George Best R.I.P.

[Flopsy]

Alcoholism is one of those things. The wife beating slightly less able to be forgiving for.

[RevidgeBlue]

I didn't much care for the self pitying figure Best cut in the latter stages of his life but now he's gone I find it extremely sad that we've lost someone who was by popular consensus one of the three or four greatest players of all time.

I think the "waste of a career" bit is slightly overdone, he actually won two League titles, the European Cup and was voted Europen footballer of the year. How many can claim that? Not his fault he was eligible for Northern Ireland his international career by definition was going to be limited.

As for his personal life, as a sporting superstar in an era when sporting superstars didn't exist who knows how any of us would have reacted in the face of such temptation?

As FLB said he didn't go around killing anyone. He deserves to be remembered for his unique footballing talents. Rodney Marsh who knew him better than most said that he had such wonderful balance he was like a Subbuteo player, you couldn't knock him over when he had he ball. This is certainly borne out by the old video footage of hm riding challenge after challenge. Such a difference from today's "superstars" who go down if someone breathes on them.

I also like his assessment of Beckham "He has no left foot, can't head a ball or tackle. Apart from that he's all right."

I hate Manchester United but he's one of those rare players who transcend inter club hostilities.

Farewell George - the fifth Beatle.

Edited November 28, 2005 by RevidgeBlue

[Claytons Left Boot]

Good post Revidge - and my sentiments exactly. As has been pointed out by some, alcoholism is an illness and, as such, George didn't choose to waste a liver. He chose to accept the organ and with it the gift of life (who wouldn't?). Unfortunately, the rest happened because of his illness and there was nothing he could do about it.

My wife's cousin started drinking at a more serious level when he was around 17 or 18. Very respectable family, both his parents are teachers, sound upbringing etc. Over the last 10 years or so they have tried everything to get him on the straight and narrow but he had already progressed to being an alcoholic and it's all been to no avail. He's presently in a bedsit in Manchester, spends his giro on booze and in all honesty doesn't have too long to live. He wasn't caught in time. Like George it wasn't a question of choices and like George there's very little anyone can do, though not for the want of trying.

[Rovermatt]

There's a very touching tribute to George Best on the front gate of the city hall. A small but densely covered area of the railings is adorned with shirts, scarves, flags etc of many clubs. All bear a message. One Rovers shirt proclaims 'No one will ever lace your boots.' A Celtic shirts reads: 'You weren't here for a long time but you were here for a good time. Cheers George.'

500,000 people are expected to line the route of Best's hearse. Many a luminary is expected.

I just hope the traffic isn't too bad. I have stuff to do in town on Saturday morning...

Edited November 30, 2005 by Rovermatt

[nolan9]

Just watched all the coverage at Old Trafford before the West Brom match tonight and all the players from 68 were out and the present players to. Was very good seeing all the Best posters in the air during the minutes silence. R.I.P George Best

[Anti Euro Smiths Fan]

It would take a heart of stone not to feel some sympathy for 87-year-old Dickie Best, who buried his son yesterday.

In 1978, Dickie lost his wife Ann, George's mum, who died from an alcohol-related illness. 27 years later, the rain in Belfast was mixed with tears as Dickie buried his son George.

George blamed himself for the death of his mum Ann, who started to seek comfort in the bottle after struggling to cope with George's fame and well documented problems. The death of his Mum hit George hard, but rather than her alcohol-related death acting as a wake-up call to his own problems, he spiralled further into a drink-fuelled depression.

As a player, the pressure on George increased after a rumour that he had donated money to a Belfast Protestant organisation. This brought a death threat, purportedly from the IRA, and George sought solace from the increasing pressure by hitting the bottle more heavily.

In 1974, an hour after Man United had beaten Plymouth in the FA Cup, George sat in the empty stands at Old Trafford, tears streaming down his face, after he had been left out of the team. Boss Tommy Docherty axed him after missing training and his Old Trafford career was over.

You could argue that George was the author of his own downfall and he only had himself to blame. But as I said, it would take a hard-hearted man not to feel some sympathy for Dickie Best, who buried his son yesterday.

George's relationship with his first wife Angie was turbulent and after one night of heavy drinking he wrapped his car around a lamp-post. He broke his shoulder and had to have stitches in his face. On another occasion, after George was unfaithful, Angie apparently stabbed him in the backside with a kitchen knife. In 1984, George spent Christmas in prison after being jailed for drink-driving offences.

