George Best

Nikelesh Reddy

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Happy birthday,RIP....I”m sure he’s lighting up the heavens league right now as we speak...
 

simplyared

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Remember going to night game at OT. Hung about a bit after the game for some reason I can't quite remember. Maybe autograph hunting. Anyway I get on the 112 double decker to take me to All Saints. I'm sat on the high bench seat downstairs as you get on. The bus is moving slowly in the traffic and the man himself jumps on (yes you could jump on and jump off the busses in those days at your own risk). There were no vacant seats so he's standing in the aisle holding on to the bar almost next to where I was sitting. Also I know he hadn't passed his driving test then. Hence no car! Either nobody else recognized him or they'd decided to leave him in peace, I don't know but there was no reaction. I was a kid then and couldn't believe my eyes. Remember his hair jet black still wet after the shower obviously, Black leather coat so fecking trendy he looked like a film star. When the bus reached The White City Greyhound Stadium he jumped off and disappeared into the night.
 
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djdhrubs

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There is somewhere some footage of him playing for NI.
The best individual performance i have ever seen id George playing against Scotland in1967
Too young to have seen him play live but one of the things I've heard about him is his tackling/ intercepting ability which you see a few times in this video.
 

dutchred

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Too young to have seen him play live but one of the things I've heard about him is his tackling/ intercepting ability which you see a few times in this video.
On that day he as the best defender , the best midfielder and best attacker. He was just brilliant
 

Synco

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Too young to have seen him play live but one of the things I've heard about him is his tackling/ intercepting ability which you see a few times in this video.
Yeah, there's also a game vs England on Footballia where his defensive workrate is immense.
 
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Foxbatt

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With Best it was never a one off. He did it so many times. I remember an interview about the Sporting Lisbon game in Lisbon. Sir Matt decided they would defend for the first half an hour. The result? Best scored twice in the early minutes. He always gave everything especially for Northern Ireland.
 

Guapa

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Quite simply one of the best players the world has ever seen.
 

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Yeah its interesting you say that. I was watching videos of Ronaldinho the other day and wondered how many players out there from the past that may have been very good players but don't get the recognition because of lack of footage and/or people who watched them live.
You're exactly right - I saw George play and so he's GOAT to me, to those who grew up with Maradona and later Messi, they will be the same to them. But how many great players weren't recorded for posterity - at least with George, Maradona and Messi, their skills are captured for posterity.

That's one reason why I have difficulty saying who is the GOAT, then when you add in the changing pitch conditions, equipment, refereering standards, health/diet science it makes it an impossible task. I'm just pleased that YouTube and other media allows us to tune into retired players and enjoy what they did.
 

alexthelion

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Quite simply one of the best players the world has ever seen.
Yep, along with Pele, Cruyff and Maradona.

Messi and Ronaldo, despite what some kids nowadays may think, are a level below them.
 

Snuffkin

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Yep, along with Pele, Cruyff and Maradona.

Messi and Ronaldo, despite what some kids nowadays may think, are a level below them.
I'd put them in the same bracket but George was top of the tree, ask anyone who is 65 years old or over (even blues) and they will tell you straight up
 

lsd

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I only take the word of those people who watched him play in his era and when even the ones who were not United fans say he was the best they have ever seen then thats more than enough for me
 

Inigo Montoya

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I'd put them in the same bracket but George was top of the tree, ask anyone who is 65 years old or over (even blues) and they will tell you straight up
I’ll just add that I spoke to Paul Reaney who was a full back in the infamous Leeds side of the 60s and I posed the question., who was better Best in his prime or Messi? He just felt that Messi is quicker but not by much. However he said that Messi
Wouldn’t have been allowed to travel as much as he does without being kicked.
 

dave1956

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Meet him a few times when he had his shop in Sale. Watching him play was worth the entrance fee, he could dribble at speed on all kinds of surfaces, mud, snow, ice, attack defend heading ability he had it all, but I believe that his most outstanding ability was his balance it was awesome. Watched his debut for utd.., and continued through his short playing period. 2 things stand out one against Chelsea where "Chopper" Harris tried to kick him off the pitch, got no where near him, in the end Best showed him up beat him once went back and beat him another three times and in the end Harris completely lost his balance and end up on his arse. The other was a comment made by Harry Gregg, playing in goal during a practice match he found this skinny young player ( I think George was 15 at the time) bearing down on his goal after dribbling round a couple of defenders, well he was not going to get round Harry, he did sent Harry the wrong way leaving him flat on the ground and he did it twice more. Harry said afterwards that he knew then he was looking at a future world class player.
 

Sing you a song

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Luckily old enough to have seen him play in the flesh . I remember a midweek game against Chelsea on a mud bath of a pitch picking the ball up on the half way line slaloming past player after player before planting it in the net . Another was against Sheffield United they had just been promoted bestie picked the ball up on the left hand corner of the box before gliding across to the other corner and smashing an angled drive across the goal and in off the far post. Far too many to remember them all but must mention the 6 of the best in the FA cup tie when he came back after one of his disappearing acts .
His poster on my wall and his purple and black tie at the side boots on my feet . My hero then , my hero now .
The first footballing superstar and he will never be forgotten.
 

simplyared

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Meet him a few times when he had his shop in Sale. Watching him play was worth the entrance fee, he could dribble at speed on all kinds of surfaces, mud, snow, ice, attack defend heading ability he had it all, but I believe that his most outstanding ability was his balance it was awesome. Watched his debut for utd.., and continued through his short playing period. 2 things stand out one against Chelsea where "Chopper" Harris tried to kick him off the pitch, got no where near him, in the end Best showed him up beat him once went back and beat him another three times and in the end Harris completely lost his balance and end up on his arse. The other was a comment made by Harry Gregg, playing in goal during a practice match he found this skinny young player ( I think George was 15 at the time) bearing down on his goal after dribbling round a couple of defenders, well he was not going to get round Harry, he did sent Harry the wrong way leaving him flat on the ground and he did it twice more. Harry said afterwards that he knew then he was looking at a future world class player.
It's enough just seeing his goal against Benfica on the biggest stage of all. The defender tries to take him out. Bestie knows it's coming, rides the tackle with the balance of a ballet dancer, (almost taking the piss) rounds the goalie and slots the ball in the back of the net. Poetry in motion!
 

Inigo Montoya

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It's enough just seeing his goal against Benfica on the biggest stage of all. The defender tries to take him out. Bestie knows it's coming, rides the tackle with the balance of a ballet dancer, (almost taking the piss) rounds the goalie and slots the ball in the back of the net. Poetry in motion!
The Spurs goal takes some beating because he didn’t try and beat a load of defenders but lobbed Jennings with the defence bearing down on him.
 

Infordin

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I think that if he was English and a part of that 1966 World Cup team, he would be remembered on the same level as Pele or Maradona.

Astonishingly talented footballer
 

Yagami

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There is somewhere some footage of him playing for NI.
The best individual performance i have ever seen id George playing against Scotland in1967

This was one of my favourite Best performances. Oh, so good!