George Best Tribute Thread

[Jonny2J]

With the man seemingly at death's door i thought it would be appropriate to lay tribute to the greatest player to have ever played in the English league, we know about his off the field problems and that so there's no point again bring all that up, just to lay tribute to the man's genius when he had it....

well here's some quite amusing articles and quote's i've dragged up about Best

Belfast boy in a life less ordinary

As concern grows over George Best's fading health Bill Elliott remembers a fun-loving man who was nobody's fool

Sunday November 20, 2005
The Observer

Mac, the village newsagent, had The Sun open on the page led by the medical bulletin on George Best. He pointed at the story. 'He's an idiot, isn't he?' he asked. It was, of course, a rhetorical question but it still deserved an answer. And the answer is 'No'.

Like, I suspect, millions of others, Mac only knew - or thought he knew - one George Best. The one who was weak, unable to say no to almost anything, a man lost in a shambolic world, an alcoholic who never managed to beat properly the old foe. Now, weeks on from that first bulletin, comes more of the same, confirmation again of his weakness. But an idiot? No, not an idiot, never an idiot.

Article continues
And so I tried to tell Mac about the Best I knew in the late 1960s and the 1970s when I was a Daily Express football reporter in Manchester, covering United and City and travelling with the Northern Ireland team for their matches. And trying to keep up with Georgie Boy and a fast life that captured the times. It was fun but, Christ, it could be difficult as well.

Those were the days when reporters still had real contact with the stars. First priority was to have a contact number. I had one for Bobby Charlton, one for Denis Law. For George, at his height, I had 19 telephone numbers in my book. These included his old digs in Chorlton-cum-Hardy and his 'second mum' Mrs Fullaway, who fussed over him and to whose modest home he retreated when he needed a break from the bollocks, and where the local kids guarded his E-Type Jaguar from the sharp scratchings of envy.

There was the number for the home he had built, an uber-modern place with a huge TV set that disappeared up a fake chimney. It had more glass than brick in its construction, so the fans could see straight in and George was forced to sit with the blinds down to avoid being watched all the time. He loved looking at his house, but he hated living there. A goldfish would have felt edgy, so, soon after he moved in, he moved out.

The other telephone numbers were for a bunch of his best pals, a few were for women and the rest were for the various clubs and pubs that George frequented, places like The Brown Cow or Slack Alice's or Blinkers. It was in these places that he would be protected as he drank his then alcohol of choice - vodka and lemonade - and held court quietly and shyly. He was, almost always anyway, friendly with everyone except the fools and, of course, he was especially friendly if the interloper wore a micro-mini and sported long, blonde hair. There were a lot of these about at the time and George made friends with all of them.

The rest of us young men could only watch all this with a mixture of fascination and envy, but if we were gobsmacked by his effortless pulling power we were even more impressed when we watched him play football. London back then had Michael Caine and Twiggy and The Rolling Stones as it swung, Liverpool had The Beatles and the rest of the Mersey sound but Manchester, grey, old Manchester, had The Hollies and Bestie. Mancs, to a man, felt they had the better of the deal.

The old TV pictures of George playing do him some justice but not enough. Tom Finney once told me George was, by far, the best, most complete footballer he had ever seen, a view echoed by Bill Shankly. What was he like? You had to be there to appreciate the brilliance, the imagination, the balance, the commitment, the goals. Most of all, he had the belief.

In 1976, Northern Ireland were drawn against Holland in Rotterdam as one of their group qualifying matches for the World Cup. Back then the reporters stayed at the same hotel as the team and travelled with them on the coach to the game. As it happened I sat beside George on the way to the stadium that evening.

Holland - midway between successive World Cup final appearances - and Johan Cruyff were at their peak at the time. George wasn't. I asked him what he thought of the acknowledged world number one and he said he thought the Dutchman was outstanding. 'Better than you?' I asked. George looked at me and laughed. 'You're kidding aren't you? I tell you what I'll do tonight... I'll nutmeg Cruyff first chance I get.' And we both laughed at the thought.

A couple of hours later the Irish players were announced one by one on to the pitch. Pat Jennings, as goalkeeper, was first out of the tunnel to appreciative applause. Best, as No 11, was last. 'And now,' revved up the PA guy, 'Number 11, Georgie [long pause] Best.' And out trotted George. Above him, a beautiful blonde reached over with a single, long-stemmed red rose.

Given his nature, his training and his peripheral vision there was no way he was going to miss her or the rose, so he stopped, trotted back, reached up to take the flower, kissed her hand and ran out on to the pitch waving his rose at the punters as the applause grew even louder.

Five minutes into the game he received the ball wide on the left. Instead of heading towards goal he turned directly infield, weaved his way past at least three Dutchmen and found his way to Cruyff who was wide right. He took the ball to his opponent, dipped a shoulder twice and slipped it between Cruyff's feet. As he ran round to collect it and run on he raised his right fist into the air.

Only a few of us in the press box knew what this bravado act really meant. Johan Cruyff the best in the world? Are you kidding? Only an idiot would have thought that on this evening.