I believe everybody deserves a second chance and George Best blew that, he jumped the cue to get somebodys liver when it could have gone to a more worthy person as people are on the waiting list for years.

Professor Williams, George's physician, is adamant that George didn't jump the waiting list for a new liver and that he waited his turn for over a year.

"His behaviour before the transplant and in the immediate year afterwards was exemplary," Professor Williams said.

"Most patients with an alcoholic liver disease have to abstain from alcohol for six months. George abstained for a year before the transplant, and he remained sober for over a year afterwards. But then sadly, for reasons known only to George, he started to drink again."

"I've still got no regrets at all about recommending him for a transplant," said Professor Williams.

"George ticked all the boxes. He had given up alcohol for a year. Faced with a patient with the same problems, I would do the same again. We are doctors, not gods and it's not up to us to decide who deserves to live or die. It's up to us to treat the sick to the best of our ability and that includes alcoholics."

"Our hospitals are chock-full of people who smoke too much, eat too much, drive too fastr, have unsafe sex, and engage in dangerous sports. As doctors, do we just turn round to those people and say 'Sorry, but it's your own fault, we can't help you'.

"When I met George he was a very sick man with serious stomach pains and acute liver failure. Like any alcoholic, George could always find someone who would serve him a drink, and all too often, buy the drinks for him."

"His liver transplant, and subsequent treatment, was carried out at a private hospital and therefore made no financial demands on the National Health Service. He had to wait his turn for the right liver just like anyone else. I don't believe anybody died because of George."

"Medical science still can't properly explain the biochemistry of addiction. But it's a fact that some people are chemically addicted to alcohol," said Professor Williams. George died, not from liver failure, but because of a lung infection that led to internal bleeding.

I'm sitting down typing this after having had a couple of vodka and lemonades in the afternoon. Most people know when to stop and can go without a drink if they want. Others, as Professor Williams says, are chemically addicted to alcohol.

It doesn't excuse their behaviour of course, and if alcoholics commit crimes like drink-driving, then they deserve to be punished like everyone else. But for most of us, who enjoy the odd drink or two without too many ill-effects, it's perhaps difficult to comprehend what it must be like to wake up in the morning and have a desperate need for alcohol straight away.

George joked: "In 1969 I gave up women and alcohol - it was the worst 20 minutes of my life."

"I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered," he said.

A message on one of the cards yesterday said: "Dear George, thanks for giving me so much joy, you were my hero as a child and as an adult. You will never be forgotten."

Maybe we should remember him for the pleasure he gave, rather than for what many people believe was a tragic waste of talent. George wasn't a saint - he was a fool at times - but I'm not going to stick the knife in to vilify and condemn a man who has just been buried by his father yesterday.

I'll let others do the pontificating and moral condemnation on this occasion.....

Edited December 4, 2005 by Anti Euro Smiths Fan

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

I found the service very,very moving indeed.

George best never did anyone any harm....nobody is perfect.

[Yorick]

It appears Gascoigne has been swayed by so much public forgiveness of Bestie that he has decided to court the wrong type of publicity again. Is jealousy at the root of this latest incident I wonder?

[Ozz]

Gazza has definitely got a problem, did you see him on the news last night? Poor b@astard doesn`t appear to know whats going on around him, and has become delusional, and definitely in denial.

[jim mk2]

Gascoigne has been arrested over an alleged assault according to reports today. If he somehow manages to live as long as George Best I'll eat my trilby hat.

[1864roverite]

Jim, having watched his interview this morning he quite clearly has a drink problem.

I see a tragic end for this fantastically gifted player

[blue phil]

Gazza has definitely got a problem, did you see him on the news last night? Poor b@astard doesn`t appear to know whats going on around him,  and has become delusional, and definitely in denial.

365316[/snapback]

I've just seen Gazza interviewed on the news (last night at a function I believe) , looking tired and emotional as our jim might say .

Looks like the Priory may be receiving another guest very shortly .....very bad news indeed for Gazza .

[andy82]

Man Utd fans are now trying to win Best sports personality of the year with the BBC.

Makes an absolute mockery of the competition, and as such i believe we should all join the Everton fans in voting for Peter Crouch

[Yorick]

Man Utd fans are now trying to win Best sports personality of the year with the BBC.

365571[/snapback]

Strange that. Only recently they ludicrously voted Cantona as their best player of all time! Imagine the fuss if he'd pegged it instead of Bestie.