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Post by Macmoish on Apr 12, 2017 22:50:10 GMT
QPR OFFICIAL STAN BOWLES BENEFIT UPDATE QPR can confirm that our home pre-season friendly fixture at Loftus Road this summer will commemorate Stan Bowles' contribution to the club. Over the last few months, CEO Lee Hoos and other staff members at QPR have been working in conjunction with a newly-formed committee to finalise plans to pay tribute to our legendary former player, who is suffering with Alzheimer’s. Following consultation with the committee and dialogue with the Bowles family, this fixture - scheduled to be played on the weekend of July 29th/30th 2017 - will form part of the club's ongoing celebrations of our former players, in the wake of a successful first year for The Forever R's Club, our ex-players association that was formed earlier this season. Further details, including confirmation of our opponents for this fixture, will be announced in due course. Supporters can donate towards the Stan Bowles Go Fund Me account by clicking here www.gofundme.com/stanbowlesIn addition, supporters wishing to keep abreast of all Stan related updates, should visit www.justforstan.com
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Post by marshbowles10 on Apr 13, 2017 7:58:41 GMT
I'm lucky. I grew up in the Stan Bowles, Dave Thomas era.
It was bloody difficult to get out of Loftus Road some Saturday afternoons (yes we always played at 3 pm on a Saturday in those days) due to the little misunderstandings between supporters........you know what I mean if you were there.
But
I am not ashamed to say as a 60 year old that 'I loved Stan Bowles'.
But, and here I expect to be slaughtered by the rest of the message board!
I don't see why the Club or anyone else makes me feel morally responsible for Stan or Dave or anyone else's health care.
As a supporter for 50 years I have paid the players wages through the turnstiles, club shop and programme.
They don't give anything back to me " Ah Marshbowles lost his job 2 years ago, he has been a season ticket holder for 37 years........ let's give him a free one..... poor chap".
My father, long since departed this world but screaming at Ollie from the clouds above and a supporter for all his 76 years also had Alzheimers.......he worked 41 years for the same employer who made him redundant and didn't take his service in the war years into his pension and as a result got 37/40's of his pension. Hitler got one back on him. Not one bothered to feel sorry for him.
So...........
Where does it all end?
If we do it for Stan or Dave then what about Phil, Ian, Frank, Dave, Don.......or Keith Sanderson or the Morgan twins or Brian Bedford (I went to school with his son!)
My tin hat is on.........incoming.
Tin hat on.
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Post by terryb on Apr 13, 2017 9:04:16 GMT
I agree with a lot that 57 & marshbowles have just posted.
However, in this instance, I can't find fault with the income from a pre season friendly going to an outside cause. Be that Stan, Guide dogs for the blind or any other organisation, I have no preference as to whom should benefit & this should be for the club to choose.
What I do expect is to receive abuse from the campaigners when the crowd is less than a sell out!
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Post by Ashdown_Ranger on Apr 13, 2017 9:14:33 GMT
From a logical point of view, I actually completely agree with you Marshbowles. Players are paid bloody well and perhaps there is something a little incongruous about their then receiving support from us 'lesser' mortals in their declining years.
But I guess, very much more than most players who have graced the Rangers' hoops, Stan made an emotional connection with fans.
Clubs always gave their long-standing players testimonial matches, something that seems to be very much less in evidence today. Maybe because players are paid such eye-watering salaries these days, or maybe because they flit between clubs so much more frequently than they ever used to - hoovering up still more eye-watering percentage fees along the way.
I think the expectation by fans is that it would just be so easy to lay on a testimonial match. The club have said that's actually bloody expensive in its own right and may not achieve the stated goal of raising funds for Stan's care.
Definitely a tricky question and one with, I think, no 'right' or 'wrong' answer...
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Post by canadaranger on Apr 13, 2017 9:47:36 GMT
Let's get behind this one for Stan and the Alzheimer's Society. There will be very few families who do not have first hand knowledge of Alzheimer's somewhere.
And then let's see what we can achieve for the others.
Don't forget that wages in the 1970's were nowhere near the silly money modern Premiership players get thrown at them. And the relationship between concussions / head injury and Alzheimer's / Dementia in later life was not well researched or talked about. And, even if one has been frugal, 3000 pounds a month for full time care quickly eats through a life's savings. We know about this first hand. And it's double that if both husband and wife are affected.
I wonder how many players now have comprehensive medical insurance included in their contacts, with lifetime coverage for (potentially) occupation related injury or disability? If someone is on 65,000 pounds a week, then surely extended health insurance should be covered out of deductions somehow.
