Besty - R.I.P.
 

Expert medical opinion was saying he would be dead last night, but typically, he beat 'em and and went on to play some extra time. Finally, though he's off the pitch and away to the great pub in the sky.
But what a player he was! I suppose for most on here, you will only have seen his skills on grainy celluloid film; but there must be a few who were privilidged to see him live. I saw him a few times at Turf Moor in the late 60's and he was awsome. Today, the likes of Beckham & Rooney come nowhere near to matching his talents.
This is a sad day for footy.

George Best R.I.P
 

Its with great sadness,Ive just seen on sky news about the passing of the worlds greatest player of all time.Being the age I am I was fortunate enough to witness his later days of his career at Manchester United,even be it as a child.My thoughts go out to Callum his son & Dickie his father.:( :( :( Always remembered never forgotten.

Best has left the building
 

RIP,

he may not have been a model citizen but he was a good footballer

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

This is not a good day…..I wish his family well and trust at least that the pain of worry for him as now past. This was an exceptional man I can only hope that has a nation we give this man a send off that gives honour to his talent on the pitch and leaves him the dignity of not having his name drag down by the media. God rest in peace George Best.

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

Another of the greats gone to the celestial footy pitch. I never had the pleasure as some members have of watching him. Very few players could match him on a pitch a genius is an understatement. Lets remember him for what he did on a pitch and not what he did off it. His suffering has ended and has been reported he was feeling no pain. My heart goes out to his family.

Besty show them how the beautiful game is played up there.

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

good footballer or not ...i have no sympathy for him (his familly yes).....he was given a second chance ( new liver ) at life and pi$$ed it up against a wall he didnt care about himself so why should i care about if he lives or dies somebody could have been given that liver who actually needed it not some washed up alcy...my HONEST opinion and sorry if it offends some :eek:....(waits for the karma steamroller :rolleyes: )

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

RIP Georgie - the best player to ever grace British football by far.

Legend

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

Absolute Legend! :bow8:

R.I.P Georgie Best :sad8: :sad8: :sad8:

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

I absolutely won't deny he was a brilliant player - I saw him play once when he was playing for Fulham at the end of his career, he played Rovers. Very mesmeric to watch him even at the latter stages of his career.

I'm a bit concerned about him being elevated to this near god like status that the media seems to be doing. He was an awful role model for young men who are going in to football now. He was a drunk and a womaniser, not a hero!

It's still very sad that he died at such a young age. Perhaps he has found peace now!

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

RIP George. Without doubt the most gifted player I've ever watched. Who's this Beckham they're always on about?

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

RIP George Best a legend in football.
Like willow I will make no comment on his problems as no-one should speak ill of the dead. Lets just remember him for the magnificant player he was and my thoughts are with his family and close friends

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

Thanks for moving me in the right direction mate x and I apologise for ending up on the wrong board.

As a teenager in the sixties, George was a hero in my eyes and still is. He was adored by millions of people, his football was to be seen to be believed. I worshipped the Beatles...Sonny and Cher....The Monkees ......Herman....and George!! Posters on the bedroom wall and all that!

I'm not apologising for him, he made his choice, but nothing will ever take it away from his enormous talent and the joy he brought for so many people. I give all my love to all his family and hope that they remember the good times as I do.

Night George xxx

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

His talent on the world stage will never be forgotton.

Alcoholism is a disease, and I don't think criticism should be levelled at him for wasting the help he was given in fighting it.

I hope he finds peace.

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

to any young lad/lass growing up who likes to knock a footy about- George Best is a hero, a god, a genius.
He was a genius at his craft and was a gentleman off the field until alcohol changed him.
He was a one-off, there will never be another George Best.

RIP George - youre a legend.

Re: Poor George
 

Alas, poor George, his own worst enemy. A lovely person to know, by all accounts. A prime example of human frailty too.

Good night, George.

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

Neither do I, Rindy, he tried hard I reckon and I think it must have been so hard for him.

I feel so sad today, I've no access to news apart from the computer, but when I logged on this afternoon I was informed of his death.

Poor chap. I'm off to put flowers in the sea on his funeral day. Don't suppose they will reach Northern Ireland but I feel I should pay my respects.

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

June that's a lovely thought. We threw my Dad's ashes to the wind into the sea off his boat, in the English Channel.

I hope the Gulf Stream carries them all the way from the Canaries to Northern Ireland for you.

