When Best went to Hibernian

[Billy Whizz]

A wee article today on the Sky Sports website. Think I read that he passed away 15 years ago today

https://www.skysports.com/football/story-telling/11095/12133837/george-best-at-hibernian-the-story-of-the-legends-year-in-scotland

[Lago]

A wee article today on the Sky Sports website. Think I read that he passed away 15 years ago today

https://www.skysports.com/football/story-telling/11095/12133837/george-best-at-hibernian-the-story-of-the-legends-year-in-scotland
Remember those days so well, the good & the bad.

[Pagan Hibernia]

A wee article today on the Sky Sports website. Think I read that he passed away 15 years ago today

https://www.skysports.com/football/story-telling/11095/12133837/george-best-at-hibernian-the-story-of-the-legends-year-in-scotland

25th November. Bad date for flawed genius footballers.

[h1bs4life]

A legend who I managed to meet albeit just for an autograph.
Used to regularly go up to Gilzeans shop on Fleshmarket close to buy some of the Hibs badges , posters etc he used to make.
Brother and myself ventured up one day and bought 1 of Gilzeans drawings of George Best only for him to tell us Best was in Jingling Geordies having a beer .
Replied ah right your kidding us on , no definitely in there.
Wondered over and there was Best sitting having a beer with some of the 1st team.
Talk about star struck managed to mumble something like can you sign this please George . No problem signed it All the best George Best and shook my hand.
Got it framed can't remember what happened to it , thought it might have been in my auld man's but no sign of it when he downsized.

[BILLYHIBS]

There is a book out ‘When George came to Edinburgh’ by John Neil Munro

Worth a read quite a few on EBay £6.50. :greengrin

[EI255]

25th November. Bad date for flawed genius footballers.The two of them can have a good chat about fitbaw up there. Footballing Gods.

RIP

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[Jack]

He didn't spend too many lonely nights in the North British. He stayed most of the time in Palmerston Place with his wife Angie and their dug. His family were regular visitors from Ireland too!

[wookie70]

A legend who I managed to meet albeit just for an autograph.
Used to regularly go up to Gilzeans shop on Fleshmarket close to buy some of the Hibs badges , posters etc he used to make.
Brother and myself ventured up one day and bought 1 of Gilzeans drawings of George Best only for him to tell us Best was in Jingling Geordies having a beer .
Replied ah right your kidding us on , no definitely in there.
Wondered over and there was Best sitting having a beer with some of the 1st team.
Talk about star struck managed to mumble something like can you sign this please George . No problem signed it All the best George Best and shook my hand.
Got it framed can't remember what happened to it , thought it might have been in my auld man's but no sign of it when he downsized.

I got his and Angie's autographs when the opened the Tyre Centre at Piershill which is now the Salvation Army. My favourite footballer and despite all the negatives I love that we have had one of the greatest of all time play for us. Got Jim Watts autograph when he opened a supermarket and had just been crowned world champ. Marketing was pretty easy back then.

[Bostonhibby]

I got his and Angie's autographs when the opened the Tyre Centre at Piershill which is now the Salvation Army. My favourite footballer and despite all the negatives I love that we have had one of the greatest of all time play for us. Got Jim Watts autograph when he opened a supermarket and had just been crowned world champ. Marketing was pretty easy back then.We were there at the tyre centre as well, my mother got to meet him on the day, nae souvenirs unfortunately.

Seen every game he played for us, crap season but he fair lit it up for my group of fans.

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[h1bs4life]

I got his and Angie's autographs when the opened the Tyre Centre at Piershill which is now the Salvation Army. My favourite footballer and despite all the negatives I love that we have had one of the greatest of all time play for us. Got Jim Watts autograph when he opened a supermarket and had just been crowned world champ. Marketing was pretty easy back then.

Agree brilliant that we have had one of the biggest names in football play for our club. 1st game away to St Mirren crowd was unreal . We left couple of minutes before the end and missed the goal. Following week 20 000 at Easter Road.
' His name is Georgie Best he's known as the king of them all , when he's on the ball we all shout for goal cause George is the king of them all '

[zitelli62]

I got his and Angie's autographs when the opened the Tyre Centre at Piershill which is now the Salvation Army. My favourite footballer and despite all the negatives I love that we have had one of the greatest of all time play for us. Got Jim Watts autograph when he opened a supermarket and had just been crowned world champ. Marketing was pretty easy back then.

Didn't get George best autograph but got jim watts at a supermarket opening at the shore in granton as you say marketing easier back then.

