Author Topic: Tributes flood in for Best (Read 82 times)

Mac 10 † · « **on:** November 25, 2005, 06:54:53 AM »

"You could have put George in just about any position in our 1968 team and he would have been better than the person who was playing there."
Manchester United European Cup-winning team-mate David Sadler

"We all know Manchester United is not a universally liked club but I think you will find every supporter of every club recognises the ability George Best had."
Former Manchester United team-mate Paddy Crerand

"I know there is a lot of publicity surrounding the reason why he was ill but us football people, who know what he was about and were lucky enough to have seen him play, know a little bit more."
Charlton manager Alan Curbishley

"I just thought he was a lovely man. That's why I think he got so many second chances in life."
Former Manchester United and Scotland player Gordon McQueen

"It is a very sad day, a sad time. He was everybody's son, every father's son, every mother's son. He was the greatest player ever as far as I am concerned."
Former Fulham manager Bobby Campbell

"He was the best player in the world. He was a complete player. There's not many of them about in the world or ever has been. He was a fantastic man. He was very kind, very generous. There was no big- headedness about him."
Former team-mate Sammy McIlroy

"The first real footballing superstar and arguably the best player these isles have even seen."
Former Liverpool and Republic of Ireland player Mark Lawrenson

"I remember my first pair of boots when I was four years of age was a George Best pair of boots. I used to go out and play with the locals and think I was George Best, trying to take on everyone, beat everyone."
Former Republic of Ireland player Ray Houghton

"George was a very sensitive and gentle, shy person and that wasn't the image he projected in his life. The real George was a lovely man and I'm very sad today."
Former Manchester United player and writer Eammon Dunphy

"When you speak to people in Manchester, when they talk of the great players - and in my era it was Beckenbauer, Pele, Cruyff - then George Best always seems to come into the equation."
Birmingham manager Steve Bruce

"What is amazing when you look back is that he stopped at 28. The best years of his career should have come from 28 to 32. You can't believe a player in the world stopping now - it would be like Thierry Henry stopping now."
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger

"He is a true legend. He was a genius and all the great words you can think of apply to George."
Former England defender Terry Butcher

"You never lose your talent if you are that talented. It is about special talent and time on the ball and you can't train that, it is a gift of God and there's only a few players like that."
Tottenham manager Martin Jol

"The images of George in hospital were really upsetting but I'd like to keep the image of him in the red shirt of Manchester United when he was arguably the best player in the world."
Blackburn manager Mark Hughes

"He was everybody's hero, all the kids in the street wanted to be George Best. He could do anything with a ball, and he'll be sorely missed in Northern Ireland."
Former Northern Ireland team-mate Gerry Armstrong

"If he was to play on pitches like they do now, he'd be almost untouchable."
Former Manchester United midfielder Ray Wilkins

"Not only is he one of the finest footballers this island has ever produced but he is also one of the best players the world has ever seen. In the days ahead people will struggle with words to try to describe his talent. In this regard George should be remembered as the very best at what he did. He was quite simply a football genius."
Republic of Ireland Taoiseach Bertie Ahern

"I got to meet him a few years ago. It was a nice moment because its not everyday you get to meet one of your footballing icons. I got a nice picture taken with him and one of my Northern Ireland shirts signed by him. It's something I'll always treasure and something I'll always remember George by."
Northern Ireland striker David Healy

"He's gone somewhere where no-one can hurt him now. He's safe now."
Best's manager Phil Hughes

"He has left us with a million memories, all of them good ones."
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson