George Best: 1946 - 2005

United legend Best dies, aged 59

Manchester United and Northern Ireland legend George Best died today aged 59.

A spokesman for the Cromwell Hospital in west London confirmed: 'After a long and very valiant fight Mr George Best died this afternoon in the intensive care unit at Cromwell Hospital.

'The thoughts of all staff at Cromwell Hospital are with Mr Best's family at this time.'

Born in Belfast, Best played for United from 1963 to 1974 and his finest hour came in 1968 when the Red Devils became the first English club to win the European Cup.

Best made 180 goals in 474 appearances for United and also won two league championships, in 1965 and 1967.

A statement from United read: 'George Best was one of the greatest footballers of all time.

'Naturally athletic, tough, confident and blessed with genius, his career was one of the brightest stars of its generation. His gifts were legendary.

'For the goals, the audacious dribbles and all the wonderful memories, Manchester United and its legions of fans worldwide will always be grateful.

'We feel a deep sense of loss but his spirit and his talent will live on forever.'

Sir Bobby Charlton, a director at Old Trafford and a team-mate of Best's during his time at the club, said: 'Manchester United's glorious history has been created by people like George Best.

'Anyone that witnessed what George could do on the pitch wished they could do the same. He made an immense contribution to the game, and enriched the lives of everyone that saw him play. It is a very sad day.

'Football has lost one of its greats, and I have lost a dear friend. He was a marvellous person and my thoughts are now with his family.'

The club will open a book of condolence tomorrow morning at Old Trafford.

The Irish Football Association led the mourning in Best's native Northern Ireland, for whom he made 37 appearances and scored nine goals.

IFA chief executive Howard Wells said: 'This is a sad day for football. George was a complete one-off with a natural talent rarely seen since.

'I had the privilege of entertaining him when I worked in Hong Kong and I also saw one of his early internationals for Northern Ireland, in 1964. He had this incredible balance, speed and grace. He was the best I had ever seen.'

IFA director of coaching Roy Millar added: 'He was an icon of Northern Ireland football and he will be remembered for his performances for Northern Ireland and Manchester United. He was the most talented footballer Northern Ireland has ever produced and he was a world star.'

Best died at 12.55pm, a hospital spokesman said. He had suffered multiple organ failure.

He spent his final hours in hospital surrounded by his loved ones.

His family, including son Calum, 24, and father Dickie, 87, had kept an all-night vigil at his bedside.

This morning floral tributes started to arrive outside the private hospital. Alongside the flowers were several United supporters' scarves and a football shirt bearing the name Best and the number seven.

Best was admitted to Cromwell Hospital on October 1 suffering from a flu-like infection.

His health deteriorated rapidly when he developed a kidney infection, but he then rallied and his condition was thought to be improving until the early hours of Friday last week when he suffered a severe setback.

He developed a lung infection and was put back on a ventilator in intensive care, but remained alert.

His condition deteriorated further on Wednesday night after which his consultant, Professor Roger Williams, said there was no longer anything doctors could do.

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This guy was like, the first superstar athlete. He was banging super models and partying and shit way before anyone else. He lived a life most people would kill for. Probably the only reason he isn't held in the same regard as Pele and Maradona is because he never played in a World Cup. Easily the best British player of all time...

RIP to a true legend.

Can't say it's much of a surprise, the guy hardly took care of himself.

RIP

only reason i even heard of the guyt before was because of the firefox news links that are bbc, but nonetheless i will pay my respects.

RIP

stolen off b0b an HYB..

RIP

Im glad that someone has started a GB thread.Now i aint no Man Utd fan,but this is the man who was the greatest footballer ever,even pele said that. Its the story of the first British player who was in the limelight...they called him El Beatle,the 5th Beatle...the man who dated Miss world..and drank it all away. Excess that lead to a life wasted.Remember him as the Belfast boy who ran rings round Benfica in 68,not the man who was frail & dying.

Rest in Peace George.

Have another pint in the sky...

Demon Drink

RIP

Nothing like soccer to make an American wonder what the hell everyone is talking about.

Either way, RIP.

"Liverpool had the Beatles, Manchester had George Best"....

I think that sums it up.

RIP

tony blair said this guy had the best natural talent hes ever seen in the sport..pele said best was the greatest player EVER...fucking incredible....just goes to show that addiction is a fucken monster. RIP.

They changed the name of Belfast City Airport to George Best Airport. How cool is that?

thats very poetic of you. life like a roller coaster has its ups and downs; and even the wildest ride has to end sometime.

R.I.P. George Best. Theres a starting spot for you on the pitch upstairs with the rest of the football greats.

"I made a lot of money, spent most on wine, women and song and the rest I squanderd"- George Best.

word where has this person gone??? 12oz isn't the same without this shit, also George Best lived the life. He had fun good on him.

I know macros made this shit.

no idea who he was but R.I.P

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Best

George Best (22 May 1946 – 25 November 2005) is widely acknowledged to have been one of the greatest football players of all time, mainly remembered for his halcyon days with Manchester United FC. He played for the Northern Ireland football team, but their lack of success during the peak of Best's career meant that, regrettably, he never was able to display his unique talent on the world stage. Best had a rare combination of pace, blistering acceleration, balance, two-footedness, goalscoring prowess and the ineffable ability to run through entire defences.

He played for United as a winger between 1963 and 1974, helping them to win the Football League Championship in 1965 and 1967, and the European Cup in 1968. He was named European Footballer of the Year and Football Writers' Association Player of the Year in 1968. In speaking to Man Utd TV in late 2005, Sir Bobby Charlton described Best's impact on the 1960s as "sensational". Indeed, Pelé, the Brazilian who is often said to be the greatest player of all time, called Best "the greatest footballer in the world". The great Argentinian Diego Maradona regarded Best equally highly. Best's brilliance is often summed up in one sentence: Maradona good, Pele better, George Best.

Best's lovable, cheeky image won him many fans, during his career and after. News of Best's death led to tears on the streets of Belfast, before and during a funeral for which some 100,000 people turned out on a rainy day. Best had developed a drinking problem while still a player, and it contributed to his early retirement from top-level football. He was imprisoned in 1984 for drunk driving and assaulting a policeman and was unable to give up alcohol for any length of time. The condition of his liver deteriorated to the point where a transplant became necessary. The immuno-suppressive drugs given to prevent rejection of his new liver caused him to develop a serious kidney infection, which his doctors were unable to redress. In 2005, the infection caused him to fall into a coma. His final days were watched over by his father and other family members, and also by former football colleagues such as United's Denis Law. He died at the age of 59 and is buried in East Belfast.

For the Americans...