[mim]

He didn't spend too many lonely nights in the North British. He stayed most of the time in Palmerston Place with his wife Angie and their dug. His family were regular visitors from Ireland too!

I'm not sure where the NB Hotel story comes from. As you say, he lived in Palmerston Place
I worked in Manor Place at the time and would often see George in the afternoon in Hills bookies in William Street. We would talk football and horses. A couple of times we went over the road to the Melville Bar for a drink, but George stuck to orange juice. The problem was that when he did fall off the wagon, he fell a long way.
That first game at St Mirren was incredible. I managed to get in about 15 minutes after the start, but couldn't find a spot to watch the game until half time when folk went for a pee. He was excellent. He scored and was unlucky not to equalise right at the death.
The following Sunday we played Partick Thistle in the Scottish Cup at Easter Road and there was a group of St Mirren fans sitting right behind me in the the old North Stand. They just wanted to see more of Bestie.
What a player.

[Greenbeard]

There is a book out ‘When George came to Edinburgh’ by John Neil Munro

Worth a read quite a few on EBay £6.50. :greengrin
Cheers for that. Never thought to look there. Have it on my Amazon wish list where it is £20-40.

[BILLYHIBS]

Cheers for that. Never thought to look there. Have it on my Amazon wish list where it is £20-40.
Preowned so check for condition info

Delivery FOC

[kaimendhibs]

Agree brilliant that we have had one of the biggest names in football play for our club. 1st game away to St Mirren crowd was unreal . We left couple of minutes before the end and missed the goal. Following week 20 000 at Easter Road.
' His name is Georgie Best he's known as the king of them all , when he's on the ball we all shout for goal cause George is the king of them all 'I did the exact same. Missed the goal [emoji25]

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[Keith_M]

Story of George Best and the world's most stupid teenager:



A 'friend of mine' was thirteen when Best signed for Hibs and was totally starstruck.

I.. ehm, I mean 'my friend'... wanted his autograph so much that 'he' skipped school for the day at MGS and decided to head to Easter Road (where they trained). Not having any money for the bus fare, my 'friend' jumped on the free bus that used to leave Wallyford for the old Asda on Milton Road (roughly where the roundabout to the A1 is now).

I then... ehm sorry I meant to say 'he'... then walked the three and a half miles from there to Easter Road, and stood outside the stadium waiting for the players (along with quite a number of other autograph hunters) .

When the players came out, the rest of the waiting crowd rushed forward and George was more than happy to chat and sign their autograph books. Unfortunately, it was only at that point that my 'friend' realised he'd forgotten to take his notebook and pen, and was too nervous to even speak to the great man, so just stood at a safe distance and gawped, looking totally glaikit.

The stupid idiot then had to walk the three and a half miles back to Asda, wait for the free bus back to Wallyford, was screamed at and grounded by my... oops I mean 'his'... Mum, and given detention for skipping school.


Bl**dy idiot. I wonder whatever became of the the wee d1ck....

[JimBHibees]

Story of George Best and the world's most stupid teenager:



A 'friend of mine' was thirteen when Best signed for Hibs and was totally starstruck.

I.. ehm, I mean 'my friend'... wanted his autograph so much that 'he' skipped school for the day at MGS and decided to head to Easter Road (where they trained). Not having any money for the bus fare, my 'friend' jumped on the free bus that used to leave Wallyford for the old Asda on Milton Road (roughly where the roundabout to the A1 is now).

I then... ehm sorry I meant to say 'he'... then walked the three and a half miles from there to Easter Road, and stood outside the stadium waiting for the players (along with quite a number of other autograph hunters) .

When the players came out, the rest of the waiting crowd rushed forward and George was more than happy to chat and sign their autograph books. Unfortunately, it was only at that point that my 'friend' realised he'd forgotten to take his notebook and pen, and was too nervous to even speak to the great man, so just stood at a safe distance and gawped, looking totally glaikit.

The stupid idiot then had to walk the three and a half miles back to Asda, wait for the free bus back to Wallyford, was screamed at and grounded by my... oops I mean 'his'... Mum, and given detention for skipping school.


Bl**dy idiot. I wonder whatever became of the the wee d1ck....

Is this an imaginary friend? :greengrin

[oneone73]

Story of George Best and the world's most stupid teenager:



A 'friend of mine' was thirteen when Best signed for Hibs and was totally starstruck.

I.. ehm, I mean 'my friend'... wanted his autograph so much that 'he' skipped school for the day at MGS and decided to head to Easter Road (where they trained). Not having any money for the bus fare, my 'friend' jumped on the free bus that used to leave Wallyford for the old Asda on Milton Road (roughly where the roundabout to the A1 is now).

I then... ehm sorry I meant to say 'he'... then walked the three and a half miles from there to Easter Road, and stood outside the stadium waiting for the players (along with quite a number of other autograph hunters) .

When the players came out, the rest of the waiting crowd rushed forward and George was more than happy to chat and sign their autograph books. Unfortunately, it was only at that point that my 'friend' realised he'd forgotten to take his notebook and pen, and was too nervous to even speak to the great man, so just stood at a safe distance and gawped, looking totally glaikit.

The stupid idiot then had to walk the three and a half miles back to Asda, wait for the free bus back to Wallyford, was screamed at and grounded by my... oops I mean 'his'... Mum, and given detention for skipping school.


Bl**dy idiot. I wonder whatever became of the the wee d1ck....

Great stuff!

[Keith_M]

Is this an imaginary friend? :greengrin


Dunno what you mean


:clown:

[wookie70]

Story of George Best and the world's most stupid teenager:



A 'friend of mine' was thirteen when Best signed for Hibs and was totally starstruck.

I.. ehm, I mean 'my friend'... wanted his autograph so much that 'he' skipped school for the day at MGS and decided to head to Easter Road (where they trained). Not having any money for the bus fare, my 'friend' jumped on the free bus that used to leave Wallyford for the old Asda on Milton Road (roughly where the roundabout to the A1 is now).

I then... ehm sorry I meant to say 'he'... then walked the three and a half miles from there to Easter Road, and stood outside the stadium waiting for the players (along with quite a number of other autograph hunters) .

When the players came out, the rest of the waiting crowd rushed forward and George was more than happy to chat and sign their autograph books. Unfortunately, it was only at that point that my 'friend' realised he'd forgotten to take his notebook and pen, and was too nervous to even speak to the great man, so just stood at a safe distance and gawped, looking totally glaikit.

The stupid idiot then had to walk the three and a half miles back to Asda, wait for the free bus back to Wallyford, was screamed at and grounded by my... oops I mean 'his'... Mum, and given detention for skipping school.


Bl**dy idiot. I wonder whatever became of the the wee d1ck....
Still worth it to be close to one of the greatest players ever

[andudare2]

I'm not sure where the NB Hotel story comes from. As you say, he lived in Palmerston Place
I worked in Manor Place at the time and would often see George in the afternoon in Hills bookies in William Street. We would talk football and horses. A couple of times we went over the road to the Melville Bar for a drink, but George stuck to orange juice. The problem was that when he did fall off the wagon, he fell a long way.
That first game at St Mirren was incredible. I managed to get in about 15 minutes after the start, but couldn't find a spot to watch the game until half time when folk went for a pee. He was excellent. He scored and was unlucky not to equalise right at the death.
The following Sunday we played Partick Thistle in the Scottish Cup at Easter Road and there was a group of St Mirren fans sitting right behind me in the the old North Stand. They just wanted to see more of Bestie.
What a player.Sure the Partick game was a League game and played on a Saturday.

[PatHead]

Sure the Partick game was a League game and played on a Saturday.

Sure it was played on a Saturday. I used to work until 2pm and had to dash to Easter Road and join a big queue to get in.

[wookie70]

Positive it was Saturday. Biggest 20k crowd of all time and I got a fag burn on my hand as I was squeezed in the crowd and some arse had their cig at waiste level. Crammed in so tight I struggled to get my hand away. Must have been 30k there and the biscuit tin would have paid Georges wages for a few week

[cabbageandribs1875]

hibs had asked st.mirren if they would change the fixture to ER but they refused :( ER debut the following week drew 26k crowd iirc

[Keith_M]

The attendance at the Thistle game was officially just over 20k.

[Carheenlea]

Cheers for that. Never thought to look there. Have it on my Amazon wish list where it is £20-40.

Can get it for a fiver from here

https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/books/john-neil-munro/when-george-came-to-edinburgh/9781841588896?gclid=Cj0KCQiAwf39BRCCARIsALXWETxPNi EJMXOVfaLdO-4t3CsbRUEgBuDQIAc8LVesb-nc28ybfj8jn7EaAv5bEALw_wcB

[green with envy]

I had the pleasure in watching every game that Best played for Hibs, including an extremely cold January midweek friendly down at Leicester.

[Billy Whizz]

I had the pleasure in watching every game that Best played for Hibs, including an extremely cold January midweek friendly down at Leicester.

I wasn’t at that game, but was at a few that he didn’t turn up
One was against Ayr I’m sure

[BILLYHIBS]

Story of George Best and the world's most stupid teenager:



A 'friend of mine' was thirteen when Best signed for Hibs and was totally starstruck.

