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George Best

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Template:Football player infobox2 George Best (22 May 1946 – 25 November 2005) was a football player from Belfast, Northern Ireland. He is mainly remembered for his days with Manchester United, with whom he won the European Cup in 1968, and was himself named the European Footballer of the Year. In 1999, Best was voted 11th, behind Marco van Basten, at the IFFHS European Player of the Century election and 16th, behind Lothar Matthäus, in the World Player of the Century election.[1] Pelé named him as one of the 125 best living footballers in his 2004 FIFA 100 list.

He was a winger whose game combined pace, acceleration, balance, two-footedness, goalscoring and the ability to beat defenders. When fit, he was an automatic choice for the Northern Ireland team, but he was never able to lead them to the World Cup and display his talent on the world stage, but his ability was admired by Diego Maradona.[2] In his native Northern Ireland he is usually considered the finest player to ever take the field, summed up by the local saying: "Pelé good; Maradona better; George Best."[3]

He was one of the first celebrity footballers, but his extravagant lifestyle led to problems with alcoholism which curtailed his playing career and eventually led to his death, at the age of 59, from a kidney infection, a side-effect of the immuno-suppressive drugs he was required to take after a liver transplant. Best's lovable, cheeky image won him many fans, during his career and after, but his convictions for drunk driving and assaulting a policeman, allegations of domestic violence, and his inability to give up drinking even after the transplant, meant that not everyone was so well disposed towards him. Nonetheless, 100,000 people turned out on a rainy day for his funeral in East Belfast.

Biography

Family

George was the first child of Dickie and Anne. He had three sisters, Barbara, Julie and Grace, and a brother, Ian.

He was married twice, first to Angela MacDonald-James (1978-1986), by whom he had a son, Calum, and second to Alex Pursey (1995-2004). He is reported to have had two daughters by other women.[4]

Football career

File:BestCregaghEstateMural.jpg
The Cregagh Estate honoured George Best by unveiling a mural on what would have been his 60th birthday.

At the age of 15, Best was discovered in Belfast by Manchester United scout Bob Bishop, whose telegram to United manager Matt Busby read: "I have found a genius". His local club Glentoran had previously rejected him for being "too small and light".[5] Best was subsequently given a trial and signed up by chief scout Joe Armstrong. He turned professional and made his debut for Manchester United against West Bromwich Albion at Old Trafford. He hit the headlines the age of twenty when he scored two goals in a European Cup match against Benfica in 1966, and was dubbed "El Beatle" in the press.

He made 466 appearances for Manchester United in all competitions from 1963 to 1974, helping them to win the Football League First Division in 1965 and 1967, and scoring 178 goals (including six in one game against fourth division Northampton Town). He was the clubs top scorer for six consecutive seasons, and was the First Division's top scorer in the 1967-68 season. When United won the European Cup in 1968, Best scored in the final and was named European Footballer of the Year and Football Writers' Association Player of the Year.

Best's talent and showmanship made him a crowd and media favourite. He was dubbed "the fifth Beatle" for his long hair, good looks and extravagant celebrity lifestyle, and even appeared on Top of the Pops in 1965.[6] He opened two nightclubs in Manchester, in the late 1960s, Oscar's and the other called Slack Alice's (which later became 42nd Street Nightclub). He also owned fashion boutiques, in partnership with Mike Summerbee of Manchester City. However, he developed problems with gambling, womanising and alcoholism. In 1974, aged 27, he was sacked by the club for excessive drinking and persistent failure to attend training sessions and matches. His last competitive game for the club was on 1 January 1974 against Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road.

Over the next decade he went into an increasingly rapid decline, drifting between several clubs, including spells in America, Scotland, and Australia. He had a brief resurgence in form with Fulham F.C. in 1976-77, showing that, although he had lost some of his pace, he retained his skills. He time with the Cottagers is particularly remembered for an FA Cup game against Hereford United in which he tackled his teammate, and old drinking mate, Rodney Marsh. Best stated later in life that he enjoyed his time most while at Fulham, despite not winning any honours.

