Yes saw that is on tomorrow ( I think) Great player, my abiding image of him is the moment he somehow rides a ferocious tackle that would have broken another player in half, stays on his feet, and still slots the ball home. Whatever he was off the pitch, he could be truly exhilarating on the playing field.
Yes saw that is on tomorrow ( I think) Great player, my abiding image of him is the moment he somehow rides a ferocious tackle that would have broken another player in half, stays on his feet, and still slots the ball home. Whatever he was off the pitch, he could be truly exhilarating on the playing field.
Yes saw that is on tomorrow ( I think) Great player, my abiding image of him is the moment he somehow rides a ferocious tackle that would have broken another player in half, stays on his feet, and still slots the ball home. Whatever he was off the pitch, he could be truly exhilarating on the playing field.
Ron Chopper Harris. Made him look a right mug
Do you mean RCH made GB look a mug or the other way round......not sure what you're saying?
George had the most amazing sense of balance.....he rode more tackles than Lester Piggot rode horses......extraordinary, he so rarely went down no matter who tried dishing it out. I met him many times in The Phoene Arms in Chelsea, which he made his local(as did I), for a good number of years before his death. Quite reserved and low key but very pleasant and friendly to anyone who recognised him or approached him. Never heard anyone with a bad word to say about the fella......and strangely enough I never saw him pissed, though I've no doubt he often was. Mostly kept to his small circle of drinking buddies......and played dominos and cards with them almost every day. A nice unassuming fella was George, you would never guess in a million years what a legend and household name he was.
It is hard to imagine just how famous he was - George was the first footballing celebrity, the fifth Beatle, cameras followed him everywhere he went and he was one of the most recognised faces in the world. Like most supremely gifted people, he had flaws in his character - George was just a boy from Belfast and he struggled to deal with the fame and the money, as most would. But as a man he was humble, shy in fact, simple (as in not complicated) and had a generosity of spirit seldom encountered.
To know him was to love him. I knew him well and considered him a very dear friend, as I believe he did me in return.
But besides all of that, the plain and simple truth is that he was the greatest player ever to grace the game of football.
It is hard to imagine just how famous he was - George was the first footballing celebrity, the fifth Beatle, cameras followed him everywhere he went and he was one of the most recognised faces in the world. Like most supremely gifted people, he had flaws in his character - George was just a boy from Belfast and he struggled to deal with the fame and the money, as most would. But as a man he was humble, shy in fact, simple (as in not complicated) and had a generosity of spirit seldom encountered.
To know him was to love him. I knew him well and considered him a very dear friend, as I believe he did me in return.
But besides all of that, the plain and simple truth is that he was the greatest player ever to grace the game of football.
Though I have never been anything other than a Charlton fan, I made a point of going to see the United team of Charlton, Law and Best several times when they were in London and also once stood in the Stretford End to watch them play Spurs (quite an experience for a 14 year old Londoner!). George was an incredible talent and does deserve to be talked of in the same breath as Pele and Maradonna. Never forget the day I watched on the box as he seemingly beat Scotland "single-handedly" in a Home International. I'm sure my fellow fogies on here remember that one
I first met George in the mid 80s. At the time I was running a group of betting shops in the West End for Ladbrokes and George frequently used the shop in Curzon Street. The shop manager introduced me to George when we were out drinking in Curzon Street and we just seemed to get on immediately. We used to socialise, drink, eat, talk together over the next 10 years or so including some incredible nights out in Mayfair, including Tramp. George also had an interest in a club in Mayfair - Blondes! Stopped meeting him regularly when I moved jobs and my kids started getting older but we kept in touch.
It is hard to imagine just how famous he was - George was the first footballing celebrity, the fifth Beatle, cameras followed him everywhere he went and he was one of the most recognised faces in the world. Like most supremely gifted people, he had flaws in his character - George was just a boy from Belfast and he struggled to deal with the fame and the money, as most would. But as a man he was humble, shy in fact, simple (as in not complicated) and had a generosity of spirit seldom encountered.
To know him was to love him. I knew him well and considered him a very dear friend, as I believe he did me in return.
But besides all of that, the plain and simple truth is that he was the greatest player ever to grace the game of football.
Pele was better.
Debatable dp......George was more entertaining I think, with more flair and charisma than Pele, both on and off the pitch. That's not to demean Pele in any way whatsoever.
It is hard to imagine just how famous he was - George was the first footballing celebrity, the fifth Beatle, cameras followed him everywhere he went and he was one of the most recognised faces in the world. Like most supremely gifted people, he had flaws in his character - George was just a boy from Belfast and he struggled to deal with the fame and the money, as most would. But as a man he was humble, shy in fact, simple (as in not complicated) and had a generosity of spirit seldom encountered.
To know him was to love him. I knew him well and considered him a very dear friend, as I believe he did me in return.
But besides all of that, the plain and simple truth is that he was the greatest player ever to grace the game of football.
Pele was better.
Debatable dp......George was more entertaining I think, with more flair and charisma than Pele, both on and off the pitch. That's not to demean Pele in any way whatsoever.
