George Best at Hibs

[Hibs History]

Hello all.

The Hibernian Historical Trust are pleased to present a profile of George Best and his time in Leith.

Link

Please share your memories of Best at Hibs below.

P.s. Sorry the Trust has been quiet recently, we have been working in the background, updating the website, preparing new content and organisig new and upcoming events (including the Leith Festival Tour)

GGTTH

[Lewis77]

Now there's a kit.

[weecounty hibby]

Aw man, how good does that look. On one of the greatest players ever as well. Awesome!

[Hale Hibby]

My abiding memory of George Best at Hibs was when he turned out in a (?League) cup match against East Fife (I think). I was in the lower West stand. During the match George had been on the receiving end of some pretty rough treatment from two East Fife players. Then things changed. He received the ball close to the touchline, just in front of me. He dribbled the ball through both players, leaving them stranded, on the ground. He stopped, sat on the ball and then sprayed a perfect pass across the pitch. A great moment. Needless to say, for the rest of the match he was no longer troubled by the East Fife players.

What a player.

[Peevemor]

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Now there's a kit.

He obviously can't have been all that good - his boots are the same colour, and black at that!

[Deansy]

Most vivid memory is reaching the top of the terracing and seeing the crowd (iirc 23,000 ??) at ER waiting to witness his 1st home-game at ER v Partick Thistle !

[gorgie greens]

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Most vivid memory is reaching the top of the terracing and seeing the crowd (iirc 23,000 ??) at ER waiting to witness his 1st home-game at ER v Partick Thistle !

think that was on a sunday as well

[E10 Rifle]

Whatever state he was in physically or emotionally, the very fact the club pulled this off and had him playing for the Hibees was a master stroke of its time.

[RIP Bestie]

The greatest player in the world in my opinion and an absolute honour to see him in a Hibs strip.

[Iggy Pope]

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Most vivid memory is reaching the top of the terracing and seeing the crowd (iirc 23,000 ??) at ER waiting to witness his 1st home-game at ER v Partick Thistle !

The week before, the top of the lane was rammed with Hibbies trying to get on a bus to Paisley.
Maude looked after her regulars but was at her most mercenary with the 'space' available.
I think the crowd at Love St for his debut was 12,000 or so, probably twice what could be expected and at least half of them green.
And Christ, Hibs were honking.


I got his and Debbie Harry's autograph on the same night. Blondie were playing the Odeon and staying at the NB and a few of us punkers had the savvy to learn this. George was most accommodating as these were also his 'digs'. Wonder what was going through his mind.........

My abiding memory though, is him hitting the net v Celtic and taking Peter Latchford into the net with it.

[Bostonhibby]

Seen every one of his games for us - class is permanent - he didn't have to run much because he could always put the ball where he wanted it to be. Highlight for me was when he drew the raffle at the opening of an exhaust centre at Peirshill - my Ma won it

Got an original photo of the great man signing somewhere, will look it out and post when I get home. Will we ever see days like this again?

[mim]

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Most vivid memory is reaching the top of the terracing and seeing the crowd (iirc 23,000 ??) at ER waiting to witness his 1st home-game at ER v Partick Thistle !

Just in case anyone thinks that this thread is just Hibs fans getting all starry eyed, I was sitting in the main stand and there were half a dozen St Mirren fans sitting right behind me. They had seen his debut and come through to ER for more.

[heretoday]

George enjoyed his time in Edinburgh and certainly grabbed all the plaudits and press freebies that were going!

He didn't have his mind 100% on Hibs to be fair but he did pretty well.

At the end of the day it was a master stroke by Tom Hart to sign him.

Tom Hart was a major figure in the history of Hibs.

[YehButNoBut]

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The week before, the top of the lane was rammed with Hibbies trying to get on a bus to Paisley.
Maude looked after her regulars but was at her most mercenary with the 'space' available.
I think the crowd at Love St for his debut was 12,000 or so, probably twice what could be expected and at least half of them green.
And Christ, Hibs were honking.


I got his and Debbie Harry's autograph on the same night. Blondie were playing the Odeon and staying at the NB and a few of us punkers had the savvy to learn this. George was most accommodating as these were also his 'digs'. Wonder what was going through his mind.........

My abiding memory though, is him hitting the net v Celtic and taking Peter Latchford into the net with it.

Never tire of seeing this, the only thing similar these days would be if we signed Messi towards the end of his career.

[Bostonhibby]

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The week before, the top of the lane was rammed with Hibbies trying to get on a bus to Paisley.
Maude looked after her regulars but was at her most mercenary with the 'space' available.
I think the crowd at Love St for his debut was 12,000 or so, probably twice what could be expected and at least half of them green.
And Christ, Hibs were honking.


I got his and Debbie Harry's autograph on the same night. Blondie were playing the Odeon and staying at the NB and a few of us punkers had the savvy to learn this. George was most accommodating as these were also his 'digs'. Wonder what was going through his mind.........

My abiding memory though, is him hitting the net v Celtic and taking Peter Latchford into the net with it.

Remember the celtc game well, also Paisley, had a drink afterwards and missed the train back from gilmore street. Even with Bestie we were poor, if I recall correctly he scored but we lost.

[Iggy Pope]

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Never tire of seeing this, the only thing similar these days would be if we signed Messi towards the end of his career.

A timepiece

[PeeJay]

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Hello all.

The Hibernian Historical Trust are pleased to present a profile of George Best and his time in Leith.

Link

Please share your memories of Best at Hibs below.

P.s. Sorry the Trust has been quiet recently, we have been working in the background, updating the website, preparing new content and organisig new and upcoming events (including the Leith Festival Tour)

GGTTH

Symbolic of Hibs failure at Board level to move the club forward when needed. IMO a stupid, pointless signing that had only short-term financial gain (boost in spectators guaranteed) in mind ... George Best at Hibs means nothing to me ...

[IberianHibernian]

Did he not play in a home friendly against his American team ? Maybe 45 minutes for each team ? I on ly remember we won 3v1 and Americans had a brown strip which was unusual but thought Best had played .

[eastterrace]

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George enjoyed his time in Edinburgh and certainly grabbed all the plaudits and press freebies that were going!

He didn't have his mind 100% on Hibs to be fair but he did pretty well.

At the end of the day it was a master stroke by Tom Hart to sign him.

Tom Hart was a major figure in the history of Hibs.

sorry dont think it was a master stroke as we got relegated, he was a waste of money , great player he was but way past his sell by date when he came to us., but i do have a great memory of him coming out against st.mirren 13800 crowd and a hibs fan with his child got on the pitch just before kick off and went up to him and got him to sign his name i would imagine.oh and ally mcleod no passing to him.

[banarc7062]

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The week before, the top of the lane was rammed with Hibbies trying to get on a bus to Paisley.
Maude looked after her regulars but was at her most mercenary with the 'space' available.
I think the crowd at Love St for his debut was 12,000 or so, probably twice what could be expected and at least half of them green.
And Christ, Hibs were honking.


I got his and Debbie Harry's autograph on the same night. Blondie were playing the Odeon and staying at the NB and a few of us punkers had the savvy to learn this. George was most accommodating as these were also his 'digs'. Wonder what was going through his mind.........

My abiding memory though, is him hitting the net v Celtic and taking Peter Latchford into the net with it.

I agree, that shot was explosive and hit with such force. I can see it in my mind still.

[mim]

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sorry dont think it was a master stroke as we got relegated, he was a waste of money , great player he was but way past his sell by date when he came to us., but i do have a great memory of him coming out against st.mirren 13800 crowd and a hibs fan with his child got on the pitch just before kick off and went up to him and got him to sign his name i would imagine.oh and ally mcleod no passing to him.

Whatever else he was, he wasn't a waste of money. He didn't cost us anything and put thousands on our gates

[eastterrace]

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Whatever else he was, he wasn't a waste of money. He didn't cost us anything and put thousands on our gates

yes he did he cost tom hart £3000 a game so how do you mr hart just didnt take out of the gate receipts back then also he was part of the team that was relegated .

[E10 Rifle]

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Did he not play in a home friendly against his American team ? Maybe 45 minutes for each team ? I on ly remember we won 3v1 and Americans had a brown strip which was unusual but thought Best had played .

San Jose Earthquakes

[Bobo]

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yes he did he cost tom hart £3000 a game so how do you mr hart just didnt take out of the gate receipts back then also he was part of the team that was relegated .

Best was paid £2000 per game and Tom Hart didn't need to take the money back from gate receipts as it was pin money to him. Even if Tom Hart did want to recoup his money then it was more than covered from the first home attendance against Partick.

George Best played 22 games for Hibs so a total of £44000 in wages were paid. There was over 20000 for the Partick game so do the maths.

Personally I feel honoured to have had the chance to see George Best wear the green and white of Hibs. He may have been in the twighlight of his career at the time but was easily the best player in Scotland by a mile and well worth any financial outlay.

[eastterrace]

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Best was paid £2000 per game and Tom Hart didn't need to take the money back from gate receipts as it was pin money to him. Even if Tom Hart did want to recoup his money then it was more than covered from the first home attendance against Partick.

George Best played 22 games for Hibs so a total of £44000 in wages were paid. There was over 20000 for the Partick game so do the maths.

Personally I feel honoured to have had the chance to see George Best wear the green and white of Hibs. He may have been in the twighlight of his career at the time but was easily the best player in Scotland by a mile and well worth any financial outlay.

thats your opinion and your entitled to it but it was more a circus ( also sure it was £3000 a game ) also other players didnt like him like ally mcleod who was getting sweetie money compared to best so caused a bit resentment in the team, so no wonder we went down. also cant remember how much to get in back then so cant do the sums. anyway had my say and i will leave it at that.

[weecounty hibby]

I was at most of the games that George played in and I will never forget the first at St Mirren, his first at ER and the match v celtic when he scored. I know all the stories and how much he was payed but all that mattered to me as a 10/11 year old was that one of ghe greatest footballers ever was wearing that magnificent green and white strip. I have a photo of me and him together at ER and an autographed programme and they are treasured possessions.

[surreyhibbie]

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sorry dont think it was a master stroke as we got relegated, he was a waste of money , great player he was but way past his sell by date when he came to us., but i do have a great memory of him coming out against st.mirren 13800 crowd and a hibs fan with his child got on the pitch just before kick off and went up to him and got him to sign his name i would imagine.oh and ally mcleod no passing to him.

I was there as well, I remember the wee boy went up to the wrong player (Callaghan?) and had to be pointed in the right direction!

Made us smile..

The man was head and shoulders above anyone I have ever seen in the flesh, even when well past his peak.

[skipster7]

Me and my pal sneaked in about an hour b4 Macnamaras testimonial and hid in the long grass behind the cave until gates opened. Newcastle had a good team with Waddle and Beardsly playing and won 3-0. George Best still had some brilliant touches and was by far and away the best Hibs player on show, must have been 1984.different class imo

[Phil D. Rolls]

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think that was on a sunday as well

Definitely a Saturday.

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George enjoyed his time in Edinburgh and certainly grabbed all the plaudits and press freebies that were going!

He didn't have his mind 100% on Hibs to be fair but he did pretty well.

At the end of the day it was a master stroke by Tom Hart to sign him.

Tom Hart was a major figure in the history of Hibs.

What did Tom actually achieve for Hibs. I feel we were in a worse state after his reign than we were before it.

[brog]

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Definitely a Saturday.



What did Tom actually achieve for Hibs. I feel we were in a worse state after his reign than we were before it.

We won our 1st cup for 70 years, we beat them 7-0 & we produced the best team you or I have seen. There's no doubt the Tornadoes underachieved & I'm sure TH would have wanted a better legacy but there was no doubting his passion for & commitment to all things Hibs.