It was once said of Stan Bowles that he had spent all his money on betting, booze and women, to which he responded, “Well, at least I didn’t waste it.” Bowles, who has died aged 75, was a goalscoring midfielder of breathtaking speed and touch, a down-to-earth street genius with long flowing hair – he could win a game with one move.
His golden years, in the mid-1970s, were spent at Queens Park Rangers, when a familiar sight outside the Loftus Road ground were the badges on sale bearing the legend, “Stan Bowles and his amazing dancing feet”. Another familiar sight was Bowles, in his kit, 20 minutes before kick-off, in the betting shop up the road. Soon after the match he could be spotted in one of the pubs close to the stadium.
