QPR legend and ex-Man City star Stan Bowles – one of the game’s finest talents – dies aged 75 after battling Alzheimer’s

Former QPR and Manchester City star Stan Bowles has died aged 75 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

Bowles – who was regarded as one of the best talents in England during his time as a player and thrilled fans with his quirky edge – was diagnosed with the neurological disease in 2015.

In 2017, his former club QPR arranged a testimonial with Bournemouth to raise money for Bowles and his battle against the disease and he also set up a Go Fund Me page.

Sadly, his situation deteriorated and he entered care full-time in 2020 after living with his daughter Andrea in Manchester.

In a statement on the club websiteQPR confirmed the news, as they said: ‘It is with heavy hearts that we have learned that QPR icon Stan Bowles has sadly passed away this evening (Saturday) at the age of 75.

Bowles, who made 255 appearances for the Hoops, was one of the game’s finest talents and greatest characters

QPR confirmed the news of Bowles’ death on Saturday via a message on their official account on X

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

“The club will confirm in due course how we will pay Stan a fitting tribute.

The statement continued: “A darling of the Loftus Road terraces, Stanley Bowles is undoubtedly one of the greatest players to ever pull the famous blue and white hoops. Many would argue he is the best.

In 2021, former QPR teammate Don Shanks said of Bowles’ illness: ‘People always ask, “Do you think he remembers you?”, but the truth is you don’t really know.

‘You think about half of football, but sitting there with Stan is the hardest 45 minutes of your life. There is very little communication. There are no sentences. It is monosyllabic.

‘I didn’t know anyone who had this condition until Stan got it. Until you know someone who has it, you have no idea what this does to people and what this does to families – how suddenly their lives are completely, absolutely destroyed.

“There is no good news, there is no reversal, there is no cure. It’s just slowly getting worse. It is soul destroying for everyone involved.”

Bowles spent much of his playing career at QPR after joining from Carlisle United for £110,000 in 1972, where he made 255 appearances for the Hoops, scoring 70 times.

He donned the legendary number 10 shirt – often avoided to avoid comparisons with iconic star Rodney Marsh – and was voted the club’s greatest player of all time in a 2004 fan poll.

Bowles never won a trophy but was part of the 1975-76 team that finished runners-up to Liverpool in the old First Division under Dave Sexton.

But his time at the club came to an end in 1979 when he fell out with new boss Tommy Docherty, who had told the player ‘you can trust me’. Bowles famously responded, “I’d rather trust my chickens to Colonel Sanders” – and was forced to train in the reserves for six months.

Bowles played five times for England. Pictured: Watched by Three Lions boss Don Revie during training

His former QPR teammate and close friend Don Shanks revealed the heartache Bowles’ family suffered following his diagnosis

He finished his career with Nottingham Forest, Leyton Orient and Brentford before retiring from the game in 1984. Bowles started the game at Man City before spells at Bury, Crewe Alexandra and Carlisle ahead of his big QPR switch.

Bowles played five times for England – scoring once – and his first appearance was in Sir Alf Ramsey’s last match against Portugal in April 1974.

Off the field he has been involved in controversies, including a revelation by Shanks that the pair had once spent a night in jail after being mistaken for bank robbers.

He was also known for his drinking and gambling, once saying: ‘I ruined everything on vodka and tonic, gambling and fags. Looking back, I think I overdid it with the tonic.”