Ramsey recalls night out with QPR legend Bowles

Chris Ramsey has paid tribute to Stan Bowles and recalled a night out with the QPR legend in the early 1980s.

Rangers head coach Ramsey was a youngster at Brighton when he was loaned to Brentford, where Bowles played towards the end of his career.

Ironically, Ramsey was competing for a place at Brighton with another ex-QPR man, Don Shanks, who became best friends with Bowles when they were at Loftus Road.

Ramsey explained: “Don Shanks came to Brighton and we were competing for a place and the club let me go on loan.

“The first day I was there, Stan asked me if I’d like to join him for a drink and we ended up going after training.

“I don’t really want to expand on that, but it turned out to be quite a long night!”

Former England forward Bowles, who made more than 300 appearances for the R’s, has Alzheimer’s disease.

He was given a hero’s reception by QPR fans on ‘Stan Bowles Day’ on Saturday, organised by the club as a tribute to the man widely regarded as its best-ever player.

“Despite the status he had, he’s always been a very humble man – very friendly. He’s just a man to be marvelled at,” Ramsey added.

“He was world class and if he was playing now he’d be world class.

“How much would he be worth now? I think £20m or £30m easily.

“We all just hope that he’s in the best possible place and we want him to be treated well. Our thoughts are with him.”