Stan Bowles Alzheimer’s Research UK Fundraiser

Football fans are oft labelled as tribal, only becoming mentioned in the media generally in a negative light. Therefore, it is a pleasure to be able to write about a positive story, where fans of one club are being active in the support of another team’s once legendary player.

Step forward the Harrogate Branch of the Leeds United Supporters Club (LUSC), who are now looking to raise funds and awareness of Alzheimer’s and in particular the plight of ex-QPR and England international Stan Bowles.

Dave Rowson a former secretary of the branch founded in 1982 takes up the story of how this link came about.

“At the Leeds away game at Loftus Road back in January 2020, as a bit of fun we bought a Stan Bowles calendar which was being sold due to his suffering with Alzheimer’s.

It is a condition in footballers that is getting more media attention with the deaths of player such as Jeff Astle and Nobby Stiles. This has struck Leeds as well with legends such as Jack Charlton, Gordon McQueen and Frank Worthington falling victim to this awful disease.

As a result, we are hoping to run a ‘picture with Stan’ event at Elland Road, which will involve people having a photo with the Stan Bowles calendar, making a donation to Alzheimer’s Research, with the pictures uploaded to the @StanBowlesHarrogateLUSC Facebook site. Currently we are waiting for the club (Leeds United) to give the thumbs up for 23rd May, if not it will be held next season.

Additionally I will be making a donation from the sales of my book We’re not Leeds, We ARE Leeds (details here) published in April and I am also going to organise a charity bowls competition in the summer.”

More details will be provided when the events have been confirmed.

For more details about the disease Alzheimer’s Society – United Against Dementia