George Best - Biography, Trivia, Appearances and goals for each club

Footballer, born in Belfast, NE Northern Ireland, UK. When a 15-year-old schoolboy in Belfast, he was spotted by a Manchester United talent scout and taken to Manchester by then club manager, Matt Busby. Best worked as an office boy until he signed as a professional in 1963 aged 17. A highly gifted player, at age 18 he won the first of 37 international caps for Northern Ireland. He was the leading scorer for Manchester United in the Football League First Division (1967–8), and in 1968 won a European Cup Medal and the titles of European Footballer of the Year and English Footballer of the Year. But his well-documented playboy lifestyle and alcoholism made him increasingly unable to cope with the pressure of top-class football, and he left the club in 1974 after a dispute with new manager, Tommy Docherty. Attempted come-backs with smaller clubs in England, the USA, and Scotland were short-lived, but he was recognized with a lifetime achievement award in 2000. In 1998 he joined Sky Sports TV as a regular television pundit. He underwent a successful liver transplant operation in 2002 but was frequently beset by health problems. On 22 May 2006, to mark what would have been his 60th birthday, Belfast City airport was renamed in his honour.

George Best
Personal information
Full name	George Best
Date of birth	22 May 1946
Place of birth	Belfast, Northern Ireland
Date of death	25 November 2005
Nickname	The Belfast Boy, The Fifth Beatle
Position	Winger
Youth clubs
1963	Manchester United
Professional clubs*
Years	Club	Apps (goals)
1963-74 1975 1975-76 1976+1977+1978 1976-77 1979+1980 1979-80 1979-80+1981 1983 1983	Manchester United Stockport County Cork Celtic Los Angeles Aztecs Fulham FC Fort Lauderdale Strikers Hibernian FC San Jose Earthquakes A.F.C. Bournemouth Brisbane Lions	361 (138) 3 (2) 3 (0) 61 (29) 47 (10) 33 (7) 22 (3) 86 (34) 5 (0) 4 (0)
National team
1964 – 1978	Northern Ireland	37 (9)
* Professional club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

George Best (22 May 1946 – 25 November 2005) is widely acknowledged to have been one of the greatest football players of all time, mainly remembered for his halcyon days with Manchester United FC. He played for the Northern Ireland football team, but their lack of success during the peak of Best's career meant that, regrettably, he never was able to display his unique talent on the world stage.

He played for United as a winger between 1963 and 1974, helping them to win the Football League Championship in 1965 and 1967, and the European Cup in 1968. In speaking to Man Utd TV after Best's death in in late 2005, Sir Bobby Charlton described Best's impact on the 1960s as "sensational". Indeed, Diego Maradona, often said to be the greatest player of all time, once called Best "the greatest footballer in the world". Best's brilliance is often summed up in one sentence: Pele good, Maradona better, George Best.

Best's lovable, cheeky image won him many fans, during his career and after, though his drunkenness and allegations of domestic violence meant that not everyone was so well disposed towards him. None the less, news of Best's death led to tears on the streets of Belfast, before and during a funeral for which some 100,000 people turned out on a rainy day. Best had developed a drinking problem while still a player, and it contributed to his early retirement from top-level football.

Biography

Football career

At the age of 15, Best was discovered in Belfast by Manchester United scout Bob Bishop, whose telegram to United manager Sir Matt Busby read: "I have found a genius".

He made 466 appearances for Manchester United in all competitions, scoring 178 goals (including six in one game against Northampton Town). Best was United's top scorer for six consecutive seasons. In 1974, the 27-year-old Best was sacked by United for excessive drinking and persistent failure to attend training sessions and matches. Best scored some amazing goals for The Cottagers and is particularly remember for tackling his 'old drinking mate' Rodney Marsh in a FA Cup game against Hereford United (despite both being on the same team!). Best stated later in life, that he enjoyed his time most while at Fulham F.C.

Over the next decade, Best drifted between several football clubs including spells in America, Scotland and Australia. 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 .