I.. ehm, I mean 'my friend'... wanted his autograph so much that 'he' skipped school for the day at MGS and decided to head to Easter Road (where they trained). Not having any money for the bus fare, my 'friend' jumped on the free bus that used to leave Wallyford for the old Asda on Milton Road (roughly where the roundabout to the A1 is now).

I then... ehm sorry I meant to say 'he'... then walked the three and a half miles from there to Easter Road, and stood outside the stadium waiting for the players (along with quite a number of other autograph hunters) .

When the players came out, the rest of the waiting crowd rushed forward and George was more than happy to chat and sign their autograph books. Unfortunately, it was only at that point that my 'friend' realised he'd forgotten to take his notebook and pen, and was too nervous to even speak to the great man, so just stood at a safe distance and gawped, looking totally glaikit.

The stupid idiot then had to walk the three and a half miles back to Asda, wait for the free bus back to Wallyford, was screamed at and grounded by my... oops I mean 'his'... Mum, and given detention for skipping school.


Bl**dy idiot. I wonder whatever became of the the wee d1ck....
Brilliant!

That wee boy could be anyone on here over 50

[h1bs4life]

I wasn’t at that game, but was at a few that he didn’t turn up
One was against Ayr I’m sure

Was Ayr not a Scottish cup game , the weekend he got in with the French rugby team at the NB hotel.
Was a rumour that Tom Hart offered Best's £2k match fee split amongst the players as part of a win bonus.

[BILLYHIBS]

Was Ayr not a Scottish cup game , the weekend he got in with the French rugby team at the NB hotel.
Was a rumour that Tom Hart offered Best's £2k match fee split amongst the players as part of a win bonus.
Ayr was defo Scottish Cup

His home debut versus Partick Th 2-1 win was in the League

[Kato]

I had the pleasure in watching every game that Best played for Hibs, including an extremely cold January midweek friendly down at Leicester.It was slightly snowy.

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[Turkish Green]

I still recall chanting "Angie, Angie, show us your tits"

[mim]

Sure it was played on a Saturday. I used to work until 2pm and had to dash to Easter Road and join a big queue to get in.


Positive it was Saturday. Biggest 20k crowd of all time and I got a fag burn on my hand as I was squeezed in the crowd and some arse had their cig at waiste level. Crammed in so tight I struggled to get my hand away. Must have been 30k there and the biscuit tin would have paid Georges wages for a few week

It was of course a Saturday league game, as you say.
My foggy memory has mixed up that game with the Ayr cup tie, which was on a Sunday.

[G B Young]

I'm not sure where the NB Hotel story comes from. As you say, he lived in Palmerston Place
I worked in Manor Place at the time and would often see George in the afternoon in Hills bookies in William Street. We would talk football and horses. A couple of times we went over the road to the Melville Bar for a drink, but George stuck to orange juice. The problem was that when he did fall off the wagon, he fell a long way.
That first game at St Mirren was incredible. I managed to get in about 15 minutes after the start, but couldn't find a spot to watch the game until half time when folk went for a pee. He was excellent. He scored and was unlucky not to equalise right at the death.
The following Sunday we played Partick Thistle in the Scottish Cup at Easter Road and there was a group of St Mirren fans sitting right behind me in the the old North Stand. They just wanted to see more of Bestie.
What a player.

According to the late Stewart Brown of the Evening News in his book Hibernian Greats, Best definitely stayed at the NB, at least for part of his time at Hibs. The French rugby team had their post-match dinner there after playing Scotland which is how he ended up drinking with them.

That Sky article quotes Eddie Turnbull as saying the deal was done behind his back. I'm not sure if he means that he never wanted to sign Best or that the terms of his contract were negotiated behind his back. Stewart Brown, again, writes that he accompanied Tom Hart and Turnbull to a hotel down south to meet with Best and open negotiations so Eddie was definitely in on the deal to a large extent. 2k per game plus another 2k if he played a certain number of games was the deal Best accepted (little wonder as that was big money back then, especially for a Scottish football club).

[G B Young]

For me the curious part of Best's time with Hibs was that he came back to play for us after we'd been relegated. Hard to believe he would have been on the same money for those games? The reason Tom Hart shelled out so much the previous season was due to his desperation not to see Hibs relegated.

Anyone see him play for us in the First Division? I also recall watching him a couple of years later when he came back to play in a testimonial (Jackie McNamara's I think).

