Stanley Bowles raised his arms into the air and took the acclaim of the Loftus Road crowd.
It was a familiar sight throughout the 1970s, but this was August 2015 and was to be the last time Bowles graced the pitch he once ruled.
Bowles, the former QPR, Brentford and England inside-forward, has died aged 75 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
He looked in good physical shape as he was presented to the crowd on ‘Stan Bowles Day’, QPR’s home fixture against Rotherham, but his condition had already taken its toll.
Nevertheless Don Shanks, Bowles’ best friend and former Rangers team-mate who accompanied him out on to the pitch, told the Guardian: “When Stan walked out at Loftus Road he knew exactly where he was, for some reason. A moment of knowing who he was.”
The epitome of the 1970’s football maverick, there was a time when pretty much everyone knew who Bowles was.
Born in Collyhurst, Manchester, on Christmas Eve 1948, Bowles began his career as an apprentice at Manchester City.
A brief stint at Bury followed before Bowles joined Fourth Division Crewe, whose manager Ernie Tagg came up with the immortal line: “If Stan could pass a betting shop like he can pass a football, he’d be a rich man.” Without the benefit of hindsight, it would go on to sum up an entire career.
Bowles moved up two divisions to join Carlise and then, in September 1972, signed for QPR for a fee of £110,000.
Over the next seven years, Bowles made 315 league appearances for Rangers and scored 97 goals.
Yet those figures barely scratch the surface of Bowles’ talent – think Lionel Messi playing with a cigarette in one hand, a lager top in the other and a copy of the Racing Post sticking out of his back pocket.
A snake-hipped bag of bones, often wearing a kit that seemed to look two sizes too big, Bowles jinked, feinted, dribbled and darted past the poor, unsuspecting full-backs of the day.
A trademark goal would see Bowles drop his shoulder, cut inside on to his right foot and effortlessly accelerate, leaving a right-back floundering in a blur of quick feet and long hair, before driving the ball in at the near post.
The trouble was – as Tagg alluded to – that Bowles knew his way around the watering holes and betting shops around Loftus Road almost as well as he knew his way around the pitch.
So naturally talented was Bowles that he felt he did not have to try, an attitude which ultimately limited him to only five England caps, his one international goal coming against Wales at Ninian Park in 1974.
In 1979, a move to Nottingham Forest and a relationship made in hell with Brian Clough was predictably unsuccessful and a year later Bowles joined Second Division Leyton Orient.
He wound down his playing career back in west London with Brentford, enjoying an Indian summer which saw him named the club’s player of the year in 1982. Bowles is fondly remembered for his time at Griffin Park and in a recent poll was voted the best player in their history by fans of both QPR and Brentford.
Less auspicious was an appearance on TV’s Superstars, where athletes competed against each other at different sports. A hungover Bowles scored seven points, the lowest in the show’s history.
A chaotic lifestyle was characterised by Bowles agreeing sponsorship deals with two different boot companies for the same match and wearing one of each.
Upon his retirement, in 1984, Bowles moved into after-dinner speaking, worked as a pundit for Sky Sports and had his own betting column. His 1996 autobiography revealed the extent of his drinking, womanising and gambling during his playing days.
In his later years, Bowles could be spotted flitting between the pubs and the bookies of Shepherd’s Bush, now without the inconvenience of having to fit a football match in between.
Upon being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Bowles moved back to Manchester to be cared for by his eldest daughter, Andria. He is survived by Andria, his second daughter, Tracy, and son Carl.
Yamal ruled out of Serbia clash due to muscle injury
Lamine Yamal will miss Spain's Nations League clash against Serbia after sustaining a muscle injury during their 1-0 win over Denmark on Saturday.
Yamal was replaced by Sergio Gomez in the 93rd minute of their encounter at the Estadio Nueva Condomina and was seen limping after the game.
He had endured multiple tackles during the contest, raising concerns over his fitness. Despite the precautionary exit, the Spanish medical team found no significant injury.
The 17-year-old has since been replaced in Luis de la Fuente's squad by Atletico Madrid's Rodrigo Riquelme for the match against Serbia in Cordoba.
