George Best - 1946 - 2005
GEORGE Best was as famous for his colourful remarks as his football, booze and women. Here are some of the best.
ON THE NIGHT HE WON THE 1968 EUROPEAN FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR AWARD: “Me and a mate picked up two darling birds and they took us back to their flat.
“I went into the bedroom with my bird and she started getting undressed. I was that drunk I was standing there wondering how to get undressed without letting go of the award.
“I went to sit on the bed, missed it by four feet and ended up lying on the floor.
“I remember the bird looking down at me, starkers, and saying, ‘Some player of the year.’ Then I fell asleep. I woke up still clutching my award and staggered out of the flat. I hadn’t a bloody clue where I was.”
ON BOOZING: “I did most of my drinking on my own. Often I’d spend hours sitting in a corner. I’d drink and when I’d had enough I’d just get up and go home to bed.
“I never went out in the morning with the intention of getting drunk. It just happened.”
“When I finished playing I tried to find something to replace that buzz. Maybe I thought drinking made me feel good.”
“I’ve stopped drinking, but only while I’m asleep.”
ON FAME: “I was probably the first footballer ever to have a pop star profile and my agent was right when he said we could put my name on stair rods and sell them to people in bungalows.”
“It got so bad that I was afraid to go near the windows and I couldn’t get away without a police escort. It was like being a prisoner.”
ON HIS ENEMIES: “Even at the height of my fame, 50 per cent of the people who saw me wanted a fight — it’s the downside of being a star player.”
“I’d have to be superman to do some of the things I’m supposed to have done, I’ve been at six different places at six different times.”
ON DAVID BECKHAM: “Beckham cannot kick with his left foot, can’t head the ball, can’t tackle and he doesn’t score enough goals. Otherwise he’s all right.”
ON RETIRING YOUNG: “My one big regret is that I didn’t play on for 10 more years.”
ON HIS DECLINE AT UNITED: “By the time I was 25 I felt the team was in decline and alcohol was taking over. For three years I was out every night and gambling became a drug, too.”
OTHER MEMORABLE QUOTES:
"I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars - the rest I just squandered."
"I used to go missing a lot...Miss Canada, Miss United Kingdom, Miss World..."
"If I had been born ugly, you would never have heard of Pelé
(Reprinted from The Sun U.K.)
For a more concise tribute to the "Best" ever, check out this website: http://www.compusmart.ab.ca/icorry/BESTPage.htm
