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Great read. As someone who was born after Stan's era, its so lovely to read about him and what he meant to fellow fans who were lucky enough to see him. I think my first proper memory I have of seeing him and realising how important he was to QPR was this great BBC series that used to exist (maybe late 90s early 00s) where they took a classic season (in this case 1975-76) and did a month by month breakdown of what happened. Stan's goals and skill in that programme made regular appearances, as did the anecdotes about him from the people they interviewed! A true legend. Sad we've lost him so soon after Terry Venables, but I hope they're up there together now catching up.
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Stan Bowles – 1948-2024 on 18:10 - Feb 26 with 3754 views
Lovely tribute to the best player to ever don the hoops. RIP Stan and condolences to his family.
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the Earth all one's lifetime." (Mark Twain)
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Stan Bowles – 1948-2024 on 12:31 - Feb 27 with 3408 views
Stan Bowles – 1948-2024 on 14:25 - Feb 25 by ManinBlack
It was very regrettable that for the return, Sexton dropped Stan for whatever misdemeanour which must have been a huge boost to Derby after what he did to them at the Baseball ground. Predictably we could only draw in Stan's absence which proved to be a costly point dropped. Stan would have won that game for us. In my eyes dropping our best player against the defending champions was a poor move.
Anyway, I digress it is a good write up about Stan.
Never knew that - what was he supposed to have done wrong?
I was at the ground last Saturday early and was trawling through FB or X and saw a comment and repost of a Tracie Bowles post effectively saying that his passing was imminent. Mentioned it to Mick who sat next to me and we reflected on his legacy standing loud and proud across from us in the SAR stand.
When the news did come through that evening I have really felt it ever since. Not only because, at 56, I am old enough to have seen him at LR with my dad in 75-76 and remember him and that team. Not only because I had his picture, as well a poster with individual pictures of all the players of that squad, on my bedroom wall.
Mostly it is because of the connection my dad had with him. My dad turned 80 at the start of Feb and was also diagnosed with Alzheimer's last November.
Any time QPR gets mentioned dad somehow manages to turn the conversation around to how he "knew the name of every player back then". Stan Bowles this, Stan Bowles that. Dad adored Stanley Bowles.
Dad also tells the same story every time Stan is mentioned that a number of times dad's pub band was playing in a pub in Shepherd's Bush or East Acton back in the mid-70s and Stan and some of the players would be in and a number of times Stan would come up and ask my dad if he could sing a song. They would spend 5 mins during the band break trying to come up with a song that Stan actually knew the words too, but he never made his singing debut with the JB4 unfortunately.
As many have mentioned there is nothing better than hearing Brian Moore commentating on QPR games from that era and the way he would say "Stanley Bowles" after a goal had gone in. I think part of my emotions around his passing is the reflecting on the innocence and enjoyment of our childhoods in the 70s. The hot summers, Roy of the Rovers, Star Wars, Olivia Newton John in Greece, and QPR were actually a GREAT FOOTBALL TEAM then!! I sound like I am the one who is 80 now not dad.
My own limited dealings with Mr S Bowles were when I was the "Unpaids Clerk" at NWB Gunnersbury in the mid-80s and having to stamp "Refer to Drawer - Account Closed" on the cheques he had recently written out to 'cash' or the name of a pub in Brentford, even though the account had been closed 2 years before. Same old wily Stan finding a way for getting some money to buy everyone a beer in the pub on a Saturday night.
With the 3,000 faithful singing Stanley - a Rainbow appeared above the Away End & ….I started to think it just might be our day. #COYRSpic.twitter.com/sJYcQJXEzZ
I’m sorry I can’t be there tonight to pay my respects to Qpr’s greatest ever player.I hope it all goes well tonight and I’m sure you’ll all do your upmost to remember his memory. The only two bars in Dharamsala close around 11pm so there’s no chance of even watching the game here as it will ko at 1.30am local time. RIP Stan.You will never be forgotten.
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Stan Bowles – 1948-2024 on 13:04 - Mar 6 with 1259 views