1983 Bowles, Stan
Birth Date
24th December 1948
Birthplace
Collyhurst, Manchester
Occupation
Striker
Biographical Text
Former QPR and England star Stan Bowles was expected to spend time with Exeter City in the summer of 1983 after earlier announcing his retirement from football. Invited to play in a friendly against Swindon Town, his name was on the team sheet although he did not feature in the match. He later played a few games for Brentford.
An often controversial player - both on and off the field - Stan started his career at Manchester City before moving on Bury and Carlisle United prior to a six-figure transfer to Queen's Park Rangers in 1972. Spending seven years at Loftus Road, he scored seventy times in 255 league appearances and was the star player of the side that finished runners-up to Liverpool in the then Division One in 1976. Not always so highly-regarded by some people within football as by fans, Stan won just five caps for England in the mid-1970s when Don Revie managed the national team.
Stan left West London for Nottingham Forest in 1979 where, in spite of playing in a European Super Cup team, relations with manager Brian Clough were not always smooth and soon he was back in London appearing for Leyton Orient and later Brentford.
Supposedly retiring from Brentford and football at the end of the 1982/83 season, his old QPR captain Gerry Francis - now manager of Exeter City - made an attempt to persuade Stan to come to Exeter City. Named for the friendly at Swindon on 20 August 1983, he didn't play although he later made a number of appearances back at Brentford during 1983/84.
Stan was known for his 'colourful' life, particularly for his gambling, and later worked as a TV pundit and after-dinner speaker prior to his death at the age of seventy-five in 2024.
An often controversial player - both on and off the field - Stan started his career at Manchester City before moving on Bury and Carlisle United prior to a six-figure transfer to Queen's Park Rangers in 1972. Spending seven years at Loftus Road, he scored seventy times in 255 league appearances and was the star player of the side that finished runners-up to Liverpool in the then Division One in 1976. Not always so highly-regarded by some people within football as by fans, Stan won just five caps for England in the mid-1970s when Don Revie managed the national team.
Stan left West London for Nottingham Forest in 1979 where, in spite of playing in a European Super Cup team, relations with manager Brian Clough were not always smooth and soon he was back in London appearing for Leyton Orient and later Brentford.
Supposedly retiring from Brentford and football at the end of the 1982/83 season, his old QPR captain Gerry Francis - now manager of Exeter City - made an attempt to persuade Stan to come to Exeter City. Named for the friendly at Swindon on 20 August 1983, he didn't play although he later made a number of appearances back at Brentford during 1983/84.
Stan was known for his 'colourful' life, particularly for his gambling, and later worked as a TV pundit and after-dinner speaker prior to his death at the age of seventy-five in 2024.
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