- Jun 4, 2017
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So who is your favourite 'wild' footballer ? the unconventional yet brilliant talent who always seemed to be in trouble with management/authorities and yet wowed the fans with his natural skills and abilities.
For me it will always be Stan Bowles, a uniquely gifted footballer who for his own personal reasons never quite slotted into the England team.
Gerry Francis who played with him at QPR once gave this quote :
Stan is always described as a maverick and he was — we’d drag him out of the betting shop just before a game — but he wouldn’t nutmeg a defender or beat a few people and then think he’d done his bit. He was a winner. Hated losing. The tackling was ferocious, but he’d take it, and when we lost the ball we’d have to get back into our shape. He didn’t like being dictated to but, within the structure of the team, Dave let him explore his talent and make things happen.
I’ve been in football for nearly 50 years and you realise that the psychology of management is about knowing what makes people tick and Stan wasn’t just flashy or happy with being outstanding for one game in ten. There were a lot of talented players around at that time and although Stan says he ‘f***ed England off’, I’m not sure he means that. Managers have to find a way of getting the best out of players.
We became firm friends. We didn’t always go out together — Stan was into gambling and cards — but we had some funny times. I remember him inviting me home for a pre-match meal cooked by Ann, his wife. There was a knock on the door. The bailiffs came in and carted off the television, the table, the three-piece suite.
Sadly now diagnosed for some years with Alzheimer's, Stan will always be the ultimate non-Spurs hero of my youth.....so who is yours ??
For me it will always be Stan Bowles, a uniquely gifted footballer who for his own personal reasons never quite slotted into the England team.
Gerry Francis who played with him at QPR once gave this quote :
Stan is always described as a maverick and he was — we’d drag him out of the betting shop just before a game — but he wouldn’t nutmeg a defender or beat a few people and then think he’d done his bit. He was a winner. Hated losing. The tackling was ferocious, but he’d take it, and when we lost the ball we’d have to get back into our shape. He didn’t like being dictated to but, within the structure of the team, Dave let him explore his talent and make things happen.
I’ve been in football for nearly 50 years and you realise that the psychology of management is about knowing what makes people tick and Stan wasn’t just flashy or happy with being outstanding for one game in ten. There were a lot of talented players around at that time and although Stan says he ‘f***ed England off’, I’m not sure he means that. Managers have to find a way of getting the best out of players.
We became firm friends. We didn’t always go out together — Stan was into gambling and cards — but we had some funny times. I remember him inviting me home for a pre-match meal cooked by Ann, his wife. There was a knock on the door. The bailiffs came in and carted off the television, the table, the three-piece suite.
Sadly now diagnosed for some years with Alzheimer's, Stan will always be the ultimate non-Spurs hero of my youth.....so who is yours ??
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