George Best

[Jonnyboy]

Book review

Now that you've all entered the competition to win a copy of the book covering Best's time in Edinburgh I wonder if those of you who witnessed him in green and white might like to share your favourite personal memories of watching him play for Hibs or indeed if you met him around that time at one of various functions he attended?

My favourite is probably the cracking goal he skepled into the net when we played Celtic at ER

Woooooooooooooof!!

[Killiehibbie]

I shook his hand when he opened The Euro Exhaust Centre at Piershill. I got a kiss from his wife as well. It must've been a quiet week for public appearances.

[Ollie Reed]

My first away game was at Best's debut at Love Street. The ground was stowed, was it about 14,000 or so?

Anyway, if memory serves me well, were 2 down and very very very late on, Best gets the ball, beats a good few players and bang, in the corner.

With very little time left, St.Mirren take the kick-off and Best gets the ball again. Does pretty much the same as above except he hits the post.

As said, if memory serves me well!

[Jack]

I used to stay at the foot of Palmerston Place, there are private gardens just round the corner where residents went walking dugs and the like.

My step-father, a thick Geordie, had a really old Alsatian – I wasn’t keen on him or the dug, it just lay about all the time, I called it a rug. His pal, that he met while rug walking, wasn’t the most entertaining of company either had an equally flea bitten rug – the four were well matched. The two auld codgers, auld beyond their years, used to entertain each other with their deathly boring tales of yogurt tubs and dead matches. You're thinking Jack and Victor but in reality the total opposite was what they were, but keep the imagery in mind though!

The two were on the grassy bit one day, one step away from death, when this new chap appeared on the scene (I’m sure most of you will guess what's coming next but I’ll go on anyway ).

“Hello,” the auld codgers say “just moved into the area?”

The chap, in a soft accent neither recognised, told them he had just got a flat in Palmerston Place. His Alsatian was lean, and fit and attempted to play with the two near dead rugs.

Nosey OCs “Have you just started working in Edinburgh then?

The stranger looked at them as if they were a bit odd [he was right, they were odd] and said that he had. He was a sportsman, played a bit of football.

OCs “OH! Really? Are you any good?"

"Not bad"

"Don’t suppose you play for one of the big teams in Edinburgh do you? What are their names Bill? Hibs and Hearts Bob”

“Well, err, yes, actually I’m playing for Hibs.”

OCs “OH! Really, you must be quite good, my step son supports Hibs you know, he’ll be interested that I’ve met you.”

More chit chat goes on and just as the stranger is about to leave my step father asks “When I tell Jack I’ve met a Hibs player, who will I say it is? What's your name?”

“George Best” said the stranger.

“OH!” said the OCs “George Best ... I’ve heard of you.”

I kid ye not!

For the few months after that the rug got lots more walkies than it ever did before and I met George, Angie and the rest of Georges family. All very nice people, really nice, and Angie was just as much a stunner on an early Sunday morning with no makeup as she was with her full war paint on.

[jdships]

For me it was simply just see him running up the tunnel .in his first game at Easter Road, against Partick Thistle, 20,622 fans turned up — four times the usual attendance.
This was beyond my wildest dreams

As the song says "Memories are made of this"

[Hillsidehibby]

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For me it was simply just see him running up the tunnel .in his first game at Easter Road, against Partick Thistle, 20,622 fans turned up — four times the usual attendance.
This was beyond my wildest dreams

As the song says "Memories are made of this"

Hibs as usual did not prepare for the crowd and had hardly any turnstiles open. Huge queue's outside and people climbing over the wall to get in.

I sneaked in with a bottle of schemie champagne (pomagne) inside my Donkey Jacket. (So Dexy's Midnight Runners!)

[Hiber-nation]

Scored the best goal I've ever seen by a Hibs player - we were home to Dundee on a wet Wednesday night. George seemed to beat half the Dundee team (twice), rounded the keeper and slotted it home. Pity there were only about 4,000 there to see it.

[CapitalHibs]

My late father was a good business friend of Tom Hart - regularly travelled on the team bus and had a Directors box seat in the "Auld Stand" Anyway, when George first arrived and took a seat in the Stand, Tom took my Dad aside and said "Look after the bugger!" My dad who wis very much a latecomer in becoming a fitba' fan couldnae understand what aw the fuss was about but became known as the "mystery man seated beside George Best" in an Evening News photo.