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

Rindy, that's such a lovely reply. I'm well choked. I'm buying some red and white roses for the lad and I will think of you too xxx

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

Good lad Doug, I'm so glad someone can put it into words. I've had a funny sort of week, along with searching the net every day to see if our George was still with us, I've been reading Sheila Hancock's book about her husband, John Thaw.

He was also an alcoholic but managed to beat it, then he was unfortunate enough to be diagnosed with cancer of the throat. Such a nice reward!!

I had lots of bad reports about the book but must admit, I've found it interesting reading. Nothing worse than losing your man.

On that sad note, maybe it's time for me to go to bed!

Re: Poor George
 

http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/18/18_3_100.gif what a waste,...he was so good looking and a fantastic footballer......R.I.P.

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

George Best the greatest footballer ever.What a load of rubbish.He was a decent footballer.If you could put him at his best against a premiership team now he wouldnt be so great.Footballers are athletes these days and i'm damn sure half of those defences he tore apart were not super fit and probably not even sober half the time.Speaking of alcohol,being an alcoholic didn't stop Tony Adams from being an all time great and getting on with it.I'll just run off abroad and play against lesser teams to make me look better.A very good football player who has sadly died but I didn't see you all crying tears when Emlyn Hughes died just over a year ago of a brain tumour whereas Mr Best died of slow self inflicted suicide.

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

have some respect eh?

if George Best was playing today at his peak he would be almost untouchable - remember he was playing with extremly heavy equipment on mud baths most of the time compared to the carpet like pitches the tarts play on today.
he was simply, THE BEST.

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

The sad thing as that you really believe yourself.

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

You really are a prick sometimes!

R.I.P Georgie thoughts are with your family tonight

Re: Poor George
 

RIP, have a good 'en in the Red Lion in the sky! :)
legend :(

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

Well said, I think that our George was the BEST, too. As you say........mardy sort of balls now and nice green pitches.........not that I think Becksie is a bad footballer but going back to the sixties..........umm.

I must post a pic of my car, here in Tenerife, with it's Accy Stanley poster on the back, lovely x

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

Better than being one all the time.And how much of georges family dya know to have your thoughts with?Callum cuz you watch sad reality tv programmes.Grow up you silly thing.The guy drunk himself to death and your all upset like you knew him.Get a life.

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

Get a heart

you bitter twisted old cynical fool!

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

lol! I'm not biting unless you wanna take it private ;)

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

There is little doubt in the minds of those who watched this man at work that he was supreme at his game. He was one of the first television football stars that we all wanted to emulate at some point. The measure of today’s players against those of yesteryear serves little and achieves nothing. There will always be those who didn’t like him as a man or his game and their opinion should be respected, but lets not rub this mans name in the mire, there’s been enough of that and for those of us who marvelled at his antics on the pitch for that short period of our young lives, little will offend us.

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

I met his Aunt many times when I was at Moor End Junior School. She was the warden at White Ash old folk's sheltered housing in Oswaldtwistle. She was a really nice person as well, even nicer when she got me his autograph when she saw him back in Belfast.

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

Some contend that he deserves what he gets, a wife-beater and a p*ss-artist who wasted his talent.

Most of those people a) don't have an understanding of alcoholism and what it really is and b) never saw him play.

I did see him play, but now all those who didn't only have clips. I do know a little about football. I know that he and a few other men, and they were men, took a city devastated by the Munich Air Disaster out of the ashes and into euphoria. I know that he was the first 17 year old to be eaten alive by the media. That there was no protection for him, a boy, when he became George Best overnight. I know that without his tragic example, so many others would have gone the same way and no lessons would have been learnt. I also know that he scored a hat-trick against West ham after a 24 hour booze-up.

Nobody remembers these things when they rush to crucify a man who has already crucified himself a dozen times over.

Some people out there may not think football is such a great thing. I happen to believe it is. I genuinely believe it creates genius and unites people in a way that religion once did with one important difference: It is a language that any kid in any country in the world can speak.

And Besty put it to music. R.I.P

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

Alcoholism is an illness. Even if you do not believe that. Yesterday was hardly the time to show your hatred. Pilkybusdriver and blackburn raver should be ashamed of themselves.

Not everyone will mourn his passing. those that do not should stay quiet and leave the rest of us to grieve.

