By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions. We in turn value your personal details in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
The ultimate 70s maverick footballer in an era when fantastically talented players were allowed to express themselves on and off the pitch. Stan played in the perfect era to showcase his skills: I wonder how he would have got on with football now a sterilised product.
Were you there for the game against Sunderland in '78, I think it was (maybe 77)? Dreadful first half from both sides, but the 2nd half really came to life from us, and Stan scored one of the most memorable goals at LR I've ever seen (they put it in the highlights reel for that Stan Bowles Day).
Just found the link for it - Lord knows how many times I've watched his again!:
"That's There, That's Two, and That's Bowles!"
Stan scored a similar goal to the one he got against Sunderland as the winner against Arsenal around 1978/79. That never gets acclaimed because it wasn't on TV as it was a midweek league game. So many goals he scored lost as no TV camera's about so much of his greatness never captured.
March 1972 and the news came on the radio that we had just sold Rodney Marsh to Man City, I was bloody distraught, I idolised the bloke, honestly I'd never seen any one player like Rodney, I was inconsolable, he was all things QPR to me, he couldn't be replaced In my eyes he was literally unplayable on his day.
And then along came Stan and lo and behold Rodney was replaced, so walking down Loftus Road at about 2.50 PM on a Saturday afternoon was all good again.
Halcyon Days just good old plain Halcyon Days.................
My Father had a profound influence on me, he was a lunatic.
Stan scored a similar goal to the one he got against Sunderland as the winner against Arsenal around 1978/79. That never gets acclaimed because it wasn't on TV as it was a midweek league game. So many goals he scored lost as no TV camera's about so much of his greatness never captured.
Even more so with Rodney.
There was a camera at home games back then but most of the footage has never been seen outside of the club. Very rarely you find something on YouTube, black and white footage, no sound with all the numbers going crazy at the bottom.
Rest in Peace Stan. I had the pleasure of watching Rodney and Stan in the hoops. I did not think Rodney could be replaced how wrong I was. Stan Bowles one in a million.
March 1972 and the news came on the radio that we had just sold Rodney Marsh to Man City, I was bloody distraught, I idolised the bloke, honestly I'd never seen any one player like Rodney, I was inconsolable, he was all things QPR to me, he couldn't be replaced In my eyes he was literally unplayable on his day.
And then along came Stan and lo and behold Rodney was replaced, so walking down Loftus Road at about 2.50 PM on a Saturday afternoon was all good again.
Halcyon Days just good old plain Halcyon Days.................
When Marsh was sold, us kids were shell shocked. I'd never heard of this Bowles bloke and I thought things would never be the same - I was right.
RIP Stan. Never got to see him play, but love watching the clips. Went to see him talk in a pub back in, I dunno, 2001, along with about 50-odd fans and it was a great night, he was very funny and he loved our club as much as we loved him. Love to his family.
Such a massive part of my life, shed a tear when I heard the news, so many fun stories, like quite a few paying tribute on here this evening was lucky enough to see Stan and Rodney, Stan was just wonderful.
Such a massive part of my life, shed a tear when I heard the news, so many fun stories, like quite a few paying tribute on here this evening was lucky enough to see Stan and Rodney, Stan was just wonderful.
Rest in Peace, you wonderful magician.
RIP Stan. I feel privileged that I saw every single game that he played at Loftus Road. Never a dull moment 🔵⚪️🔵⚪️🔵⚪️
I’ve only just got home, on the way I decided to take a small detour past the ground. For some reason I thought there might be a few messages left outside.
There wasn’t.
There was one solitary blue shirt left outside reception with “QPR west London” written on it.
I didn’t check ellerslie.
Feels like we lost Stan twice, once when he got Alzheimer’s and again today.
I was another for whom Stan was a large part of my childhood, and I count myself lucky, privileged even, to have seen him play.
One quick story, late nineties, I was walking up Bloemfontein and turned right into South Africa road, and all of a sudden I realised Stan was walking right in front of me wearing a long grey coat.
As we approached the ground, I was looking at the people walking towards us. when they looked at Stan and recognised him, without exception, the reaction was the same, a wide smile appeared on their face. I’ve never forgotten the look on people’s faces that day.
This is someone who played his last game for us some twenty years previous yet could still garner that reaction. That is someone who was loved.
When you remain in people’s hearts and memories you never die.
My dad was a qpr fan in the 60s. When I was born in the early 70s my mum was not impressed with him going to football all the time and wanted to go too. They managed to get a babysitter for a game, and I think Qpr won massively against Sheffield Wednesday in the league cup possibly and Stan bowles was immediately my mums favourite. My dad loved him too though. Never saw him play myself, but he was why I introduced to Qpr. My elnow fairly old parents haven't been to Qpr for years, but my mum still messaged me earlier to tell me Stan had passed. What an influence he was
My dad was a qpr fan in the 60s. When I was born in the early 70s my mum was not impressed with him going to football all the time and wanted to go too. They managed to get a babysitter for a game, and I think Qpr won massively against Sheffield Wednesday in the league cup possibly and Stan bowles was immediately my mums favourite. My dad loved him too though. Never saw him play myself, but he was why I introduced to Qpr. My elnow fairly old parents haven't been to Qpr for years, but my mum still messaged me earlier to tell me Stan had passed. What an influence he was
I remember going to our first ever POTY dinner (remember them?) and me and the wife met him at the bar. This was I think almost 20 years ago now and I remember being so fuming at the fact that 2 drinks cost us £20 I didn't really take in saying hi to him and shaking his hand.
My first experience of watching Rangers was in the 80's so sadly never got to watch him in the flesh.
Beautiful posts for a special talent and human being RIP Stan hope you are dribbling on perfect surfaces tonight . Condolonces to his loved ones the long goodbye is over
The ultimate 70s maverick footballer in an era when fantastically talented players were allowed to express themselves on and off the pitch. Stan played in the perfect era to showcase his skills: I wonder how he would have got on with football now a sterilised product.
Rest in peace Stan you legend: God bless you,
I wonder how he would have got on with football now a sterilised product.
He wouldn't. No way.
I would guess there are few others on here who'd remember when he flashed the V sign at his own bench when he was subbed at Upton Park.
For some reason I was in with a bunch of West Ham supporters. They couldn't believe it — not the V sign, but that he'd been taken off. "Why? He's the best player on the f***ing pitch!" One of them said.
It was a horrible day pi**ing with rain so the playing surface was a mud-bath. We were a goal down and it seemed that Stan was the only player who didn't care about the conditions. From where I was it looked as up to his knees in it every time he got the ball. No one around him to pass to as the ball would only travel a few feet. But he never gave up, never stopped trying. And, most of all even though he must have been knackered, he wanted to see the game out. Hence the V sign.
In truth, there is little new that I can add to the tributes here, but I have tears in my eyes as I write this. I am getting on a bit and I think of myself as being rational and sensible so what's that all about? Just that, looking back, it was a huge privilege to share in the pleasure that Stan's talent brought to QPR fans' lives. He knew and we knew and there was a 'connection' that is rare in today's game.
RIP Stan! I was so privileged to see Stan play live from 75 to 79. An amazing player, the best I've ever seen live, and he was a huge part of England's best team in 75/76. Never had too many heroes, but Stan certainly was.