George Best (May 22, 1946 - November 25, 2005) is a Northern Ireland professional footballer who plays as a winger for Manchester United and the Northern Ireland national team. In 1968, he won the European Cup with Manchester United, and was named the European Footballer of the Year and the Best FWA Footballer of the Year. The Irish Football Association described it as "the greatest player ever to wear a Northern Irish shirt".
Born and raised in Belfast, Best started his club career in England with Manchester United, with scouts who had seen his talent at the age of 15 sending telegram to manager Matt Busby saying: "I thought I had found you a genius." After making his 17th debut , he scored 179 goals from 470 appearances over 11 years, and became the club's top scorer in the league for five seasons in a row.
Considered one of the greatest dribblers in the sport's history, his playing style combined speed, skill, balance, feint, two legs, scored and the ability to beat defenders. Unexpectedly quitting United in 1974 at the age of 27, but returned to football for a number of clubs around the world in no time, until retiring in 1984, aged 37. In international football, he was capped 37 times and scored nine goals between 1964 and 1977, although the combination of team performance and lack of fitness in 1982 meant that he had never played in the finals of the European Championships or the World Cup.
Best was one of the first celebrity footballers, earning the nickname "El Beatle" in 1966, but his subsequent luxury lifestyle caused various problems, especially alcoholism, which he suffered for the rest of his life. These problems affect him on and off the field, sometimes causing controversy. He said of his career: "I spent a lot of money on liquor, bird [women] and fast cars - the rest I wasted". After football, he spent some time as a football analyst, but his financial and health problems continued until his retirement. He died in 2005, aged 59 years, due to complications of the immunosuppressive drugs he needed after a liver transplant in 2002. He continued to drink after transplant. Best married twice, with two former models, Angie Best and then Alex Best. His son, Calum Best, was born in 1981 from his first marriage.
Best was voted the 8th in World Soccer 100 of the greatest soccer players of the 20th century election in 1999 and was voted 16th in the 9th century IFFHS Player selection in 1999. He is in a short six person list for the BBC Sports Personality of the Century in 1999. Best was one of 22 first inaugurations into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002. In 2004, he was elected 19th in the public Jubilee Poll UEFA Gold and named in FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players. Best was quoted as saying, "Pela  © called me the greatest footballer in the world.That is the highest respect in my life." On her 60th birthday, Belfast City Airport was renamed the George Best Belfast City Airport. According to the BBC, Best is remembered by mourners at his public cemetery held in Belfast as "beautiful child" [with] "beautiful game".
Video George Best
Early years and families
George Best was Richard's first child "Dickie" Best (1919-2008) and Anne Best (nÃÆ' Â © e Withers; 1922-1978). He was born on May 22, 1946 and raised in Cregagh, east Belfast. Best grew up in free Presbyterian faith. His father was a member of the Orange Order and as George's boy brought banner ropes at the local Cregagh inn. In his autobiography, Best mentioned the importance of ordering for his family. Best has four sisters, Carol, Barbara, Julie and Grace, and one brother, Ian (Ian Busby Best). Best's father died on April 16, 2008, at the age of 88, at Ulster Hospital in Dundonald, Northern Ireland. Anne's best mother died of alcohol-related cardiovascular disease in 1978, at the age of 55 years.
In 1957, Best Academy graduated graduated 11-plus and went to Grosvenor High School, but he soon played skipping as a special school in rugby. Best then moved to Lisnasharragh Secondary School, uniting him with friends from elementary school and allowing him to focus on football. He grew up supporting Glentoran and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Maps George Best
Club career
Manchester United
At age 15, Best was found in Belfast by Manchester United director Bob Bishop, who telegramnya to United manager Matt Busby read: "I think I've found you a genius." His local club Glentoran had earlier dismissed him as "too small and light". Best was then awarded a court and signed by United's talent scout Joe Armstrong. The first time he moved to a club, Best quickly became homesick and stayed only two days before heading back to Northern Ireland. He returned to Manchester and spent two years as an amateur, as English clubs were not allowed to take on Northern Ireland players as apprentices. He was given a job as a runner on the Manchester Ship Channel, allowing him to practice with the club twice a week.
