him).^[8]

Honours

Nottingham Forest

Individual

References

External links