Pele was a sublime player who worked hard all of his career to deliver what he did. George was a more naturally gifted player in my view and I would compare him more with Maradona and Messi in that regard. All wonderful players but George for me was the best.
I first met George in the mid 80s. At the time I was running a group of betting shops in the West End for Ladbrokes and George frequently used the shop in Curzon Street. The shop manager introduced me to George when we were out drinking in Curzon Street and we just seemed to get on immediately. We used to socialise, drink, eat, talk together over the next 10 years or so including some incredible nights out in Mayfair, including Tramp. George also had an interest in a club in Mayfair - Blondes! Stopped meeting him regularly when I moved jobs and my kids started getting older but we kept in touch.
A very good documentary. I'd seen some of the older match footage on the old 'Match of the Day: the Sixties' video but it certainly bears repeating. Leaving aside the Les Berry testimonial, I only saw Best play once, for Northern Ireland against England at Wembley in 1970. Apart from his equaliser, my abiding memories of that one are Bobby Charlton scoring on the occasion of his 100th cap and Ralphy Coates' comb over.
The second half of the documentary was very sad. I suspect that mental health problems underlay Best's alcoholism, with a fragile personality being subjected to what was, at that time, unprecedented pressure and media scrutiny.
I'm going to watch this, for sure. Fascinating, what you wrote, @bobmunro. The one time I encountered him was at a business lunch, and I guess it would have been around 83-84. It was his restaurant, but I cannot remember the name, perhaps you would know, Bob. He sat at a piano, and looked alone and sad. But finally, after much discussion about the rights and wrongs of it, one of my clients went up to him and asked him for his autograph. You could see Best's face light up from across the room. It felt very poignant.
Sadly I only saw him play live once, for Fulham against us. He was awful. It was so sad. I prefer to think of games like the Northampton cup tie where he utterly destroyed them with four wonderful goals.
I'm going to watch this, for sure. Fascinating, what you wrote, @bobmunro. The one time I encountered him was at a business lunch, and I guess it would have been around 83-84. It was his restaurant, but I cannot remember the name, perhaps you would know, Bob. He sat at a piano, and looked alone and sad. But finally, after much discussion about the rights and wrongs of it, one of my clients went up to him and asked him for his autograph. You could see Best's face light up from across the room. It felt very poignant.
Sadly I only saw him play live once, for Fulham against us. He was awful. It was so sad. I prefer to think of games like the Northampton cup tie where he utterly destroyed them with four wonderful goals.
That Northampton game, when he scored six, showed his incredible skills.
I'm going to watch this, for sure. Fascinating, what you wrote, @bobmunro. The one time I encountered him was at a business lunch, and I guess it would have been around 83-84. It was his restaurant, but I cannot remember the name, perhaps you would know, Bob. He sat at a piano, and looked alone and sad. But finally, after much discussion about the rights and wrongs of it, one of my clients went up to him and asked him for his autograph. You could see Best's face light up from across the room. It felt very poignant.
Sadly I only saw him play live once, for Fulham against us. He was awful. It was so sad. I prefer to think of games like the Northampton cup tie where he utterly destroyed them with four wonderful goals.
That Northampton game, when he scored six, showed his incredible skills.
Comments
Great player, my abiding image of him is the moment he somehow rides a ferocious tackle that would have broken another player in half, stays on his feet, and still slots the ball home.
Whatever he was off the pitch, he could be truly exhilarating on the playing field.
If he'd have been to World Cups etc he'd be regarded even higher than he is.
I met him many times in The Phoene Arms in Chelsea, which he made his local(as did I), for a good number of years before his death.
Quite reserved and low key but very pleasant and friendly to anyone who recognised him or approached him. Never heard anyone with a bad word to say about the fella......and strangely enough I never saw him pissed, though I've no doubt he often was.
Mostly kept to his small circle of drinking buddies......and played dominos and cards with them almost every day.
A nice unassuming fella was George, you would never guess in a million years what a legend and household name he was.
To know him was to love him. I knew him well and considered him a very dear friend, as I believe he did me in return.
But besides all of that, the plain and simple truth is that he was the greatest player ever to grace the game of football.
George was an incredible talent and does deserve to be talked of in the same breath as Pele and Maradonna.
Never forget the day I watched on the box as he seemingly beat Scotland "single-handedly" in a Home International. I'm sure my fellow fogies on here remember that one
That's not to demean Pele in any way whatsoever.
One for Tony Watt to review?
The second half of the documentary was very sad. I suspect that mental health problems underlay Best's alcoholism, with a fragile personality being subjected to what was, at that time, unprecedented pressure and media scrutiny.
The one time I encountered him was at a business lunch, and I guess it would have been around 83-84. It was his restaurant, but I cannot remember the name, perhaps you would know, Bob. He sat at a piano, and looked alone and sad. But finally, after much discussion about the rights and wrongs of it, one of my clients went up to him and asked him for his autograph. You could see Best's face light up from across the room. It felt very poignant.
Sadly I only saw him play live once, for Fulham against us. He was awful. It was so sad. I prefer to think of games like the Northampton cup tie where he utterly destroyed them with four wonderful goals.