George Best at Hibs

The greatest footballer ever...in my opinion.And Pele’s.
Had the pleasure of watching ‘The Belfast Boy’ a few times.

Once on a mud bath at Hampden for N.Ireland...George literally walked on water that night.1971 Home Championship.1-1? Think he also scored? Or his best friend Eric McMordie did.
Second time was at Firhill, for Hiv’s against Thistle.He was over weight, a lot slower, but the Thistle players still couldn’t get anywhere near him.He literally took the piss out of them for as long as he was on the park.

Talk about ‘poetry in motion’.

Feel very privileged to have seen 3-4 of my footballing heroes live.So to speak.

George, Coop, Lauders...and the Dutch Master.
Cruyff sadly… I never saw live,
 
Saw him a few times. Put thousands on the gate, probably paid his wages and more. He clearly got frustrated with the muppets he was playing with who couldn't anticipate his passes and didn't make the runs he wanted. He was well over the hill at Hibs, but still sat head and shoulders above anyone else.
Mind Bobby Charlton saying you had to be a very good player to play with Best. He would expect you to anticipate things that no ordinary player could. Plus he would get the ball to you with such pace and odd spin on it, your touch had to be dead on to control it.

Saw Best for Hibs v Thistle, mind he took this free kick about 25 yards out. Gave it the most outrageous lob perfectly over the wall begging someone to run on to it behind. Of course nobody did and it trundled harmlessly through to the keeper. George was not pleased, stood hands on hips and gave the hapless strikers “the glare”.
 
Can't believe that Man Utd voted Cantona as their greatest ever player over him. He couldn't lace Best's boots.
That's fans in their 50s and under who never saw Best in his prime but watched plenty of Cantona.
 
My late father was a distant relative of Tom Hart, the then Hibs Chairman.

Tom invited my Dad, Papa and I to meet up with him and and to watch Best play Hamilton at the old Douglas Park circa 1980. Tom knew we were living in nearby Cambuslang at the time.

I was only a boy of 6 or 7 and was not all that interested, telling my Dad that I wanted to stay at home and play with my pals.

My Dad was ok with that but my Paps said, ‘Naw, yer coming. Ye can play with yer pals any time you like but you will never get the chance to see Georgie Best play fitba again, You’ll never forget it and you’ll always be able to say you saw one of the greatest in the flesh’.

I went along in a huff but the auld yin was spot on. Never forgot it and it was a real privilege - particularly as I met Best, he shook my hand and signed my programme!
 
My late father was a distant relative of Tom Hart, the then Hibs Chairman.

Tom invited my Dad, Papa and I to meet up with him and and to watch Best play Hamilton at the old Douglas Park circa 1980. Tom knew we were living in nearby Cambuslang at the time.

I was only a boy of 6 or 7 and was not all that interested, telling my Dad that I wanted to stay at home and play with my pals.

My Dad was ok with that but my Paps said, ‘Naw, yer coming. Ye can play with yer pals any time you like but you will never get the chance to see Georgie Best play fitba again, You’ll never forget it and you’ll always be able to say you saw one of the greatest in the flesh’.

I went along in a huff but the auld yin was spot on. Never forgot it and it was a real privilege - particularly as I met Best, he shook my hand and signed my programme!
Funnily enough I was at that game too with my dad and papa. I was nine years old and remember an extra few thousand being at the game because George Best was playing.
 
I saw him play for Northern Ireland at Hampden against Scotland a couple of times & just like Charlton said - it was obvious - his teammates didn't / couldn't keep up with him & frustrating as it was to watch- his own frustration must have been much worse

Strange as it was for him to join Hiv's - it was even stranger for him to play for Dunstable Town-
iirc he did it as a favour for an old friend? I'm not sure about that ?

Anyway - even allowing for these end of career escapades - nothing can diminish his incredible talents & his sheer brilliance at the height of his pomp

RIP George you'll long be remembered
 
I saw him live four times.
The first was, I think, 1970 at Old Trafford v Blackpool. I was a fitba daft 8yo and couldn't believe I was watching Georgie Best in the flesh. He was magnificent.
There was no footballing virtue that he did not possess. He was lightning fast, two footed, great in the air, brave as a lion, had a great touch, had vision to die for and could tackle too, he was also a sublime finisher.

Nobody in Britain came close and only Cruyff in Europecan be mentioned in the same breath.
 
He was an absolute idol of mine, had the boots, and even a pair of shoes with a red sole that had his image on the sole. Play the Best way was compulsory viewing.
Seen him at Fir Park. I didn't know what to make of it. Gave me that sad feeling seeing big cats in captivity does.
That takes me back. I had the boots as well and a wee table lamp with his playing images on it. I pestered the life out of my folks to get a Man U type strip because he wore it, before the days of readily available replicas. I remember a family friend asking me who my hero was - it's George Best. He didn't look impressed. I remember thinking even at my young age, f@ck you then family friend or not!
 
The greatest footballer ever...in my opinion.And Pele’s.
Had the pleasure of watching ‘The Belfast Boy’ a few times.

Once on a mud bath at Hampden for N.Ireland...George literally walked on water that night.1971 Home Championship.1-1? Think he also scored? Or his best friend Eric McMordie did.
Second time was at Firhill, for Hiv’s against Thistle.He was over weight, a lot slower, but the Thistle players still couldn’t get anywhere near him.He literally took the piss out of them for as long as he was on the park.

Talk about ‘poetry in motion’.

Feel very privileged to have seen 3-4 of my footballing heroes live.So to speak.

George, Coop, Lauders...and the Dutch Master.
Cruyff sadly… I never saw live,
I think that game in 1971 was Peter McCloy's debut for Scotland. Pissing from the heavens.
 
I think that game in 1971 was Peter McCloy's debut for Scotland. Pissing from the heavens.

I’m not sure what year it was but I remember watching that game on TV.

Best was great that night even bearing in mind the conditions. He was really at his peak during this period.

If my memory serves he scored but the goal was disallowed somewhat controversially.
 
I’m not sure what year it was but I remember watching that game on TV.

Best was great that night even bearing in mind the conditions. He was really at his peak during this period.

If my memory serves he scored but the goal was disallowed somewhat controversially.
You not thinking of his disallowed goal v England when he out foxed Gordon Banks (who had possession) in the penalty area, got the ball and scored?

 
You not thinking of his disallowed goal v England when he out foxed Gordon Banks (who had possession) in the penalty area, got the ball and scored?



I’ll not forget that goal.
I was at the other side of the ground in the old Spion Kop at Windsor Park.
 
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