Our Footie Heroes - George Best

Born on May 22nd, 1946 in Belfast, Northern Ireland,
George Best was the most exciting player Britain has ever produced.
Discovered at age 15 by a Manchester United scout,
his note back to the manager of the club, Matt Busby, simply stated:
“I think I’ve found you a genius.”
His debut for Manchester United was in 1963
and he quickly became a media darling for his long hair, good looks and celebrity lifestyle.
The rags even began to call him the 5th Beatle.
Initially, his form on the pitch was unaffected by the distractions outside the stadium:
in 1968, he was named European Footballer of the Year
and helped his club win the European Cup with a 4-1 victory over Benfica.
He possessed incredible balance and relished running at defenders.
His acceleration off the mark and use of both feet made him a goal scoring machine.
But, problems unfortunately developed with booze, gambling and birds.
And so, in 1974, at the age of 27, he quit Manchester United.
The following years saw glimpses of his magic at:
Jewish Guild (1974 South Africa)
Cork Celtic (1975)
Fulham (1976-77…during one game, he tackled his own teammate Rodney Marsh!)
Los Angeles Aztecs, Fort Lauderdale Strikers, San Jose Earthquakes (1976-1979)
Hibernian (1979-1981)
Bournemouth (1982-1983)
George finally hung up the boots in 1984 but his partying ways continued unabated.
And he finally passed this mortal coil on November 25th, 2005.
The nation grieved for the memory of the man,
a player that Britain has never been able to replicate.
In Northern Ireland, there is a saying:
“Maradona good, Pelé better, George Best.”