Best made his debut in the First Division, 17, on 14 September 1963 against West Bromwich Albion at Old Trafford in a 1-0 win. He then dropped back into the reserves, before scoring his first goal for the first team in his second appearance in a 5-1 win over Burnley on 28 December. Manager Matt Busby then retained the Best in the team position, and by the end of the 1963-64 season, he had made 26 appearances, scoring six goals. Manchester United finished second, four points behind Liverpool. They also reached the FA Cup semi-finals, where a defeat at West Ham United made it the best chance to break the record; in Howard Howard's final Howard Kendall became the youngest player in the FA Cup Final - he shared the same birthday with Best. The same season, Best was part of the Manchester United team that won the FA Youth Cup 1964, the sixth FA Youth Cup under the management of Jimmy Murphy, and the first since the Munich air disaster of 1958.
Although opponents often use rough games to try to paralyze their technical abilities, Busby ensures that "fierce, sometimes brutal" training sessions leave Best accustomed to facing tough challenges. In the 1964-65 season, his first full season as the first regular team, Best helped Manchester United to clinch the league title. A 1-0 win at Elland Road proved decisive as the title race dropped to an average of goals between "Red Devils" and arch rivals Leeds United; Leeds managed to get some measure of revenge though by dropping Manchester United out of the FA Cup in the semifinal stage. During the campaign period, Best contributed 14 goals in 59 competitive matches. He scored the opening goal of 1965 FA Charity Shield at Old Trafford, which ended in a 2-2 draw with Liverpool.
The rising British football star Best was thrown to superstar status at the age of 19 when he scored twice in the European Cup quarterfinal match against Benfica at EstÃÆ'¡dio da Luz on March 9, 1966. Portuguese media dubbed him "O Quinto Beatle" , "The fifth Beatle" in English, and on the return of the team to Best Brit was photographed in his new sombrero with the headline, "El Beatle". His talent and showmanship made him a favorite viewer and media, and he changed from headlines in the backyard to the front page. Other nicknames include "Belfast Boy", and he's often referred to as Georgie , or Geordie in his country, Belfast. Yet United failed to win major prizes in the 1965-1966 season, and Best was injured from March 26 onwards with a bent knee following a bad tackle from Preston North End players. Yet the United staff claimed it was minor ligament damage so keep Best on the field for the rest of the campaign. He had little faith in United's medical staff, and so he secretly looked at the Glentoran physiotherapist, who re-adjusted his ligaments in painful procedures. His last match of the season, his knee tied, came on 13 April, and ended in a 2-0 defeat of Partizan Belgrade at Partizan Stadium.
The 1966-67 season returned to success, when Manchester United clinched the league title by four points. Best stated that "if the championship is decided for the home game, we will win it every season, this time our away games make a difference." We get into the right frame of mind. Always long throughout the season, he scored ten goals in 45 matches. He then helped "Red Devils" to share the Charity Shield with a 3-3 draw with FA Cup Winner Tottenham Hotspur; it was the first game to be broadcast in color on British television.
Best scored twice against rivals Liverpool in a 2-0 victory at Anfield, and also claimed a hat-trick over Newcastle United in a 6-0 home win in a second league game last season. But home defeat to hate local rivals Manchester City proved costly, as City claimed a league title with a two-point advantage over United. But the 1967-68 season will be remembered by United fans for European Cup triumphs. After throwing Maltese Hibernians, United forward past Yugoslavian Sarajevo with a 2-1 home win - Best assisted John Aston for the first and scored his own second goal, and described as Geoffrey Green of The Times as the "core of the board chess... a player full of fantasy, a player who lends magic to what might be an imagination ". In the quarter-finals United advanced past Polish club GÃÆ'³rnik Zabrze 2-1 on aggregate, having maintained their aggregate advantage in cold temperatures in front of 105,000 at the Silesian Stadium; despite losing 1-0 away games, Best described the defeat as "one of our best performances, given all the undesirable circumstances". Facing six-time Real Madrid champions in the semi-finals, Best scored the only goal of the home game with a 15-yard strike depicted by Alex Stepney as one of Best's best goals. In the match at BernabÃÆ' Â © u, Best is effectively marked by Manuel SanchÃÆ's MartÃÆ'nez, but at the same time, Best gets the better of him, he makes a cross to Bill Foulkes, who calmly finds a wicket to equalize in a 3- 3 and won 4-3 aggregate ties.