George best. Remember the Football. RIP Fella

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

Somehow when Mr. Best went before his careers master at school I think he was more likely to have said, "I want to be a Footballer Sir", at no point if you were able to be a fly on the wall on that particular day would he have said, "I want to be a role model Sir"!
What about the bad role models for young women the bimbo's that took advantage of his fame wanting to be seen at the right places with him, if such woman didn't exist he wouldn't have much chance as a 'womaniser', the same women no doubt joined in with him and probably encouraged him to drink more, after all they where out to have a good time and ****** the consequences!

To his many fans he was a hero and quite rightly so, he was never meant to be a role model, we all make choices in this world some are good for us some are bad, because he was in public view he was shown warts and all.
Now that he has been relieved of his recent suffering let him rest in peace and try not to distort his memory by turning him into something he never was.

He was a man of his time, the way he played suited the circumstances and showed him to be the 'Best'.

If there is an after life perhaps he's there playing football and winning with a bottle in one hand and a woman in the other, good luck to him.

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

as with all people who are thrown into the "limelight" shall we say, some can take the pressure some can't......he was a "jackthe lad"... he was a brilliant footballer..... he is not the only one to take the path he did ........but at the end of his life he is remembered for his genius on the football pitch....r.i.p.

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

last friday manchester united lost the greatest player of this generation...
this friday manchester united and the world lost the greatest player of any generation...

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

Less, you've taken a quote out of context there. Go back and read it, my gripe was not with George Best's lifestyle but with the media that are trying to make him out to be some sort of hero. On the football pitch he was undoubtedly a brilliant player - I'm pretty sure I acknowledged that - but off the field he was not a role model and most definitely not a hero! I didn't say or think for one minute that George Best set himself up to be a role model or a hero, so I don't think the media should try to make him in to one now but that's precisely what they are appearing to do. The media is glamorising a lifestyle/illness that is not in the least glamourous and that ultimately led to his death.

I don't want to get into an argument on this subject because it is clearly very emotive for some people so please don't try to twist my words on this.

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

hatred ? ashamed of myself ? ...WHY ? ....for having an opinion that differs from yours? ....and i dont understand where the hatred thing comes from !!!!.......think you'd better learn to read my comments before stating your opinions of myself......i wasnt calling him as a footballer i was calling him for wasting a second chance of a decent and healthy life....he was a selfish drunk who took away a liver from another person who could have put it to some use and lived a long and healthy life ....:thefinger

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

I so George play for Manchester United in the 60's, in my opinon he was the best footballer ever. It's a shame that the high life took hold of him and he did not have the willpower to overcome his addiction.

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

I don't want this to descend into a slanging match but obviously Raving can't get his head round the fact that alcoholism is a disease. Should we not treat smokers who get cancer, or drug addicts who fail to come off methadone after receiving treatment at a withdrawl clinic?

Everyone deserves a chance.

George Best took his and sadly failed.

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

Above is the complete of what you posted:-

I didn't post that quote to argue, I posted it to point out that he didn't choose a career as a role model!
I agree that if he was to be used as a role model he is not a very good one.

Quote:

I'm a bit concerned about him being elevated to this near god like status that the media seems to be doing. He was an awful role model for young men who are going in to football now. He was a drunk and a womaniser, not a hero!

The first part of that paragraph does state your opinion of what the press may be trying to do, however the second part of that paragraph (which is the part I originally quoted), is obviously your opinion, not the presses, I didn't use it out of context, I just quoted what I thought needed to be given a fair airing.

As I have already stated I didn't do it to be argumentative I did it because I thought it was an unfair statement about a guy that can no longer defend what he rightly or wrongly did.

I hope we can now remember what this Thread was started for, To honour the memory of a man that has recently died, a man that wasn't perfect but did bring a great deal more joy to the people that follow football than most people would be able to do in several life times.

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

The day a man dies is not the day to slag him off.

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

if you hae a donor card would you want your organs to go to an alcoholic or a person who would treat it as a second chance and use it well ??

i have no sympathy for any of them, users and abusers , im no angel ive done thigs in the past im not proud of but i knew when too draw the line,_________________________________ its not a disease its a lack of willpower.....anyway as you said i dont want a slanging match either so this is my last post on the subject :rolleyes:

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

Good, because trust me you'd loose.:)

I wrote in my journal today about my Aunt's death from liver disease earlier this year. She didn't drink, not that that matters a damn.