He played for three clubs in America: Los Angeles Aztecs, Fort Lauderdale Strikers and San Jose Earthquakes; he also played for the Detroit Express on an European tour. Best revelled in the anonymity America afforded him after England and was a success on the field, too, scoring 15 goals in 24 games in his first season with the Aztecs and was named as the NASL's best midfielder in his second.[7] He opened "Bestie's Beach Club" (now called "The Underground" after the London subway system) in Hermosa Beach, California, in the city through the 70s, 80s and 90s.

In his third season in the States Best scored only once in 12 appearances. His moves to Fort Lauderdale and San Jose were also unhappy, as his off-field demons began to take control of his life again. In 1983 Best finally retired from the game at the age of 37. His last games as a professional were with third division A.F.C. Bournemouth.

He was capped 37 times for Northern Ireland , scoring nine goals. On 15 May 1971, Best scored the cheekiest and arguably the most famous "goal" of his career at Windsor Park in Belfast against England. As Gordon Banks, the English goalkeeper, attempted to kick the ball downfield, Best kicked the ball out of his hands over his head, and outpaced him to head it into the empty net. Despite the home crowd's delight, the goal was disallowed for dangerous play.

In 1988 a testimonial match was held for Best at Windsor Park. Among the crowd were Sir Matt Busby and Bob Bishop, the scout who discovered Best, while those playing included Ossie Ardiles, Pat Jennings and Liam Brady. Best scored twice, one goal from outside the box, the other from the penalty spot.

In 1998, Best became a football pundit on Sky Sports. In November 2004 Best agreed to join FA Premier League club Portsmouth F.C. as a youth coach, citing his desire to get involved in football again.

Alcoholism

In 1984, Best received a three-month prison sentence for drunk driving, assaulting a police officer and failing to answer bail. He spent Christmas of 1984 behind bars and turned out as a player for Ford Open Prison.

On 2 February 2004, Best was convicted of another drunk driving offence and banned from driving for 20 months.

Best regularly made self-deprecating quips about his problems. He often told the story of a bellboy who entered his hotel room with breakfast in the late 1970s. Seeing Best in bed with Mary Stavin, the current Miss World, a magnum of champagne and several thousand pounds of cash won from a night's gambling, the youth exclaimed, "George, where did it all go wrong?" He also one said "I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars - the rest I just squandered."

In September 1990, Best appeared on an edition of primetime BBC chat show Wogan in which he was clearly drunk and swore, at one point saying to the host, "Terry, I like screwing" [8]. He later apologized and said this was one of the worst episodes of his alcoholism.

In 2002, he had a liver transplant at King's College Hospital in London. In 2003 he was the focus of much criticism when, despite his transplant, he openly drank white wine spritzers and was accused of being selfish and having no regard for other people's feelings. Also in 2004, his second wife Alex Best appeared as a contestant on the reality television programme I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! and alleged that Best physically abused her during their relationship.

Illness and death

Gates of Belfast City Hall soon after Best's death, Another view.
Graffiti honouring Best like this one in the New Lodge area appeared all over Belfast after his death.

Best continued to drink, and was sometimes seen at his local pub in Petersfield, Hampshire. On 3 October 2005 Best was admitted to intensive care at the private Cromwell Hospital in London, suffering from kidney problems caused by the side-effects of immuno-suppressive drugs used to prevent his body from rejecting his transplanted liver. On 27 October, newspapers stated that Best was close to death and had sent farewell messages to his loved ones. Best's condition improved at first, but deteriorated again in November. On 20 November the British tabloid News of the World published a picture of Best at his own request, showing him in his hospital bed, along with what was reported to be his final message: "Don't die like me". Of the many tributes left to George near his hospital bed, one was a signed football which read: "From the second best player in the world". It was signed by Pelé, the man many people consider to be the greatest player ever to play the game.

In the early hours of 25 November 2005 Best's treatment was stopped; he eventually died, after a battle that lasted longer than doctors had expected, at 13:06 GMT from a lung infection and multiple organ failure. [1] [2]. His father, four sisters, brother, son Calum and his agent and friend , Phil Hughes, were all at his bedside, as was his former United team-mate Denis Law.

