George Best

[boik]

Anyone else watch the film on BBC2 last night?

Horsham was my team when I was a kid (we never had a car so I didn't get to see the Albion til '73), but I was completely transfixed by Georgie. Compared to what I'd seen at Queen St he was a from a different planet. Funnily enough, it was the early footage that was hard to watch - the shy, polite young kid just enjoying his football, but knowing how it was going to end.

I'm guessing that because he played for United that there will be a lot of hate, but he lit up my young life in a way that only Cruyff ever came close to matching.

 

[Is it PotG?]

Great player, but as Crerand hinted, not the best (excuse the pun) of blokes.

 

[wolfie]

Whenever I saw him he was second best to Jimmy Greaves.

 

[boik]

Whenever I saw him he was second best to Jimmy Greaves.

Seriously? Jimmy was an amazing goalscorer, but not even close to George in imagination and all round skill. Opinions I guess.

 

[Blue3]

Went to three games specifically to see George Best play each time he failed to show up as on the bottle real shame he was the best of his generation

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Undoubtedly talented but was hyped up beyond all recognition by the press and media. He was treated more like a pop star than a footballer. Once he wriggled away from the management of him from Sir Matt, he completely lost control of himself. A great shame, as he could have been remembered like Charlton and Law instead of Oliver Read.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Whenever I saw him he was second best to Jimmy Greaves.

Really? Best was the one with all the talent. With all due respect to Greavsie, all he did was hang about near the penalty spot and wait for the chances to come his way. I think even the man himself would admit to that.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

His antics on Wogan (I think it was) revealed a character that made John Terry appear humble and generous spirited. If you want wayward self indulgent dick heads, give me Robin Friday any day. Here is how to celebrate taking the piss out of a goalkeeper:

 

[Binney on acid]

Purely from a footballing perspective, Best was second best to no one.

 

[boik]

Purely from a footballing perspective, Best was second best to no one.

That's it for me really. When I was a kid there was no-one who could do what he did week in week out. I didn't know (at that time) what else went on in his life, but for a football mad kid watching him with a ball was like some kind of magic. That lobbed goal v Spurs pretty much summed it up.

 

[wolfie]

Really? Best was the one with all the talent. With all due respect to Greavsie, all he did was hang about near the penalty spot and wait for the chances to come his way. I think even the man himself would admit to that.

I did say "whenever I saw him"
This was one of the occasions in 1965
https://uk.video.search.yahoo.com/s...d3ff6d81a5fc391ed60923cb5e3d5333&action=click

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Really? Best was the one with all the talent. With all due respect to Greavsie, all he did was hang about near the penalty spot and wait for the chances to come his way. I think even the man himself would admit to that.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I did say "whenever I saw him"
This was one of the occasions in 1965
https://uk.video.search.yahoo.com/s...d3ff6d81a5fc391ed60923cb5e3d5333&action=click

Stunning goal. Greaves also liked the sauce, and was a bit 'old skool', but seemed more grounded than gorgeous Georgie.

 

[Del Fenner]

He broke Ian Evan's leg, and ended his career.

 

[Icy Gull]

Great player, absolute wanker of a man

 

[Bolton va va]

A waste of a good liver.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Great player, absolute wanker of a man

Not so sure Icy, shy man so alcohol started out as his 'crutch' in social situations before it took him over completely, plus alcoholism ran in the Best family to a extent. Misunderstood and maybe naive in previously unchartered waters for a footballer more than an 'absolute wanker of a man' maybe...

 

[Mackenzie]

He broke Ian Evan's leg, and ended his career.

?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Evans_(footballer)

Looks like he resumed his career once he recovered.

 

[Return of the Rev]

 

[Del Fenner]

?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Evans_(footballer)

Looks like he resumed his career once he recovered.

Please don't fob me off with facts when I'm channeling forty years of outrage.