[AltheHibby]

Can get it for a fiver from here

https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/books/john-neil-munro/when-george-came-to-edinburgh/9781841588896?gclid=Cj0KCQiAwf39BRCCARIsALXWETxPNi EJMXOVfaLdO-4t3CsbRUEgBuDQIAc8LVesb-nc28ybfj8jn7EaAv5bEALw_wcB

I just used them to get a book sent to Australia for my son. I definitely recommend them.

Back on subject, I was a BT apprentice and went to Telford College with another apprentice (Gordon Fraser I think) who played for Meadowbank. I remember him telling us that he tried to tackle Best and only managed to kick him as Best was so quick. He said he was embarrassed that he had kicked a legend.

On a personal note, I live in Dudley where we have a statue of Duncan Edwards. Whenever I pass it I always wonder if he would have surpassed Best as Britain's greatest ever player if he hadn't died at Munich.

[Jack]

According to the late Stewart Brown of the Evening News in his book Hibernian Greats, Best definitely stayed at the NB, at least for part of his time at Hibs. The French rugby team had their post-match dinner there after playing Scotland which is how he ended up drinking with them.

That Sky article quotes Eddie Turnbull as saying the deal was done behind his back. I'm not sure if he means that he never wanted to sign Best or that the terms of his contract were negotiated behind his back. Stewart Brown, again, writes that he accompanied Tom Hart and Turnbull to a hotel down south to meet with Best and open negotiations so Eddie was definitely in on the deal to a large extent. 2k per game plus another 2k if he played a certain number of games was the deal Best accepted (little wonder as that was big money back then, especially for a Scottish football club).

There's a number of stories about him being at the NB, the one you mention and one with rangers fans before a match against them probably among the most infamous. He maybe stayed there on occasions when it was too late ;-) to go home!

He definitely stayed in Palmerston Place from very soon after he signed, number 54 in fact. I lived at #62 at the time.

[green with envy]

It was slightly snowy.

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It certainly was. Our bus arrived at the ground about 4.30 and we all poured into the stadium. There was no one around for which some folk took it up on themselves to bottles of spirits and the match programmes for which well travelled Hibby that is no longer with us, ended getting banged up for the night after getting caught with about 50 programmes in his possession.

[G B Young]

Trying to work out Best is celebrating here (along with the Hibs fans on the pitch)?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bV3p4UIot4w

[Keith_M]

Trying to work out Best is celebrating here (along with the Hibs fans on the pitch)?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bV3p4UIot4w


The strip he's wearing is the one we had in the First Division, and he only played four games for us that season, so that narrows it down a bit.

The opposition was one of Dundee, Raith Rovers or Falkirk... so it depends which one of them we beat when he was playing. ;-)

[G B Young]

The strip he's wearing is the one we had in the First Division, and he only played four games for us that season, so that narrows it down a bit.

The opposition was one of Dundee, Raith Rovers or Falkirk... so it depends which one of them we beat when he was playing. ;-)

Yes, I noticed that about the strip. According to these stats he also played two League Cup ties that season:

https://www.fitbastats.com/hibs/player_games.php?playerid=6259

The two games there that appear most likely are the away win over Dundee or the home win over Falkirk. The latter appears to have been the last game he played for us, while the former was an evening game so I'll plump for the latter - which I guess means he's saying farewell to the fans.

It looks as though he only came back to play for Hibs in the September of that season. Did we re-sign him? As I've said in an earlier post it's hard to believe he would have been brought back on the same pay that he earned in his top-flight spell with Hibs.

[Keith_M]

Yes, I noticed that about the strip. According to these stats he also played two League Cup ties that season:

https://www.fitbastats.com/hibs/player_games.php?playerid=6259

The two games there that appear most likely are the away win over Dundee or the home win over Falkirk. The latter appears to have been the last game he played for us, while the former was an evening game so I'll plump for the latter - which I guess means he's saying farewell to the fans.
...



That's interesting, cheers

[tamig]

For me the curious part of Best's time with Hibs was that he came back to play for us after we'd been relegated. Hard to believe he would have been on the same money for those games? The reason Tom Hart shelled out so much the previous season was due to his desperation not to see Hibs relegated.

Anyone see him play for us in the First Division? I also recall watching him a couple of years later when he came back to play in a testimonial (Jackie McNamara's I think).

Yes I was at most of the games he played in the First Division season. It was a real surprise he came back. A lot of folk overlook that he played for us again after relegation.

[stantonhibby]

Trying to work out Best is celebrating here (along with the Hibs fans on the pitch)?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bV3p4UIot4w


Maybe that was his last ever game for us?