[johnrebus]

League Cup tie against Clyde at Easter Road, an evening game with about 4,000 in the ground.

We only won 2-1, but Best was unplayable. I think that there were two Clyde players sent off for trying to kick him.

[Jonnyboy]

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My first away game was at Best's debut at Love Street. The ground was stowed, was it about 14,000 or so?

Anyway, if memory serves me well, were 2 down and very very very late on, Best gets the ball, beats a good few players and bang, in the corner.

With very little time left, St.Mirren take the kick-off and Best gets the ball again. Does pretty much the same as above except he hits the post.

As said, if memory serves me well!

It does indeed G

[Jonnyboy]

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I used to stay at the foot of Palmerston Place, there are private gardens just round the corner where residents went walking dugs and the like.

My step-father, a thick Geordie, had a really old Alsatian – I wasn’t keen on him or the dug, it just lay about all the time, I called it a rug. His pal, that he met while rug walking, wasn’t the most entertaining of company either had an equally flea bitten rug – the four were well matched. The two auld codgers, auld beyond their years, used to entertain each other with their deathly boring tales of yogurt tubs and dead matches. You're thinking Jack and Victor but in reality the total opposite was what they were, but keep the imagery in mind though!

The two were on the grassy bit one day, one step away from death, when this new chap appeared on the scene (I’m sure most of you will guess what's coming next but I’ll go on anyway ).

“Hello,” the auld codgers say “just moved into the area?”

The chap, in a soft accent neither recognised, told them he had just got a flat in Palmerston Place. His Alsatian was lean, and fit and attempted to play with the two near dead rugs.

Nosey OCs “Have you just started working in Edinburgh then?

The stranger looked at them as if they were a bit odd [he was right, they were odd] and said that he had. He was a sportsman, played a bit of football.

OCs “OH! Really? Are you any good?"

"Not bad"

"Don’t suppose you play for one of the big teams in Edinburgh do you? What are their names Bill? Hibs and Hearts Bob”

“Well, err, yes, actually I’m playing for Hibs.”

OCs “OH! Really, you must be quite good, my step son supports Hibs you know, he’ll be interested that I’ve met you.”

More chit chat goes on and just as the stranger is about to leave my step father asks “When I tell Jack I’ve met a Hibs player, who will I say it is? What's your name?”

“George Best” said the stranger.

“OH!” said the OCs “George Best ... I’ve heard of you.”

I kid ye not!

For the few months after that the rug got lots more walkies than it ever did before and I met George, Angie and the rest of Georges family. All very nice people, really nice, and Angie was just as much a stunner on an early Sunday morning with no makeup as she was with her full war paint on.

That's a belter Jack

Those gardens are mentioned in the book but sadly no stories of OC's and their rugs

[Bookkeeper]

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For me it was simply just see him running up the tunnel .in his first game at Easter Road, against Partick Thistle, 20,622 fans turned up — four times the usual attendance.
This was beyond my wildest dreams

Was at that game with my uncle, seem to remember it took ages getting in and then couldn't believe the size of the crowd. What a buzz seeing him in a Hibs strip.

I'm sure his signings been discussed on here before, but for those few moments alone, Tom Hart should be applauded.

[HIBERNIAN-0762]

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I sneaked in with a bottle of schemie champagne (pomagne)

God how I miss that stuff

Electric soup!

[Wull]

I thought GB and Arthur Duncan were a class act toghther, almost telepathy between them. Pity nane o' this current mob could even dream o bein in the same class even tho GB and AD were at the wrong end of their careers.

[At The Edge]

My Dad took me to see him i can't really remember much about the game, but only my dad saying to me at the time and long after, son, George Best is a star, a legend, very few of his ability will ever grace the green and white of Hibs again'

[Rougier45]

His freekick V Celtic was so powerful latchford caught it in his chest but the power took him back over the line)))I ran on pitch at east end his 2nd away game I think I was 9 asked him for his autograph told me to come back at FT==problem was at FT hibs invaded the pitch ///Good naturedly of course---Legend RIP Georgie highlight for me as a hibby especially taking into account the next 10 yrs were so bad for hibs supporters

[Heedersnvolleys]

Can anybody tell me what year he came across with the cosmos team? I think I went to other games before that but that is the first game I can specifically remember. If I remember rightly they wore a kind of brown coloured strip.

