There was a statement made about Stan Bowles, claiming that he had used up all his money on gambling, alcohol, and women. In response, he said, “At least I didn’t squander it.” Bowles, who passed away at 75, was a midfield player known for his exceptional speed and skill, a humble and talented individual with long, flowing hair – capable of winning a match with a single move.
During the 1970s, Stan Bowles’ prime years were at Queens Park Rangers. One common sight at Loftus Road was the sale of badges featuring the phrase “Stan Bowles and his incredible dancing feet”. Additionally, it was not unusual to see Bowles in his uniform, visiting a nearby betting shop 20 minutes before a game. After the match, he could often be found at one of the pubs near the stadium.
At Loftus Road, Bowles stepped in for club legend Rodney Marsh and donned the No 10 jersey that none of his new teammates had dared to wear. Despite being from Manchester, Bowles nonchalantly claimed to have never heard of Marsh. While Marsh was known for his flashy style, Bowles possessed a captivating quality as a selfless team player, forming a strong connection with QPR and England captain Gerry Francis.
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He became an essential part of QPR’s most successful team, alongside Don Givens, Frank McLintock, Don Masson, and David Webb. In the 1975-76 season, Bowles scored a potentially game-winning goal against Leeds United in the final match, which could have secured the league title. However, Liverpool, their competitors, only needed a draw to become champions and ultimately dashed QPR’s hopes with a goal-fest against Wolverhampton Wanderers ten days later.
In 1974, he played his first game for England against Portugal. This was the last game that Sir Alf Ramsey was in charge of, and from then until 1977, Bowles only played four more times for England, despite his great skill and impressive performances in the league. He scored his only international goal against Wales in England’s 2-0 victory at Ninian Park in 1974.
The individual was born on Christmas Eve in a pre-fabricated house in the Collyhurst area of Manchester, just before midnight. His father, who worked as a window cleaner, often joked that if he had been born five minutes later, he could have been Jesus. Despite the financial difficulties they faced, the family was filled with love. Growing up in Collyhurst, a rough but exciting neighborhood, instilled in Bowles a lasting fascination with shady characters and troublemakers.
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He received a brief education at a primary school affiliated with the Church of England before attending St. Mary’s Catholic junior school in his local area. His exceptional soccer skills were evident even at this young age, causing him to be placed in the goalkeeper position to level the playing field during matches.
At 11 years old, he transferred to New Moston secondary modern school. He was selected to compete for Manchester North Area team and eventually Manchester Boys. In October 1962, amidst the Cuban missile crisis, his headteacher pulled him aside and said, “Stanley, if nothing occurs, I believe you have potential as a footballer.”
He left school at the earliest opportunity to work at a raincoat factory, operating the press machine for a weekly salary of £10. The intense heat of the factory made him feel like he was living in hell. After three weeks, he left and began helping his father with his window-cleaning business. He particularly enjoyed cleaning the windows of Dorothy Perkins because he could observe the birds. However, his prediction came true when he joined Manchester City as an apprentice professional at 17 and later became a full-time player two years later.
In September 1967, he had his first appearance with the first team in the League Cup against Leicester City. He came in as a substitute for the injured Neil Young in the midfield and managed to score two goals in City’s 4-0 win.
He made his first appearance in the League against Sheffield United the next Saturday, where he scored two goals once again. However, despite being a laid-back and cheerful person, Bowles had a surprisingly hot temper and ended up having conflicts with Malcolm Allison, the first-team coach. As a result, he was loaned to Third Division team Bury during the 1969-70 season. After playing in five matches there, he was released from his contract due to breaking club rules.
During that same season, Crewe Alexandra, a team in the fourth division, offered him an opportunity to continue his career. Despite facing financial struggles, he managed to gather enough money for the train fare and made his way to Crewe. It was there that he regained his skill and passion for the game. After scoring 18 goals in 13 months, he gained recognition as one of the top midfielders in the lower leagues. However, due to their constant financial struggles, Crewe put him up for sale. In October 1971, he transferred to Carlisle United, who were in the second division at the time. Just a year later, he was bought by QPR for £110,000 in September 1972.
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Bowles gave equal focus to his off-field achievements as he did to his on-field performances, though he found more success in playing football than in betting on horses and dogs. In 1968, when he wed Ann Kyte, his father footed the bill for the marriage license as Bowles had squandered his weekly wages of £20 on gambling.
Afterwards, Jim Gregory, his patient but lenient boss at QPR, regularly had to provide upfront payments from his salary to pay off debts before the bailiffs arrived. His mother would jokingly say that if he owned a cemetery, people would stop passing away.
In 1979, Bowles departed Loftus Road after spending seven years there. He joined Nottingham Forest under Brian Clough after a disagreement with QPR’s new manager, Tommy Docherty. However, the move did not go well as Clough attempted to change Bowles’ position from right to left. After one season, Bowles moved on to Leyton Orient and then Brentford before retiring from playing in 1984.
During his retirement, he worked in media, writing columns about betting for national publications. He once stated, “Some may see me as a football player who had a gambling problem, but in reality, I am a gambling addict who also happened to be a talented footballer.”
In the middle of 2015, it was revealed that he had received a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. In 2022, QPR changed the name of the Ellerslie Road Stand as a tribute to him.
His wife, Diane Bushell, and children, Andria, Carl, and Tracy, from his previous marriage to Ann, are his surviving family members.
Source: theguardian.com