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

and its peole like your aunt who would actually benefit from a new liver....instead of ...ooooooops sorry there i go :eek: ....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzziiiiippppppppppppppppppp:D

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

I do so respect a man that keeps his word about not posting, when you said he wouldn't.

Perhaps you could put in for a backbone transplant?

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

more spine here than most of you lot, at least i have the balls to actually say what i feel......and dont feel the need to become part of the click that so readily exists for fear of being "picked on" and lambasted for having a different opinion to the rest of the clan :thefinger ..........:eek:

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

This will be my last post on the subject, because unlike you I do keep my word. Plus it would be terribley unfair to debate the fact that alcoholism is a disease, because you obviously don't have the sufficent language skills.


Bless.:)

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

sorry 4 bein so unejikatid......:rolleyes: .......spag bol for tea made with mince meat .....mmmmmmmmmmmm:D

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

Has with anyone else, yourselves included every one is entitled to an opinion; we don’t have to agree with it but in a free and open society with should accept that we all have one and are free to express it.

This might be an ideal time for one of the members form the Nursing Profession to intercede and prevent this emotive thread from being trashed like so many others. From my perspective:

Alcoholism is an illness, not a disease although I accept that many might see as been, but a disease is something you might catch. An illness is something you might suffer from. Never the less real Alcoholism is a tragedy in its own right.

In respect of the transplant, first there has to be a match, I don’t recalled the odds involved but if this liver was the closest for Best then it was his, it is unlikely that someone else missed out as a result of it going to him. Had he not had it, it may well have been wasted, it does happen and not ever organ donated goes on to save a life. I would also point out that this great man died yesterday as a result of an infection.

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

So, now not only do you want to upset a few by showing disrespect for a dead man but you now wish to continue with your rantings and upset the living that can understand and sympathise with a man that suffered due to his failings!

No doubt you will accuse me of being a member of the so called 'clique' as well, so be it I would rather be accused of that than to just post your type of mindless junk, perhaps on Monday if you take the trouble to go to the doctors He will be able to arrange an operation (on the national health) that will take your spine out of your brain, your balls out of your mouth and then you might just be able to string together a sensible sentence that doesn't have to come out of your *rse!

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

SO, when is your operation to remove your head from your ar$e ? pray tell :D .....i have an opinion you have "several" get over it and get on with it .........anyway i now go into a self style BAN....:Banane32:

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

Dear oh dear........ Sorry Doug but seeing as you asked for an opinion from a nursing professional, here's mine....:D

Firstly I would like to say that my sympathies go out to the family of George Best, who without a doubt must have suffered intensely watching their loved one drink himself to death. Sympathies also to his many friends and collegues who must have been so sad to watch a great footballing talent wasted.

Alcoholism is an illness but only relatively recently classed as one. It is more of a social illness really but an addiction none the less. It is no different than any other addiction so smoking and drug addiction are exactly the same but alcoholism often gets the most sympathy and is more socially acceptable these days.

A real disease is paedophilia, but I don't see anybody sympathising with Gary Glitter..... probably because paedos are seen to be hurting people, but alcoholics also hurt other people, as I'm sure that the husbands, wives, children and parents of an alcoholic will vouch.

Transplants are given to the best match and can be difficult to find if you are a rare blood group, was he a rare blood group? Many of my colleagues (including those with experience in the transplant units) agree that he should never have received that liver and that a more deserving candidate for transplant could have been found. It is a good job that relatives of organ donors don't get to know who receives the organs, because I bet the family of the donor would be gutted at the waste of a second chance. A colleague of mine claimed that the organ donation rate fell quite dramatically when they transplanted George Best (how true this is, I wouldn't like to say), but she worked in a transplant unit, so there you go... The question I would ask is would a surgeon transplant a liver to your everyday, run of the mill, street wino? The answer I feel would be no.... A very good friend of mine drank herself to death nearly a year ago, transplant was not an option....:cool:

Despite the transplant issues (and like it or not, there are issues). I think that Besty should be remembered and celebrated as a talent, a celebrity and from reports from people who met him, a genuinely nice fella....:D

Did you know that the old fella who played Mr Myagi in the film Karate Kid also died yesterday???? Aaaaah, Daniel San..........

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

Sorry Doug... I posted 'dear oh dear' because I knew that I was going to be saying things that a lot of people probably don't want to hear. Never the less it was a professional opinion and it does go to show that some illnesses are more socially acceptable than others. Those who know me well will know that I always post/tell the truth as I see it and I don't sugar coat things.