[Jonny2J]

I could tell you so many stories about George Best that Pat Jennings has told me about him. Jennings at his peak was rated just about the best goalkeeper in the world, Best probably the most exciting forward apart from Pele. Best used to like to prove that a striker was better than a goalkeeper when they were together on international duty.

Spurs played manure at OT in the mid/late 60's, Best went round a couple of defenders, then round Jennings and faced an empty net. He then stopped, turned around and went back around Jennings again before putting the ball in the net.

As he went back past Jennings Best said ' Thought I'd give you a second chance Pat but you still weren't good enough. World's best? Pah!!'

I don't think I'll see too many players in the George Best mould in my lifetime!

George Best On Wayne Rooney....

"Is he better than I was at that stage?" Best asked the Daily Mail. "That would be the ultimate compliment.

"Nobody is better than I was at that stage. Call that arrogance or supreme confidence.

"I believe Wayne has the same cocky streak.

"We throw the word 'great' around, but with him it's no exaggeration.

"There are good players, there are great players and there are those few at the pinnacle - the Pele's, Cruyff's and Maradona's - and that is where Wayne will be aiming for the stars."

Meanwhile, England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson is confident that the teenager will propel the Three Lions to the Euro 2004 title.

"Normally, the team that wins the big tournaments has the best goalscorer," said Eriksson.

"Just look at the last World Cup and the difference Ronaldo made for Brazil."

"For someone to be 18-years-old and doing what he's doing, scoring four goals and playing football like that, with good passes, holding the ball strong against the defenders, but also defending and coming back to help the team, is just perfect."

My George Best Compilation I Just Made.....

http://s49.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0...C03FYISHF255QS

http://www.grabme.net/dl.php?key=4a5...dd4d28606233b9

[Yossi]

I thought he had died when I first read the thread title.

It's his own fault all this now. He drank far too much, got a new liver, abused it, and that's why he is in this situation at just 59.

I'm not saying he deserves to die or anything though.

[cadey]

Completey agree with you Yossi. The man is a disgrace but he does not deserve to die like this, in pain like he is.

He was a great footballer, one of the finest ever to have played the game but hes acted like a fool away from the game and its coming back to haunt him.

If if anyone wants to criticise me about this, fuck off and go read the thread where people are making jokes about dead babies, because that is alot more sickening then what is being written here.

[Ray_H]

Originally Posted by Yossi

It's his own fault all this now. He drank far too much, got a new liver, abused it, and that's why he is in this situation at just 59.

not having a go or anything but can we please not have any of that in this thead, its all i ever hear about him, we all know he's made mistakes but can we please just remember what an amazingly talented player he was. genius.

the story about cryuff is just fantastic! what a player! he'll never be forgotten.

great video mate! thanks very much

[Yossi]

Ray H- You have a point.

Cadey- Your avatar is about four months out of date.

[cadey]

I like it, it's trendy.

[Freestyle27]

Best was a great player, no doubt about that, but unfortunatley he will be remembered for what happened after his career.

[martin_cranie]

A brilliant player no doubt, one of the best ever... also no doubt. But i just don't feel sorry for him at all. He's pissed his life away with the alcohol, and even after his transplant he has the audacity to go back into it. Addiction or not, i just don't feel upset by this.

But as others have said, from a footballing perspective we're certainly losing a legend.

[svendust]

A great player, definetley the best to ever play in an Ipswich shirt even if it was just for a testimonial to Sir Bob.

I don't really blame him for what he's done to himself, it's not as if he would choose to live like he does/did but, as alcoholism often is like, it got out of control and it has slowly faded away the brightest star to ever play in England.

[Stephen753]

mr bests health. ill drink to that

[mike_wolves]

Arguably the greatest player to grace the beautiful game. His talent was out of this world. In my opinion he sometimes does not get the credit he deserves considering his sheer brilliance. Some say he was not as good as the likes of Pele or Maradona but they forget that Best never had the chance to play in a World Cup like the other greats, and Pele made his name in a WC!
That aside, Best is undoubtedly one of the all time greats, and he could hace been so much greater were it not for the influences of alcohol.

GOOD LUCK BESTY!

[Ronaldo7]

It also gets on my nerves when people say his career was short and he could have done more. He had 7 years in which he was probably the best in the world, at a time when the competition was outstanding, I do not think there are man players who could or can claim that.

[Dragonfly]

[/QUOTE]My George Best Compilation I Just Made.....

http://s49.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0...C03FYISHF255QS

http://www.grabme.net/dl.php?key=4a5...dd4d28606233b9[/QUOTE]


Lovely video Jonny2J. It reminds us what a great player he was. One of the greatest.

I love the bit where he's running with the ball; stops; takes his right boot off, then passes the ball - Classic.

[qwerty12]

I am a Utd supporter through and through. We are losing one of our greatest players. But like some have said on this thread, I have no sympathy for a man who was given a second chance at life and pissed it up the wall.

Doctor: "Mr Best I have some good news and some bad news. The bad news is you only have an hour to live."

Best: "Whats the good news?"

Doctor: "It's happy hour."

My parents tought me not to take death too seriously.