A few days after returning to England, as the top scorer with the First Division (level on 28 goals with Southampton Ron Davies), Best was awarded the FWA Player of the Year award, becoming the youngest award recipient. Facing United in the European Cup Final at Wembley is Benfica; while his team-mates rested, Best found a "new way to relax" before the big game by sleeping with "a young woman called Sue". The match goes into extra time, and only three minutes into the extra-time stages. Best went on a maze and beat goalkeeper Josà ©  © Henrique with the doll, before rolling the ball into the goal; two further goals from Brian Kidd and Bobby Charlton completing the match at 4-1. The win was not just the top of Best's career, but arguably Manchester United's greatest achievement, given the Munich air disaster had wiped out most of the Busby Babes just ten years earlier. Best also won the Ballon d'Or in 1968 after receiving more votes than Bobby Charlton, Dragan D? Aji? and Franz Beckenbauer. This means that he has won three major awards in club football at the age of 22 (league title, European Cup and European Footballer of the Year award). After this, a steady decline begins.
The 'Holy Trinity' Best, Law and Charlton remain as effective as ever in the 1968-69 campaign. But the club's new recruits do not get scratched, as United drop to 11 in the league before Busby announces his resignation. The best then says that "I am increasingly feeling that I bring a team sometimes on the pitch." He scored 22 goals in 55 games, though only he and Denis Law scored more than six league goals. In the Intercontinental Cup, fans and players are both looking forward to seeing United face Argentina's opposition Estudiantes de La Plata for two legs. However Best said "nothing is handled harder or dirtier than this Argentine team" as a 1-0 defeat at Estadio Camilo Cichero followed by a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford. In the home game, Best is kicked and spat at by José © Hugo Medina, and both players are expelled after Best reacts with a punch. Despite their poor league form, United managed to reach the European Cup semi-finals (they were relatively easier in passing the Irish Republic of Waterford United, Anderlecht in Belgium, and Austria Rapid Wien) where they were eliminated 2 1 on aggregate by AC Milan following a 2-0 defeat at San Siro; Milan goalkeeper Fabio Cudicini is a hero after defending United just one goal at Old Trafford.
United improved slightly under new boss Wilf McGuinness, but still only managed to finish eighth place in the 1969-70 season. 23 best goals, including an FA Cup record six goals in an 8-2 win over Northampton Town in a mud bath in County Ground on February 7, 1970.
The sixth best goal saw him go one on one with Northampton goalkeeper Kim Book. Best makes a trick to go right that puts the Book behind him, before he goes to the left and runs the ball into the goal. From the book Gol said: "I remember thinking George was going somewhere, but he dropped his shoulder and went the other, and by then I was on the deck. He was too good for me." The best six-goal appearance earned him an invitation to No 10 Downing Street from British Prime Minister Harold Wilson, who also regularly wrote fan letters to him. In 2002, the British public voted the best record-breaking # 26 in the list of 100 Largest Sports Moments.
Busby returned as manager in December 1970, although the 1970-71 season also ended without a trophy. The best began to get into trouble with his discipline: he was fined by the Football Association for accepting three reservations by mistake, and he was suspended by United for two weeks after losing his train to Stamford Bridge so spent the weekend with actress Sinà © Cusack ad.
New manager Frank O'Farrell led United to an eighth place finish in 1971-1972. Highlights for Best included a hat-trick against West Ham United and Southampton, as well as a goal against Sheffield United who came after he beat four defenders in a maze. However, he was also sent to Chelsea, was the subject of death threats, and failed to appear for training for a full week in January as he spends his time with Miss Great Britain 1971, Carolyn Moore. On November 17, he was the subject of Eamonn Andrews's This Is Your Life when he was shocked at a restaurant in central London. He will be the subject for the second time in 2003 when Michael Aspel surprised him at Teddington Studios. With 27 goals in 54 appearances, Best finished as the club's top scorer for the sixth - and last - season in a row. Best then announced his retirement from football, but then appeared for pre-season training, and continued to play.