I think that a lot of members of this site have given a fantastic obituary to a memorable man who has maybe found peace at last..

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

I couldn’t agree with you more. :)

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

A damn good footballer died.What p*sses me off is you all treat it like your best mate has died.None of you knew him apart from those who's uncles cousins neighbours brothers nextdoors brother in laws aunt got an autograph etc.I'm sure none of us are glad to see him pass away,I know i'm not.If you want to say "george was the best"etc etc well I respect your opinion but you can't accept the bad points about him.No not being an alcoholic.A woman beater(repeatedly)Couldnt be bothered turning up for games because he was too busy with the latest miss world or another woman(well that is commitment when you are a paying supporter)I think he once ran over a woman in his car,he's been to prison,he's got a new liver on the condition he would not drink(if it was John Smith they would prob be dead by now due to no liver being provided).All this is by memory not by looking it up off the internet like you know it alls but I do remember the wogan show that used to be on bbc1 i think at 7pm when he just said" i love screwing"and was being very offensive or perhaps I dreamt that.
At the end of the day we all know he was talented as a footballer and anyone who is glad to see him dead is very twisted but look at the positive AND the negative and don't come on insulting each other like children.We all have our own opinions,respect them.RIP George.

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

Hecky Thump!!
Sounds a bit like sour grapes to me. He was a great player, had an illness which he couldn't overcome.

Please let the poor soul rest in peace.

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

Pilky, it seems you agree with the general consensus after all.


Bless you.

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

its a shame leeds and liverpool fans had to spoil the weekends 1minute silences, shame on them

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

i thought the 1 minute noise idea was brilliant - we had one of those for my local librarian..

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

Shame on anyone who spoils a one minute silence for anyone. I was at the Blackburn Rovers 'V' Leeds match when there was a minutes silence due to the death of Matt Busby. The Leeds fans chanted throughout the "silence" about there being only "One Don Revie." Yea well, enough said about him and the Leeds fans for that matter.

It never ceases to amaze me how people love to pull other people down. George Best was, arguably, the best footballer the world has ever seen. He was certainly one of the best and I had the privilige of seeing him play. He was really the first "rich, overexposed, young, superstar-footballer" and the truth is, he obviously did not know how to handle this off the field. So, people have ripped him to shreds throughout most of his post footballing days (and many earlier than that) and continue to do so after his death. No matter how he would have conducted himself there would be plenty of people trying to drag his name through the mud.

Todays modern players are in a position to receive much better advice than George did on how to handle their fame and fortune. David Beckham is an example of this. Although not as talented as George Best by far, he is certainly among the most talented of his era. He is a family man who obviously loves his wife and children and has handled his affairs considerably better than did George. Or at least, most people would consider that he has. Does he receive any praise for this? Oh no!! He is ridiculed, taunted, has his name dragged through the mud at every opportunity and is the butt of jokes of every conceivable kind, many of which are directed at his family. It would appear that many people are hell bent on wanting to see the rich and famous fall. What a sad, sad trait.

RIP George. Wherever you are, I hope you're in the same team as Stanley Matthews, Emlyn Hughes, Dixi Dean, Bobby Moore and all the other great players who have given so much pleasure to football fans worldwide.

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

at least George didn't die curious - he did it all!

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

good footballer or not ...i have no sympathy for him (his familly yes).....he was given a second chance ( new liver ) at life and pi$$ed it up against a wall he didnt care about himself so why should i care about if he lives or dies somebody could have been given that liver who actually needed it not some washed up alcy...my HONEST opinion and sorry if it offends some ....(waits for the karma steamroller )
Not totally true.Before you are even allowed a Liver transplant you have to fulfill certain criteria.You have to be totally clean for at least 12 months.Bestie fulfilled this and a little bit more.Ok he over indulged at certain times and of course it got in to the media for all the wrong reasons.
As an ex Alcholic i realise what is involved.Your comments remind me of the saying
' talking without putting your brain in to gear '
In the end it was the medicines that killed him and not the Alcohol.The drugs he had to take so that his body would not reject the Liver.
As it says your pen is huge but i believe that is all.
As it says in the bible them as have made no mistakes should cast the first stone

Re: Besty - R.I.P.
 

I respect your opinion, but not on this thread.
This is a football forum and we are merely paying our respects to the greatest and most loved footballer of the 20th century, personal life ASIDE.