The FA Premier League announced that a minute's silence would be observed before all Premiership games to be held over the weekend of his death, however, this tradition was ignored at many grounds, in favour of a minute's applause in his honour. The first match at Old Trafford after Best's death was a League Cup tie against West Bromwich Albion, the club against which he made his debut for Manchester United in 1963. The match was preceded by tributes from former team-mate Sir Bobby Charlton, and Best's son Callum and former team-mates, surviving members from the West Bromwich Albion team which he played against in his debut, all joined the current United squad on the pitch for a minute's silence, during which fans held aloft pictures of Best, which were given out to all fans before the match for free. Fittingly, the first goal that evening was scored by Cristiano Ronaldo, wearing the number 7 shirt Best wore so many times for United. All the way through the match, chants and songs about Best were sang long and hard, including many West Bromwich fans who paid their respects to a great footballer. Many football supporters travelled to pay tribute to Best outside Manchester United's stadium Old Trafford, Windsor Park in Belfast and at Belfast City Hall and outside his father's home where they left signed shirts, scarves, flowers and messages. The city of Belfast subsequently announced that those mementos left by fans are to be collected and given to children's charities. George's father Dickie condemned the theft of some football memorabilia left by fans at the Best home in the Cregagh estate. [3]

Funeral

His body left the family home at Cregagh Road, East Belfast, shortly after 10 a.m. UTC on Saturday, December 3, 2005. The cortège then travelled the short distance to Stormont. The route was lined with around 100,000 mourners. There was an 11 a.m. service in the Grand Hall relayed to around 25,000 mourners inside the grounds of Stormont, and live on BBC One, UTV, RTÉ, ITV News, BBC News 24, Sky News, Sky Sports News, EuroNews and MUTV. Afterwards, Best was buried beside his mother Annie Elizabeth Kelly in a private ceremony at the hill-top Roselawn Cemetery, overlooking east Belfast.

George Best on the cover of The Wedding Present's 1987 album he lent his name to.

Best was the subject of many books and wrote at least three autobiographies. The Good, The Bad and The Bubbly, co-written with Ross Benson, was the first to touch on his alcoholism, but it was Blessed, co-written with Roy Collins, and Scoring At Half Time, co-written with Martin Knight shortly before his death, where he revealed most about himself.

British group The Fall, fronted by Mark E. Smith, mentioned Best in their 1983 football-themed single, "Kicker Conspiracy," with the line: "In the Blues Club/ George Best does rule," in reference to Best's popularity even amongst Manchester City (the "Blues") fans. [9] Smith has said that even though he is a City fan, he often went with mates to watch United just so he could see Best play.

In 1984, Best made a fitness video with Mary Stavin called Shape Up And Dance.

Indie group The Wedding Present's 1987 debut album was titled George Best and featured him on the cover (pictured, right).

The Belfast Oi Punk band Runnin' Riot have a song titled "Alcoholic Heroes" written about George Best.

A picture of George is seen on the front cover of the 1994 album Definitely Maybe by Oasis. This is mainly due to the fact that then rhythm guitarist Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs was a Manchester United fan.

Best promoted Cookstown Sausages in commercials on Ulster Television, and print advertisements in the local press.

Quotations

Wikiquote has quotations related to George Best.
  • "I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars - the rest I just squandered."
  • "I used to go missing a lot...Miss Canada, Miss United Kingdom, Miss World..."
  • (On David Beckham) "He cannot kick with his left foot, he cannot head a ball, he cannot tackle and he doesn't score many goals. Apart from that he's alright."
  • "If I had been born ugly, you would never have heard of Pelé" [4]
  • "In 1969 I gave up women and alcohol. It was the worst 20 minutes of my life."
  • "I've stopped drinking, but only while I'm asleep."
  • "I once said Gazza's IQ was less than his shirt number and he asked me: "What's an IQ?""
  • (On Éric Cantona) "I'd give all the Champagne I've ever drunk to be playing alongside him in a big European match at Old Trafford."
  • (On the blood transfusion after his liver transplant) "I was in for 10 hours and had 40 pints - beating my previous record by 20 minutes."
  • "I went from El Beatle to El Vino in three short years."
  • "I might have been good, but Colin Bell was better."
  • (Joking in a discussion on Sky Sports News) "All seater stadiums? The fans WON'T STAND for it!"