United's decline continued in the 1972-73 season, as Best was part of the 'old guard click' who barely spoke to the less talented new players. Frustrated by the club's decline, Best disappeared in December for a party at London nightclub. He is suspended, and the transfer is registered with a value of Ã, Â £ 300,000. After O'Farrell was replaced as manager by Tommy Docherty, Best announced his retirement for the second time. He resumed training on 27 April.
The last best competitive game for the club was on 1 January 1974 against Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road, which United lost 3-0. He failed to show up for training three days later and was dropped by Docherty, though he claims Docherty is lying with him. Best was arrested and accused of stealing Marjorie Wallace's fur coat, passport and checkbook, but was later released from all charges. United then suffered relegation to the Second Division in 1973-74.
Best played in United when the shirt number is given to the position, and not the player. When Best played on the right wing, as he did in the final stages of the 1966 and 1968 European Cups, he wore the number 7. As a left winger, where he played exclusively in his debut season and almost all 1971-72 campaigns, he wore a number 11. Best wore the number 8 shirt in the right on the occasion throughout the 1960s, but for more than half his game during 1970-71. He played inside the left (wearing number 10) in 1972 when he famously walked out at United the first time but returned to number 11 for the fall of 1973 before leaving for good. Best even donned a jersey number 9 once for United, with Bobby Charlton injured, on 22 March 1969 at Old Trafford, scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday. In total Best made 470 appearances for Manchester United in all competitions from 1963 to 1974, and scored 179 goals. Over the next decade he experienced an increasingly rapid decline, hovering among several clubs, including spells in South Africa, the Republic of Ireland, the United States, Scotland, and Australia.
Next year
Played only five competitive matches for the Jewish Guild in South Africa, the most criticisms undertaken for missing several training sessions. During that short time there, he is the main attraction that draws thousands of spectators into the match.
Best had a brief spell at Celtic Cork in December 1975 and January 1976. He made his Irish League debut against Drogheda United at Flower Lodge on December 28th. He played only three league games, the other against Bohemians and Shelbourne, but despite attracting a large crowd he failed to score a goal or was impressed. Being on a rolling contract with Cork his failure to show for the match saw him dropped and then left the club.
He had a brief resurgence in form with Fulham Division II club in 1976-77, suggesting that, although he had lost some of his speed, he retained his skills. His time with the "Cottagers" was especially remembered for the game against Hereford United on 25 September 1976 where he tackled his own teammate, and his longtime drinking friend, Rodney Marsh. It would be best to say later that he enjoyed his time most of the time at Craven Cottage, despite not winning any prizes.
Best played for three clubs in the United States: Los Angeles Aztecs, Fort Lauderdale Strikers and then San Jose Earthquakes; he also played for Detroit Express on a European tour. Best reveled in the anonymity given America to him after England and success on the pitch, scored 15 goals in 24 games in his first season alongside the Aztec and was named the NASL best midfielder in his second goal. He and manager Ken Adam opened "Bestie's Beach Club" (now called "The Underground" after the London subway system) in Hermosa Beach, California in the 1970s, and continued to operate until the 1990s.
The best thing caused the excitement when he returned to England to play for the Scottish club, Hibernian. The club suffered a drop in wealth and was heading relegation from the Premier Division, before Best was signed on a "pay-per-play" basis after club chairman Tom Hart received a clue from the Edinburgh Evening News reporter that he was available. Although Best failed to save Hibs from the relegation zone, the gates improved dramatically, and his presence increased fourfold for his first game on Easter Road. One of the notable incidents saw Best initially fired by Hibs after he left on a big drinking session with a French rugby team, who was in Edinburgh to play Scotland. She was brought back a week later. In August 1982, he played 20 minutes for Scone Thistle against Scone Amateurs; the cost of the appearance he received helps pay off the income tax bill.
He returned to the US to play for the San Jose Earthquake in what was officially described as a "loan", though he only managed several appearances for Hibs in the First Division the following season. He returned last time to Easter Road in 1984, for Jackie McNamara's testimonial match against Newcastle United. In his third season in America, Best scored one goal in 12 appearances. His moves to Fort Lauderdale and San Jose were unhappy too, as the devil off the field began to take control of his life again. After failing to agree terms with Bolton Wanderers in 1981, he was invited as a guest player and played three matches for the first two teams of the Sea Bee and Rangers in 1982. (He played with his former Northern Ireland teammate Derek Spence in Hong Kong.) While in Hong Kong, Best also plays darts for a team called Presstuds, which consists of a mixture of professional football players and sports journalists.
In late 1982, Bournemouth manager Don Megson signed the 36th Player of the Third Division, and he remained there until the end of the 1982-83 season, when he retired from football at the age of 37. friendship for Newry Town against Shamrock Rovers in August 1983, before ending his professional career exactly 20 years after joining Manchester United with a short four-game play game for the Brisbane Lions at the Australian National Soccer League during the 1983 season. He is also a guest player for an exhibition match between Dee Why Football Club and Manly Warringah held on July 27, 1983; Dee Why won the game 2-1, with Best after scoring the winning goal.
On August 8, 1988, a testimonial match was held for Best at Windsor Park. Among the crowd are Sir Matt Busby, Jimmy Murphy, and Bob Bishop, scouts who find Best, while those who play include Osvaldo Ardiles, Pat Jennings, and Liam Brady. It's best to score two goals, one from outside the box, the other from the penalty spot.
International career
Best was capped 37 times for Northern Ireland, scoring nine goals. Of his nine international goals were four scored against Cyprus and one apiece against Albania, England, Scotland, Switzerland and Turkey.
On May 15, 1971, Best scored was probably the most famous "destination" of his career at Windsor Park in Belfast against England. When Gordon Banks, the England goalkeeper, released the ball in the air to kick the ball down, Best managed to kick the ball first, which sent the ball high over their heads and headed towards the open goal. Best outpaced Banks and headed the ball into an empty net, but the goal was disallowed by referee Alistair Mackenzie.
Best continues to be selected for Northern Ireland throughout the 1970s, despite its fluctuating and off-field form. Dutch captain Johan Cruyff commented: "What he [Best] has is unique, you can not train it".
Best was considered short by manager Billy Bingham for the 1982 World Cup, but at the age of 36, with blunt football skills due to age and drink (and five years passed since his last hat), he was not elected to Northern Ireland. troops. A supporter of United Ireland football team, in 2005 stated: "I always thought that at any given time Republic and Northern Ireland already have some great world-class players I still hope that in my life it happens."
Play style
The highly skilled winger, considered by some experts to be one of the greatest destroyers in sports history, Best received praise for his style of play, combining speed, skill, balance, trickery, two legs, scoring and the ability to get the last defender. Recalling his best career and style of play, Patrick Barclay said: "In terms of his ability he is the best footballer in the world of all time - he can do anything - technically, speed, full mastery not only the ball but his own body.You can see his legs away and he still will not fall because his balance is amazing, almost supernatural Heading ability, passing ability, I do not mean dribbling - he can defeat anyone in whatever way he chooses, play one or two of the opponent's shin. "
Although Best is mostly famous for his dribbling skills, he also draws praise for his ability as a creator; With regard to this ability, Tony Dove commented: "I only had a chance to see George play one on one - Man U played a touring match in Auckland, New Zealand, in the late 60s. queued up to try to fight him and he gave them all the dance lessons.I remember clearly a run, starting almost from the goal line, from a roll-out by Stepney, as he dodged every player in Team NZ, one by one, until he reached the end field and produces a perfect floating center for Charlton's head.Greatness, dexterity and his ball skills are only defeated by his selfless bait - lots of love to comment about his goalscoring goal but he's incredible as a human set-up.In the field you can not ask for a better football role model Let the person pass with the dignity of what is tar leftovers for her. Remember him in his best condition. "
In an interview Alex Stepney says that Best will hit the ball into the goalkeeper shin, who will rush towards this leg to close the corner, and the ball will bounce back to him and he will score. No one can imitate it in football. Not only did it in training but he did it against rivals Manchester United, Liverpool at Anfield.
Personal life
During his early years at Old Trafford, Best was a shy teenager who spent his spare time in the snooker hall. However, he was later known for his long hair, good looks and the luxurious lifestyle of celebrities, and appeared in the Top of the Pops in 1965.
