With the Nation's Cup being played in Richmond recently, I thought it might be a good idea to write about one of the world's greatest soccer players, George Best, who turned out for Ireland at Richmond's Hugh Boyd Park in 1984. My good friend David Milner was lucky enough to get his autograph.
At the age of 15, Best was discovered by scout Bob Bishop in Belfast and was brought over to Manchester United's Old Trafford ground for a trial. But feeling homesick, it turned out he didn't like it too much and he caught the boat back to Belfast without telling anyone Luckily, father figure Matt Busby, United's manager knew that Best was a diamond in the rough and eventually got him back and settled in Manchester.
Making his debut in a Manchester United shirt in 1963 at the age of 17, he looked too skinny and fragile for the Football League, but nobody on the opposite side, West Bromwich Albion, could get near him.
Playing on the wing alongside the likes of Denis Law and Bobby Charlton, this was the start of a new era at United after the tragic air crash at Munich in 1958 that claimed the lives of so many of the "Busby Babes."
If the club had sold one of these players in the '60s, the crowd would have torn the ground down, that's how high in esteem these players were held.
The day United went to play Benfica in the European Cup quarter final in 1966 in Lisbon was when Best's star exploded.
After scoring two goals and playing out of his socks, he was dubbed with the name "El Beatle" by the media because of his great natural talent, good looks and Beatles hair cut.
But this boy was more than a pretty face, he could play a bit as well! On the field he was poetry in motion, off the field, unlike David Beckham, was another story.
He always made the headlines, drinking, which began to take its toll, but he left us some fine moments to remember.
When on international duty for Northern Ireland, he sometimes single-handedly demolished the opponents - especially England, Scotland and Wales.
Two occasions stand out for me watching him play - first against Chelsea at Old Trafford with Peter Bonetti in goal for Chelsea.
The keeper threw the ball out to full back Eddie McCreadie who couldn't quite control it properly and Best whips in and with superb balance lobs it over McCreadie's head and runs round the side of him, collecting the ball and neatly lobbing it over Bonetti's head and into the back of the net.
The second occasion was against poor old Northampton Town at their small ground in the FA Cup. Best had been banned for six games and this, is his comeback, game, he scores six goals. He graciously received the match ball signed by the Northampton team.
What would Best be worth today, I wonder! He was European Player of the Year in 1968 after winning the European Cup. He could beat two defenders at once, ride their tackles wait for them to catch up and beat them again. Eat your heart, Cristiano Ronaldo.
In 1974, at the ripe old age of 27, Best quit Manchester United for the last time after many runaways, his final game being on Jan. 1, 1974 against Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road As one of the first celebrity footballers, Best led a rather wild lifestyle. Unfortunately, this led to progressively serious problems with alcoholism, which finally led to his death in November 2005 at the age of 59.
Over a quarter of a million people lined the streets of Belfast for his funeral. Georgie Georgie - they call him the Belfast Boy! Frankie Nielson owns The Beat Merchant Record Store in Steveston.