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Post by Ashdown_Ranger on Apr 13, 2017 12:23:05 GMT
Update from the club - friendly announced...
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Post by Roller on Apr 13, 2017 18:26:38 GMT
My understanding is that the club are still selling products with Stan's image on them. Modern day players would have image rights to ensure that they also profited from this, but they didn't exist in Stan's day. Perhaps those who are not comfortable with the principle of this match could look upon it as redressing that situation.
Interestingly the club do not use the word "testimonial" and there is no direct reference to raising funds for Stan; maybe there will be a donation made on the day.
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Post by canadaranger on Apr 14, 2017 0:20:07 GMT
Let's get behind this one for Stan and the Alzheimer's Society. There will be very few families who do not have first hand knowledge of Alzheimer's somewhere. And then let's see what we can achieve for the others. Don't forget that wages in the 1970's were nowhere near the silly money modern Premiership players get thrown at them. And the relationship between concussions / head injury and Alzheimer's / Dementia in later life was not well researched or talked about. And, even if one has been frugal, 3000 pounds a month for full time care quickly eats through a life's savings. We know about this first hand. And it's double that if both husband and wife are affected. I wonder how many players now have comprehensive medical insurance included in their contacts, with lifetime coverage for (potentially) occupation related injury or disability? If someone is on 65,000 pounds a week, then surely extended health insurance should be covered out of deductions somehow.There are many many jobs and industries that had unknown and long term impacts on peoples health and those people do not get special assistance - what's so special about footballers. If someone is on £65,000 a week he can sort out his own medical insurance, pension, retirement care and anything else he needs in life. If he does not he is either stupid short sighted or both. Clubs usually have insurance for themselves against losing a player (and valuable asset) to long term or career ending injury.
There's nothing special about footballers. However, they are more likely to get injured than, say, accountants or dinner ladies. They also get hired at an age where they probably think they are invincible and immortal, and 65 years old is a lifetime away. No life experience. No financial planning experience. No commitments to family or property in youngest cases. And Agents who probably are looking to maximise what's in it for them, and minimise deductions. I think it's something that the Players Associations should require. And yes, the footballer should pay the insurance as a deduction at source from salary.
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Post by canadaranger on Apr 14, 2017 0:34:08 GMT
My understanding is that the club are still selling products with Stan's image on them. Modern day players would have image rights to ensure that they also profited from this, but they didn't exist in Stan's day. Perhaps those who are not comfortable with the principle of this match could look upon it as redressing that situation. Interestingly the club do not use the word "testimonial" and there is no direct reference to raising funds for Stan; maybe there will be a donation made on the day. I think QPR In The Community Trust has made a significant donation. Check the GoFundMe list.
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Post by Roller on Apr 21, 2017 20:31:38 GMT
www.westlondonsport.com/sport/qpr-bees-fans-unite-bowlesQPR and Bees fans to collect for Bowles fundFans of both clubs will collect money outside Griffin Park in aid of Stan Bowles ahead of Saturday’s derby between QPR and Brentford. Rangers legend Bowles, who saw out his career at Brentford, has Alzheimer’s disease. Money collected will go to the Stan Bowles Alzheimer’s Fund, which was set up in 2015 following his diagnosis.
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Post by canadaranger on Apr 21, 2017 21:21:47 GMT
The website, justforstan.com, is carrying news of efforts to help Stan. It does not accept donations. All donations go through the GoFundMe page the Bowles family set up.
There is a related twitter account, @justforstan, which is updated daily. Please pass these on. Thank-you.
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Post by Roller on Apr 21, 2017 21:35:39 GMT
The website, justforstan.com, is carrying news of efforts to help Stan. It does not accept donations. All donations go through the GoFundMe page the Bowles family set up. There is a related twitter account, @justforstan, which is updated daily. Please pass these on. Thank-you. It seems to me that while "we" are all "fighting" with each other as to how we can best help Stan, the Brentford supporters are just getting on with it. I'm looking forward to being there tomorrow; it is not often that both sets of supporters can unite behind a common cause.
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Post by Macmoish on Apr 21, 2017 23:17:30 GMT
I have no idea what the QPR Fan Fighting over Bowles was about
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Post by canadaranger on Apr 22, 2017 3:12:53 GMT
JustForStan.com is carrying details of events (not just the match) and links to groups who are raising funds. Please send in details of anything you hear about.
(I am involved with this, just as I helped John "Gramps" Clifford with his book project that raised funds for the kids with Down's Syndrome and QPR in the Community Trust)
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