He opened a nightclub named Slack Alice on Bootle Street in Manchester in 1973 and has a restaurant in town including Oscars , on the site of the old Waldorf Hotel. She also has a fashion boutique, in partnership with Mike Summerbee. Gary Reid's best cousin, a member of the Ulster Defense Association, was killed in 1974 in an episode of serious unrest in east Belfast.
The best married Angela MacDonald-Janes on January 24, 1978 at the Candlelight Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, having met in the United States when Best played for the Los Angeles Aztecs. Their son, Calum, was born in 1981, but they split up the following year and divorced in 1986. His nephew with marriage is actress Samantha Janus, who is the daughter of Angie MacDonald-Janes's brother.
She married Alex Pursey in 1995 at Kensington and Chelsea, London. They divorced in 2005 without children. In 2004 he accused Best of committing violence against him during their marriage, a matter covered in the best "Bestie" 1998 "Bestie" biography in which Alex claimed that Best punched his face on more than one occasion. in the book it was revealed that he hit his other friends at least once and was arrested and accused of attacking the steward, Stevie Sloniecka, in November 1972, when he cracked his nose at Reuben nightclub, Manchester.He was successfully defended when the case reached court in January 1973 by lawyer George Carman QC, a drinking best friend of Best, as recognized in his book, Scoring at Half Time .
At the height of his career in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Cookstown Sausage was advertised best on television with the phrase "best family sausage". In 2007, a memorial plaque was placed outside a pig factory in the town of County Tyrone.
Best has a cameo as himself in the 1971 British comedy film Percy . In 1984, he made a fitness album with Mary StÃÆ'¤vin called Shape Up and Dance . A biography film titled Best was released in May 2000, with John Lynch describing George Best. The indie rock band The Wedding Present named their first album George Best, and featured Best on the cover wearing his red Manchester United costume. After his death, Brian Kennedy and Peter Corry released a single titled George Best - A Tribute . Best feature in EA Sports video game series FIFA ; she is included in the FIFA 16 Ultimate Team Legends.
In 2007, GQ magazine named him one of the 50 most stylish men in the last 50 years. When playing the best soccer, salary is a fraction of what the top players get now, but, with the image of pop stars and celebrity status, Best still earns wealth. He lost almost everything. When asked what happened to the money he earned, Best quipped: "I spent a lot of money buying liquor, birds (women) and fast cars, the rest I wasted."
Alcoholism
Best suffered from alcoholism for much of his adult life, which caused much controversy and, ultimately, his death. In 1981, while playing in the United States, Best stole money from a bag of unfamiliar women to finance a drinking session. "We sat at a bar on the beach, and when he got up to go to the toilet I bent down and took all the money in his bag."
In 1984, Best received a three-month jail sentence for driving while drinking, attacking a police officer and failing to answer bail. He spent Christmas 1984 behind bars in the Ford Open Prison. Contrary to popular beliefs and urban legends he never played football for the prison team. In September 1990, Best appeared on BBC's primetime Wogan chat show where he was very drunk and swore, at one point told the host, "Terry, I love to mess up". He later apologized and said this was one of the worst episodes of his alcohol.
Best was diagnosed with severe liver damage in March 2000. His heart is said to function only 20%. In 2001, she was hospitalized with pneumonia. In August 2002, he managed a liver transplant at King's College Hospital in London. He suffered a severe bleeding during surgery until he was almost dead. Transplants are done at public expense in the NHS, a controversial decision because of alcoholism Best. The controversy reappeared in 2003 when he was seen openly drinking white wine spritzers. On February 2, 2004, Best was convicted of another beverage-driving offense and banned from driving for 20 months.
Death
The best continues to drink, and is sometimes seen in local pubs in Surbiton, London. On October 3, 2005, he was admitted to intensive care at the private Cromwell Hospital in London, suffering from a kidney infection caused by the side effects of immune suppressants used to prevent his body from rejecting a liver transplant. On October 27, the newspaper claimed that Best was almost dead and had sent a farewell message to his loved ones. Close friends in the game visited his bed to make their breakup, including Rodney Marsh, and two other members of "Trinity United", Bobby Charlton and Denis Law. On November 20, the British tabloid
Tribut paid to Best from all over the world, including from the three biggest football players ever, Pelà ©, Diego Maradona and Johan Cruyff. Maradona commented: "George inspired me when I was young, he was flamboyant and interesting and able to inspire his teammates, I really think we are very similar players - dribblers who can create magical moments." Manchester United's high-ranking partner Eric Cantona gave a speech to Best: "I want him to save me somewhere on his team, George Best, not God."