"The tests did not reveal any structural injury, and the medical staff of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) confirmed it is a case of muscle strain," the Spain national team said in a statement on Sunday.
"Prioritising the player's health and to avoid any risk of injury ahead of the upcoming match against Serbia, it has been decided to withdraw him from the squad."
Yamal has continued his impressive form from Euro 2024 into the current LaLiga season for Barcelona, scoring five goals in 11 appearances in all competitions.
Only Sevilla's Chidera Ejuke (28) has completed more dribbles in the league than Yamal (27), with his 18 chances created for Hansi Flick's side, a total only bettered by Raphinha (32) in Barcelona's ranks.
Yamal announced himself on the international stage during Spain's European Championship success earlier this year, notching four assists and one goal at the tournament.
While only in the infancy of his promising career, Spain head coach De la Fuente believes the treatment Yamal is currently experiencing is something he must get used to.
"The referee has to protect these talented players, but Lamine has to get used to it. I would love it to be a bed of roses, Flower Power, but this sport is like that," De la Fuente said.
"Lamine displayed an exceptional attitude and generated a lot for us from the right flank. He has a special talent.
"I had a teammate who used to say: 'What do you want, kisses (from the opponents)?' Teams will use the weapons they can within the rules."
Khadija Shaw’s late heroics lead Manchester City Women to 2-1 comeback win over Liverpool
Khadija Shaw continued her impressive form, scoring twice, including a dramatic 92nd-minute winner, to lead Manchester City Women to a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Liverpool in the Women’s Super League on Sunday. The victory moved City to the top of the league table with 10 points from four matches.
Shaw, who has been instrumental for City this season, was the difference-maker once again as her late header sealed all three points for her team in a hard-fought contest at Anfield. City came into the game on a high, following up their recent win over Barcelona with another statement performance.
Liverpool opened the scoring with Olivia Smith's long-range effort, a right-footed strike from outside the box that gave the hosts the lead. City responded through Shaw, who leveled the match with a right-footed shot from the center of the box, finishing expertly in the top right corner after a precise through ball from Laia Aleixandri.
Shaw nearly put City ahead earlier when her left-footed shot struck the post, following another assist from Aleixandri. However, it wasn’t until injury time that Shaw finally completed the comeback. In the 92nd minute, Lauren Hemp delivered a perfect cross from the wing, and Shaw rose highest to head the ball into the bottom left corner, sealing a dramatic victory for City.
The win propels Manchester City to the top of the table with 10 points, though they have played one more game than Chelsea, Manchester United, and Brighton and Hove Albion, all of whom are on nine points after three games.
With Shaw continuing her red-hot form, City look well-positioned for a strong title challenge this season.
Manchester United 3-0 Tottenham: Skinner's side stay perfect in WSL
Manchester United made light work of Tottenham as Marc Skinner's side continued their perfect start to the 2024-25 campaign with a 3-0 win.
Skinner's team moved level on points with Chelsea at the top of the Women's Super League thanks to goals from Elisabeth Terland and Maya Le Tissier on Sunday.
Terland, a summer signing from Brighton, opened her account for United with a quickfire double at the end of the first half at Leigh Sports Village.
The Norway international drilled in after Celin Bizet hit the crossbar, and the latter subsequently teed up Terland's second five minutes later.
United captain Le Tissier settled the contest from the penalty spot following Ashleigh Neville's handball just before the hour mark.
The Red Devils thrashed Spurs 4-0 in their last competitive meeting - the FA Cup final in May - and are now unbeaten in 11 WSL matches against them.
Indeed, this was their ninth win over Spurs in the competition, with United having only beaten Everton on as many occasions.
Data Debrief: United's pristine record
As well as picking up three wins from as many WSL matches, United are yet to concede a goal this season - the only team to have shut all of their opponents out so far.
Skinner continued his impressive record against Spurs, and is now unbeaten in his last eight meetings with them.
It has been a poor start for Spurs, meanwhile. After beating Crystal Palace 4-0 in their opener, they are now winless in three (D1 L2). Only in 2020-21 (0) have Tottenham had one or fewer wins across their opening four top-flight matches of a campaign.
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