Honours

Memorials

The new airport signage

Belfast City Airport has been renamed[5] George Best Belfast City Airport[6] as a tribute to the East Belfast footballing legend. The official new name and signage was unveiled to a gathering of the Best family and friends at the airport on 22 May 2006 which would have been his 60th birthday. After Best's funeral, his family contacted the airport, indicating that they felt that this would be the most appropriate memorial. Their spokesperson commented:

"We are delighted that airport management have decided to rename the airport in honour of George. Belfast City Airport is synonymous with East Belfast and with thousands of people using the airport on a daily basis George's memory will never be forgotten. This is a highly visible and lasting memorial to George that we hope will please many people in Northern Ireland."

Not everyone in Northern Ireland considered the renaming of the airport to be appropriate. Whilst his prowess as a footballer is almost universally acknowledged, many people - in Northern Ireland and beyond - believe that his drunken antics, caused by his alcoholism, and his treatment of women meant that such posthumous recognition was undeserved. Also, the fact that an airport was renamed after Best was felt by some to be too great an honour, as he had only contributed to the world of football and not society as a whole.

In March 2006, Flybe, the airport's biggest operator, named a Dash-8 plane G-JECL The George Best. The specially branded Q400 aircraft was used to carry Best's family across to the Manchester memorial service for Best. [7]

File:Bestfiver.jpg
The Best Five Pound Note

On the 60th birthday anniversary, 22 May 2006, at special gala dinner held in George's honour at Belfast City Hall, an auction was held to raise funds for the George Best Foundation. One of the items featured was the 'Genius' egg from the world famous jewellers Fabergé [8]. The new piece designed by Sarah Fabergé, the great granddaughter of Carl Fabergé, the world famous designer of the first Fabergé Eggs and Royal Court Jeweller for the Russian Royal family, has been commissioned by George Best Carryduff MUSC. All profits from the sale of the eggs will be donated to the George Best Foundation [9].

For the first anniversary of his death, Ulster Bank issued one million commemorative five pound notes. [11]The notes were sold out in three days.

Trivia

  • For the 1987 album by The Wedding Present, see George Best (album).
  • "Best is portrayed in "A dedicated follower of fashion", by The Kinks
  • The song "Belfast Boy" by Don Fardon honours Best
  • The May 2000 issue of the classic car magazine, Practical Classics ran an article featuring the Jensen Interceptor. A quote was that "Fuel consumption is firmly in the George Best league of fluid swallowing capabilities", referencing Best's drinking habits.

Appearances and goals for each club

International: 1964-1978 - Northern Ireland: 37 games, 9 goals

See also

Wikiquote has quotations related to George Best.

Notes

  1. ^ IFFHS' Century Elections
  2. ^ Mark Brealey, "My night with Diego", the Observer, 2 July 2000
  3. ^ "A city mourns for the Belfast boy", BBC News Northern Ireland, 3 December 2005
  4. ^ "Best's two secret kids", Daily Mirror
  5. ^ Anne Cadwallader, "Best too small and light for local club as teen", Tiscali News, 25 November 2005
  6. ^ The Rolling Stones - The Last Time (video clip)
  7. ^ Sean O'Conor, "Best's American Years", Yanks Abroad, 26 November 2005
  8. ^ Video clip on YouTube
  9. ^ Lyrics to "Kicker Conspiracy" on the Unoffical Fall Website
  10. ^ The Best x Players of the Century/All Time.
  11. ^ "Bank note honour for George Best". BBC Online. 26 October 2006. Retrieved 2006-10-26. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
Preceded by European Footballer of the Year
1968 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year
1968 		Succeeded by
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