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QPR confirm football legend Stan Bowles has passed away aged 75

QPR confirm football legend Stan Bowles – of the game’s finest talents – has passed away aged 75 after battling Alzheimer’s.

Stan Bowles was known for his skills as a forward, and also gained a reputation as one of the game’s great non-conformists and mavericks.

He made appearances for Man City, Bury, Crewe, Carlisle, QPR, Nottingham Forest, Leyton Orient, Brentford and England in a career that started in 1967 and ended in 1984.

He was diagnosed with a neurological illness in 2015, with QPR organising a testimonial match with Bournemouth in 2017 to support him and his family.

A GoFundMe page was set up to aid in his battle against the disease, but his condition sadly worsened, receiving full-time care in 2020 after residing with his daughter Andrea in Manchester.

But on Saturday evening (24th February 2024), QPR announced his passing via their website.

QPR STATEMENT:

IT IS with a heavy heart we have learned that QPR icon Stan Bowles sadly passed away this evening (Saturday), aged 75.

All our thoughts are with his family and friends at this incredibly difficult time. May he rest in peace.

The club will be confirming how we will be paying a fitting tribute to Stan in due course.

A darling of the Loftus Road terraces, Stanley Bowles is undoubtedly one of the greatest players to have ever pulled on the famous blue and white hoops.

Many would argue that he is the best.

Regardless, Stan was a special talent – a 1970s footballing maverick – who was popular for his antics both on and off the field, with team-mate and close friend Don Shanks never far from the action. He was also one of the most naturally-gifted players of his generation.

Part of our First Division title-challenge side of 1975/76 under Dave Sexton, Bowles made 315 appearances for QPR, scoring 97 goals.

He played a starring role as Rangers finished runners-up to Liverpool in the mid-seventies, before reaching the UEFA Cup quarter-finals the following campaign.

‘Stan the Man’ was a legendary number 10 – one of the reasons that this particular shirt number is so special to R’s fans – and a great ambassador for our club.

He also played for Manchester City, Bury, Crewe Alexandra, Carlisle United, Nottingham Forest, Leyton Orient and Brentford, and won five full England caps as a Rangers man.

Bowles signed for QPR from Carlisle United on Friday 8th September 1972. Then-R’s boss Gordon Jago was ambitious to gain promotion from the old Second Division (now the Championship) – and he saw Stan as an important part of those plans, a flair player to excite the Loftus Road faithful after the sale of fellow crowd-pleaser Rodney Marsh to Man City six months before.

Stan marked his debut in some style.

His sparkling introduction came in our 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest in Division Two on Saturday 16th September 1972 at Loftus Road. He made the opening goal for Don Givens, then scored himself and had a hand in the third by Andy McCulloch.

After QPR gained promotion to the top-flight at the end of the 1972/73 season, Bowles grew in stature and won his first England cap away to Portugal on April 3rd 1974. Stan almost scored on two occasions in the international friendly at Estádio da Luz, Lisbon. It was a match that finished goalless.

Bowles was one of QPR’s star men during our ‘75/76 campaign, when we eventually lost the league title by a point. The R’s finished their fixtures on top of the table by beating visitors Leeds United 2-0 on April 24th. But, 10 days later, Liverpool clinched pole position courtesy of a 3-1 win away to Wolves.

An unforgettable night at Loftus Road saw Bowles break the record for goals scored in European competition by a British player in a single season. This came when Rangers beat FC Cologne 3-0 in a UEFA Cup third round, first leg tie on Wednesday 24th November 1976.

In August 2004, Bowles was voted QPR’s all-time cult hero by the club’s fans in a BBC poll. He won with 56 percent of the vote, ahead of fellow legends Rodney Marsh and Les Ferdinand.

A regular visitor to W12 after hanging up his boots, in mid-2015 it was announced that Stan had unfortunately been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Two years later, the club hosted a benefit match in his honour, versus AFC Bournemouth, to raise vital funds for Stan’s ongoing care.

His popularity was underlined when a stand was named after him at Loftus Road. The Ellerslie Road Stand became The Stanley Bowles Stand in the summer of 2022 – showing just how highly thought-of he’ll always be here.

Gone but never, ever to be forgotten – the ultimate Loft legend.

Sleep tight, Stan.

Tributes flood in as QPR confirm football legend Stan Bowles has passed away aged 75…

@Secret_Junkyard: Stan Bowles will always be QPR first and foremost, but finished his career with us and he was head and shoulders above everyone on the pitch in every game I saw him play for Brentford. Met him years later before a game in the New Inn, still dapper and cool. RIP

@dougbagleyfdl: RIP Stan Bowles. A great player and a great man. He sat in the Springbok Pub at QPR drinking and having a laugh with my mate Mark when a friendly against Spurs was being played. Mark didn’t know who Stan was until 90 minutes later when QPR fans came in asking Stan for autographs!

@Drawski5: Stan Bowles, what a character! Remember that season when QPR were competing at the top of the league under Dave Sexton. They were a joy to watch & Stan Bowles was the catalyst. Enjoyed a drink & a bet like an old school pro but one to be remembered. Read his biog.. excellent.

@markgarrity0: Such a character, will we ever see the likes of Stan Bowles again. Great player, the greatest to wear the blue and white hoops shirt. Will future QPR players who pull on that No.10 shirt understand the legend that wore it before them. RIP Stan.

@turkishtyke1970: RIP Stan Bowles. One of football’s true entertainers 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 🙏

@DazWareham: An absolute icon for the blue and white hoops. Was before my time but for Tarrabt to get called the modern day Stan Bowles only makes me sad that I never got to see this legend in the flesh. R.I.P Sir Stan 🙏 🙌

@QPRW12JA: I was only a young lad when I had the privilege of watching Stan with my Dad in the mid seventies. He was and still is the best player I have ever seen live. I was also fortunate to have a big night out with him in Ealing many years later. A night I will never forget. RIP Legend.

@Markybabar: Absolutely heartbroken at the news of the passing of the very best to ever wear the blue and white hoops. Stan Bowles. May you rest in eternal peace. QPR Icon. Hero. Legend. The Very Best. 💙🤍💙

@Matthew82069336: Rest In Peace Stan Bowles supremely gifted footballer and one of the great characters of the 70s. Part of top notch QPR side that so narrowly missed winning First Division. Stan might have been in bookies half hour before kick off, but he was often a magician after 3. Real sad loss!

@4lifeTerrier: R.I.P Stan Bowles, one of the best players I ever saw play, A unique character on and off the pitch. If he had played in todays top leagues he would have been worth well over £100m. A very sad ending to an otherwise great day

@JezzaH99: Very sad to hear that Stan Bowles has passed away. I don’t have heroes as such but if I did he would be top of the list. I started watching in 1973 and Stan made me fall in love with both football and QPR. RIP Stan. The memories will last within me until I pass away. Thank you.

@lenclapich: What sad news. As a Spurs fan I always looked forward to seeing him play. A truly gifted player he shone like a beacon at a time when players had to play on terrible pitches & put up with waist high tackles. Love to his family and friends at this sad time x

@safcnono: So sad to hear the news that the player who made me fall in love with Football has passed away Stan Bowles truly one of the greatest players I’ve ever seen. RIP for a Sunderland fan.

@Deanoperk80: To young to see the great man play but he is what we are and who we are we haven’t got many legends but he is the legend rip Stan Bowles @QPR #stanbowles

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