It was like the passage of a shooting star George Best’s
genius on a football field seen brilliantly for some years and when it faded
left us with those amazing memories. George’s story started in Belfast Northern
Ireland on 22nd may 1946 he was the son of Dickie Best. Soon enough
it became obvious that George had a very special talent with a football; there
were fears that he may have been too small to make it as a professional but
that didn’t stop Bob Bishop the Manchester United scout called Matt Busby to
tell him he’d found it genius. It wasn’t quite as simple as that for the 15
years old boy from Belfast he was
offered a two-week trail and travelled across the Irish Sea with another
youngster Eric to board with misses full away in Manchester but the two kids
were overawed by the club and the city and run back to Belfast at the earliest opportunity.
George though came back and settled into Manchester writing letters back home
to Belfast about the adventures with Manchester United stars. George was joined
at mrs full of ways by another future United star David Sadler who took these
early shots of the youngster who was causing so much excitement at Old
Trafford. As a 17 years old George broke into the Manchester United first team
and scored six goals in his first season but the most poignant memories go back
to his debut against West Bromwich Albion in September 1963. The young Irishman
knew no fear and was fast becoming a phenomenon with Manchester united in the
first division as they took the title in 1965.
Back home to the boy from the cragiestate was making an
impression plans were underway to bring him into the Northern Ireland team it
was Harry Gregg who tipped off the Island manager Bertie. It was the first
Georg’s Best 37 caps for Northern Ireland the Manchester United star was fast
becoming a hero back home. Whether George was playing for Manchester United or
Northern Ireland the goals and the admirers kept coming George Best was rising
along with the talented Manchester United team than Matt Busby had put together
there were establish stars at Old Trafford like Dennis Law and Bobby Charlton
but even they were impressed with the youngster from Belfast. In time the
combination of George Best Dennis Law and Bobby Charlton became one of the most
potent partnerships English football has ever seen. Well his teammates were
almost married George was good looking single man who was becoming a superstar
in those days he spent a lot of time with Manchester city midfielder Mike
Summerbe. In Lisbon March 1966 George announced his astonishing talents to an
international audience his performance demolished the great Benfica in a 5-1
win scoring two early goals foe United the Portuguese press were so amazed that they called him El Beatle.
Both sides of the Irish Sea were captivated ny the phenomenon from the craigie
thousand of kids like his future teammate Sammy Mcllroy were inspired. Sammy
Mcllroy was at Belfast for perhaps George Best’s most celebrated performance in
a Northern Ireland shirt an 1-0 win over Scotland.
In 1967 there was no one to touch Manchester United and
another League title meant the United and Matt Busby would have another chance
to win the trophy they cherished the most European cup and after the Munich
disaster 10 years earlier the final at Wembley was particularly poignant Bobby
Charlton along with United manager
Matt Busby was surviver Air Crash in Munich.
It was the biggest game of George best life and he took the game to Benfica but
it was actually Bobby Carlton who put United ahead in the first half then
Benfica equalized and the final went in to extra time. Then the moment of truth
for George best a chance to put Uniited ahead it was a decisive moment in the
European cup final. It was Manchester United Matt Busby and George Best’s
finest hour. Life went on for George Best though which meant some extraordinary
moments on the football field and an extraordinary life off the field too. Matt
Busbby retirement sent United in to decline and this was reflected in George
Best form and enthusiasm for the game by that time Tommy Docherty arrived at Old Trafford .
George was missing training on a regular basis they both tried to make things right
but before long it was clear that George Best was on his way out he was just 27
years old. So that was the end of George’s days in Manchester United he even
quickly gained for a brief time which he spent in Spain. In a period of
confusion BEST’S play a few games for Stockport county and the summer for Los Angeles
Aztecs. Before signing for Fulham in West London which was the last English club
to really get the benefits of George Best’s talents on the field. Later George
was spending more and more time in USA where he met first wife Angie he may
have been a fading star by now but George Best still held a fascination of
football fans across the world. When he finally retired from football George’s
life started to drift and without the game he loved alcohol. The problems
mounted up for the superstar bankruptcy prison drink driving but at the root of
everything was alcoholism. In 1995 George married for second time but there was
nothing Alex Best could do to stop his addiction and neither could his friends
and after dinner speaking engagement with Harry Gregg was one night when things
went particularly wrong. But in November 2005 the situation with George’s liver
took a turn for the worse and he died in hospital at the age of 59.FOR MORE STORIES VISIT. football-galaxy01.blogspot.com
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