Stan Bowled over by song

By Chris Charles

Bowles voted top QPR hero

You know the old cliche - if he could have passed a betting shop as well as he passed a ball, Stan Bowles would have won 100 caps for England.

But he would never have become a cult hero - and certainly wouldn't have been the subject of a record that could crash into this week's top 20.

Singer Dominic Masters, who wrote Stan Bowles for new rock idols The Others, admits he is a big fan.

"He was a true maverick - very charismatic with an abundance of skill and talent...who then went and p***** most of it up the wall," Masters told BBC Sport.

"This song is about Stan and my best mate Peter Doherty from The Libertines, who's a massive QPR fan and used to write a fanzine for them.

"Like Stan, Peter's very dedicated to QPR, and has an abundance of skill and talent, but just like Stan he had a passion for getting intoxicated - and in fact still does.

"In fact, you could say Peter Doherty is the Stan Bowles of the music world and Stan Bowles is the Peter Doherty of the football world."

The Others - big Stan fans

Stan, for one, would not disagree.

"I suppose he is a bit like me," he admitted.

"It's fantastic to have a pop single named after you - I heard it earlier this week and I thought it was very good. I hope it does the business for them."

Bowles, who says he is keeping himself busy with media work and general "ducking and diving", added: "I heard Pete Doherty was a Rangers fan - and so is his manager, Mick Jones, who used to be in The Clash.

"Unfortunately I only found that out the other day - The Clash were my favourite band!"

While Bowles was listening to punk, Masters, a Manchester City fan, was being brought up with the 70s legends who played football with a twinkle in their eyes and giant sideburns on their chops.

"When I was very young, my dad would go on about players like Stan and George Best...the greats who messed it all up.

"You look at the England teams in 1974 and 1978 and when you see which players are missing you think, if that lot had stopped drinking for a bit, maybe we'd have got to the World Cup finals.

Stan or Iggy - who'd crack first?

"But then again, that's why we like them - without that element they wouldn't be the eccentrics we know and love."

He added: "I'd love to get a call from Stan Bowles to say he enjoyed the record - it would be like meeting Iggy Pop!"

Now there's a thought - Iggy and Stan on a bender. It makes you giddy just thinking about it.

Stan Bowles is out now on the Poptones label.