[Bostonhibby]

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I shook his hand when he opened The Euro Exhaust Centre at Piershill. I got a kiss from his wife as well. It must've been a quiet week for public appearances.

I was there, and there was some kind of raffle if I recall correctly as my ma won a prize on the day!

I also recall seeing him in a bit of a mess in Jingling Geordies before a game against Ayr Utd I think it was.

Agree re his goal against the unwashed, a beauty, but I also remember a goal against St Mirren that I think the keeper got a hand to but couldn't stop it was hit so well

[Phil D. Rolls]

I guess it has to be the game against Celtic when Peter Latchford tried to catch the ball and the momentum carried him into the net. It was straight out of the comics.

[Jonnyboy]

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Can anybody tell me what year he came across with the cosmos team? I think I went to other games before that but that is the first game I can specifically remember. If I remember rightly they wore a kind of brown coloured strip.

Did you mean San Jose Earthquakes?

If so the game was played on 5 October 1981 and Hibs won 3-1 (Derek Rodier (2) and Erich Schaedler)

[Jonnyboy]

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His freekick V Celtic was so powerful latchford caught it in his chest but the power took him back over the line)))I ran on pitch at east end his 2nd away game I think I was 9 asked him for his autograph told me to come back at FT==problem was at FT hibs invaded the pitch ///Good naturedly of course---Legend RIP Georgie highlight for me as a hibby especially taking into account the next 10 yrs were so bad for hibs supporters

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I remember (I think it was against the Huns at ER) There was one passage of play when they couldn't get the ball off him, kicking,tugging, pushing etc etc.. He stopped - picked the ball up and hended it to his nearest assailant

Click on Woooooof in my original post guys

Hessen - it wasn't a free kick

[New Corrie]

I reckon Johnnyboy or HibbyBrian will correct me if i'm wrong, but his incident with Willie Miller at Aberdeen was one of his better ones, we were seriously knickers, but took the the lead (Joe Smith OG Midweek Pitoddrie) if I remember correctly, Best then started kicking the ball back to Mike MacDonald at every opportunity, Miller challenges him with....I thought you were George Best who could play a bit!....to which George responds, I am George Best and can play a bit, who the pheck are you? I met him and Angela a few times, as I had a "schoolboy job" at ER from 76 to 80 and was never away from the place. He was a lovely man, and made time for everyone (except Willie Miller).

[Jonnyboy]

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I reckon Johnnyboy or HibbyBrian will correct me if i'm wrong, but his incident with Willie Miller at Aberdeen was one of his better ones, we were seriously knickers, but took the the lead (Joe Smith OG Midweek Pitoddrie) if I remember correctly, Best then started kicking the ball back to Mike MacDonald at every opportunity, Miller challenges him with....I thought you were George Best who could play a bit!....to which George responds, I am George Best and can play a bit, who the pheck are you? I met him and Angela a few times, as I had a "schoolboy job" at ER from 76 to 80 and was never away from the place. He was a lovely man, and made time for everyone (except Willie Miller).

Pretty much sums it up re Willie the ref Miller

Throughout the whole book and no matter who is being interviewed they agree 100% that Best was a really nice guy

[Stantons Angel]

I have many memories of Georgie in the green of Hibs and all are special just like the man himself. Born before his time with so much awesome talent.

My main memory though is of taking my young son then aged 3 to see George Best play for the Hibs at St Mirren.

Having decided to make a day of it as it was his first away game, we took him to the hotel next to the ground for lunch and then on to the game.
He had a great time and enjoyed the day out so much that he fell asleep in the car on the way home.

As i looked at his wee cheery face i thought, oh well at least he will be able to say he seen George Best play for the HIBS.

The only problem being he cant remember a thing about it!!!!

Ah well he was there i suppose?

[cannastar]

i too remember the huge crowds outside and the buzz that was in the air.i remember my dad holding me up on his shoulders so as i could see george best,though being so young it was at the time all kind of lost on me as i didnt really know who he was.i remember my uncles saying they had watched something special but arthur duncan was still my favourite even though they were all hooked on george.i also kind of mind when hibs announced we were bringing george to play at e.r. and a lot of people finding it hard to believe.i think there was alot of envy from laddies who suported other teams and bewilderment from some who supported us.