The Premier League announces that a minute's silence will be observed before all Premier League matches will be held over the weekend of his death; But in many instances a one minute applause broke out in his honor. The first match at Old Trafford after Best's death was a League Cup match against West Bromwich Albion, a club against which he made his debut for Manchester United in 1963. The match, won by United, was preceded by tribute from former team-mate Sir Bobby Charlton. The best son, Calum and his former teammate, survivors of the West Brom team he faced on his debut, all joined United's current squad on the pitch for a minute's silence, where fans in every seat held onto Best photographs, given before competition.
Funeral
His body left the family's house on Cregagh Road, East Belfast, shortly after 10:00, UTC on Saturday, December 3, 2005. The procession then traveled a short distance to Stormont. The route was filled with about 100,000 mourners. Former Northern Ireland manager Billy Bingham, Derek Dougan's international teammates Peter McParland, Harry Gregg, Gerry Armstrong and Denis Law were the first to bring the coffin to Stormont's base.
There is an 11 am service in the Great Hall attended by 300 invited guests delivered to about 25,000 mourners within the Stormont area. Ian's best brother, Phil Hughes's agent, Dr. Akeel Alisa, who treated Best, and his brother-in-law Norman McNarry and Alan McPherson, were also bearers. When the motorcade left Stormont, the Gilnahirk pipe band played. The funeral was live on several television stations including BBC One. After that, Best was cremated, and his ashes buried beside his mother, Annie Elizabeth Kelly, in a private ceremony at Roselawn cemetery on a hilltop, facing east of Belfast.
Career statistics
Club
International
Awards
Club
- Manchester United
- FA Youth Cup: 1964
- First Division Football League (2): 1964-65, 1966-67
- Charity Shield (2): 1965, 1967
- European Cup: 1968
Individual
- Football League First Division Top Scorers: 1967-68
- Best Footballer of the FWA of the Year: 1967-68
- Ballon d'Or: 1968; Third place 1971
- PFA Team of Second Division Year: 1977
- Football League 100 Legends: 1983
- Honorary doctorate from Queen's University Belfast: 2001
- Freeman from Castlereagh: 2002
- Inaugural premiere into English Football Hall of Fame: 2002
- BBC Sports Personality This Year, Lifetime Achievement Award: 2002
- UEFA Jubilee Awards - Northern Ireland Gold Players: 2003
- Jubilee UEFA Golden Jubilee: # 19th
- FIFA 100
- Golden Foot: 2005, as a football legend
- PFA Merit Award: 2006
- The English PFA League Team of the Century (1907 to 2007):
- The Team of the Ages 1907-1976
- The Overall Team of the Century
- FWA Award Award: 2000
- The European Hall of Fame (Cast): 2008
- FIFA Player of the Century:
- FIFA internet voice: # 20
- FIFA Magazine and Grand Jury vote: # 5
- World Soccer The Greatest Players in the 20th century: # 8
Biography
- Bestie (co-written with Joe Lovejoy),
- Good, Bad and Bubbly (with Ross Benson)
- Blessed: The Autobiography (with Roy Collins)
- George Best: A Celebration (Bernie Smith and Maureen Hunt)
- Printing at Half Time (with Martin Knight).
- Hard Tackles and Dirty Baths (with Harry Harris)
George Best: The Movie
In 2015 it was announced that a new movie about the life of George Best is being worked on, directed by John-Paul Davidson. The film focuses on raising George Best and his rise to a football star. The producers also announced that the film would partly be crowdfunded in an effort to reach £ 500,000 for its production. The film will be released in 2018 with a premiere taking place in London.
Note
References
- Specific
- General
- Best, George (2005). Hard Tackles and Dirty Baths: The Inside of the Football's Golden Era . ISBN: 0-09-190608-3. External links
- The George Best Foundation
- George Best - FIFA competition record
- George Players Profile
- English Football Hall of Fame Profile at Wayback Machine (archived April 15, 2005)
- George Best appearance on This Is Your Life
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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