In his third season in the States, Best began a slow decline, scoring only once in 12 appearances. On 15 May 1971, Best scored the cheekiest and arguably the most famous 'goal' of his career at Windsor Park in Belfast against Gordon Banks. The famous duo both scrambled towards the net but Best outpaced Banks and headed the ball into the empty goal, to the delight of the home supporters.

Best was considered briefly by manager Billy Bingham for the 1982 World Cup.

Diego Maradona has frequently named Best as his all-time favourite player and Pelé once stated that Best was the best player he ever saw play. He also named him as one of the 125 best living footballers in his 2004 FIFA 100 list.

In 1988, a testimonial match was held for Best at Windsor Park, Belfast. Amongst 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.

Celebrity

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

While at Manchester United, Best's talent and showmanship made him a crowd and media favourite. 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?"

Best opened two nightclubs in Manchester, in the late 1960s, Oscar's and the other called Slack Alice's (which later became 42nd Street Nightclub). 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. 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.

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

Best was very witty and is notable for many famous quotes and soundbites he made, including:

"If I had been born ugly, you never would have heard of Pelé".

Family

The eldest child of Dickie and Anne, Best was brother to Carol, Barbara, Julie, Grace and Ian.

Best was married twice:

Angela Douglas-James (1978-1986), with whom he had a son, Calum Alex Pursey (1995-2004)

According to the Daily Mirror, Best had two illegitimate daughters.

Convictions

In 1984, Best received a three-month prison sentence for drunk driving, assaulting a police officer and failing to answer bail.

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

Alcoholism

In September 1990, Best appeared on an edition of primetime BBC chat show Wogan in which he swore and was clearly drunk. 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 was responsible for domestic violence towards her during their relationship.

Illness and 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. 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".

In the early hours of 25 November 2005 Best's treatment was stopped; 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. George's father Dickie condemned the theft of some football memorabilia left by fans at the Best home in the Cregagh estate.

Funeral

Best's funeral is often regarded as the closest thing to a state funeral that Northern Ireland has seen. Afterwards, Best was buried beside his mother Annie in a private ceremony at the hill-top Roselawn Cemetery, overlooking east Belfast. Bryan Appleyard's reporting of the funeral and remarks about the various members of the Best family in The Sunday Times led to calls by the Belfast Telegraph for his sacking. 1967 UEFA European Cup winners medal, 1968 European Footballer of the Year, 1968 Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year, 1968 Holds the record for the most goals by a Manchester United player in a single match, six against Northampton Town, FA Cup fifth round on February 8, 1970. Freeman of Castlereagh, 2002 Inaugural Inductee into the English Football Hall of Fame, 2002 Honorary Doctorate from the Queen's University of Belfast, 2001 PFA Special Merit Award, for his services to football, 2006

Memorials

Belfast City Airport has been renamed George Best Belfast City Airport 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. The specially branded Q400 aircraft was used to carry Best's family across to the Manchester memorial service for Best.

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. 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 .

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

Appearances and goals for each club

Pre -1963 - Cregagh Boys Club 1963-1974 - Manchester United: 466 games, 178 goals, (Lge 361/137, FA Cup 46/21, Lge Cup 25/9, Europe 34/11) 1974 - Jewish Guild of Johannesburg: 5 games 1975 - Dunstable Town (friendlies) 1975 - Stockport County: 3 games, 2 goals 1976 - Cork Celtic: 3 games, 0 goals 1976 - Los Angeles Aztecs: 24 games, 15 goals (NASL Season only) 1976-1977 - Fulham: 47 games, 10 goals 1977-1978 - Los Angeles Aztecs: 37 games, 14 goals (NASL Season only) 1978-1979 - Fort Lauderdale Strikers: 33 games, 7 goals (NASL Season only) 1979-1980 - Hibernian: 22 games, 3 goals 1980-1981 - San Jose Earthquakes (NASL team): 56 games, 21 goals (NASL Season only) 1983 - Bournemouth: 5 games, 0 goals 1983 - Brisbane Lions: 4 games, 0 goals 1984 - Tobermore United: 1 game, 0 goals

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