Football legend George Best dies aged 59

Crocker

www.bbc.co.uk



<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=629 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=3>Football legend George Best dies



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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IBOX --><!-- S SF -->Former football star George Best has died in hospital at the age of 59 after suffering multiple organ failure.


Best, who was admitted eight weeks ago with flu-like symptoms, died at 1255 GMT. London's Cromwell Hospital said it ended "a long and very valiant fight".

Son Calum, 24, who had kept a bedside vigil, said: "Not only have I lost my Dad... we've all lost a wonderful man."

The ex-Manchester United and Northern Ireland star is to be buried in Belfast beside his mother, Ann, late next week. <!-- E SF -->

Best's father Dickie, 87, who was among relatives at his bedside overnight, asked for the family to be left to grieve in peace.

Best's sister, Barbara McNarry, said: "To the thousands upon thousands of people who have sent cards and e-mails, we have taken great comfort from them, especially during the long hours."

<!-- S IBOX --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=208 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5></TD><TD class=sibtbg> He was the most wonderful player, he could do things that no-one else could do



Greg Dyke



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The family later viewed the many flowers and messages left by fans outside Cromwell Hospital.

Best is widely regarded as one of the greatest players to have graced British and world football.

His heyday occurred during the 1960s, when he brought a pop star image to the game.

Asked later what happened to the money he had earned, Best replied: "I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered."

A statement released by Best's second wife, Alex, said: "George was the love of my life. He was a unique and talented person who made a lot of people very happy."

Tributes

Prime Minister Tony Blair led tributes to the man he called "probably the most naturally gifted footballer of his generation, one of the greatest footballers the UK has ever produced".

"Anyone who has seen him as a football fan will never forget it," Mr Blair said from the Commonwealth Head of Governments meeting in Malta.

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Republic of Ireland Prime Minister Bertie Ahern said: "George should be remembered as the very best at what he did. He was quite simply a football genius."

Sir Bobby Charlton said his former Manchester United team-mate "made an immense contribution to the game, and enriched the lives of everyone that saw him play".

"Football has lost one of its greats, and I have lost a dear friend. He was a marvellous person."

A statement from the club said: "For the goals, the audacious dribbles and all the wonderful memories, Manchester United and its legions of fans worldwide will always be grateful."

A minute silence is to be observed at every Premiership football match this weekend in Best's memory.

Deterioration

He had been in hospital since entering with flu-like symptoms on 1 October, later suffering a kidney infection.

His condition deteriorated sharply last Friday with the development of a lung infection that led to internal bleeding.

Best, a recovering alcoholic, was particularly susceptible to infection because of medicines he needed after a 2002 liver transplant.

<!-- S IBOX --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=208 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5></TD><TD class=sibtbg>GEORGE BEST'S HEALTH


March 2000: Severe liver damage diagnosed
February 2001: Treated for pneumonia
April 2001: Anti-alcohol pellets implanted into his stomach
July 2002: Undergoes liver transplant
November 2004: Routine operation to check on liver transplant
October 2005: Treated for kidney infection in intensive care
November 2005: Lung infection sees condition worsen



<!-- S ILIN -->Decline of the golden boy
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The Belfast-born former footballer and television pundit had been prescribed medication to suppress the immune system and prevent his body rejecting the new liver.

At the time of his hospital admission in October, Best's agent Phil Hughes said his client had been "off the drink" before being admitted to the hospital.

Dr Akeel Alisa, part of the medical team which had been treating Best, described him as "delightful to look after - he was very brave, a fighter to the end".



Best helped Manchester United win the First Division title in 1965 and 1967 and the European Cup in 1968.

His role in the team's success was recognised by his becoming the European Footballer of the Year in 1968.

Best made 466 appearances for the Old Trafford club, scoring a total of 178 goals. He also won 37 caps - scoring nine goals - for Northern Ireland. But despite his talent, his love of a champagne and playboy lifestyle degenerated into alcoholism, bankruptcy, a prison sentence for drink-driving and, eventually, his controversial liver transplant.<!-- E BO -->


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The Phantom

Although it's been coming for sometime, it's still sad to see the passing away of a legend.

R.I.P George.

Crocker

Best footballer the the UK as ever produced

R.I.P George

Disco Raheem

He made his own lifestyle choices.

Crocker

I Agree, and also im sure most people woul swap their life for Georges

Disco Raheem

Definately.

That's why I can't feel bad when this kinda stuff happens. He chose to do something we all dream of, and these are the consequences. It's a price I'm sure most of us would be willing to pay.

Invictus

Oh not this place too.

He was a godamn Alcholic who used and abused not one but TWO livers, one of which could have gone to someone who wouldn't have pissed it away down the local boozer.

George Best deserved to die the first time round when his liver packed in, the fact that the country has gone into 'mourning' over some drunk bum who played football shows how pathetic this country is.

The headline in the Sun today showed what a joke it is 'The bIggest Funeral since Diana. If I see one more person say what a great guy he was I'm gonna throw my TV out of the window. He was a bum who didn;t learn from his countless mistakes and abused the organ donor service because of who he was.

Miakal

GP is a man of great compassion.

Alcoholism is a disease and an addiction.

Having said that, this s.o.b. shouldn't get anymore mourning than any other drunk. Hahahahha.

Invictus

I don't understand why all this fuss has arisen over some drunk who wrecked two livers and robbed someone else on the donor list of a new life while he squandered his.

Sure alcholism is a disease and I understand that he was addicted but like I said before, you open the box, its your problem if you can't put the toys back in.

All these bleedingheart liberals telling how he was a great man despite being caught drunk driving twice (all drink drivers are pretty much scum, if you do it twice well.......you should be sentanced to driving into a tree at 100mph) and was arrested for assualt and wife battery. Yeah he was a real fucking saint.

Miakal

GP, I'm not sure you understand alcoholism very well. The part about putting the toys back in the box sets off my alarm. A true alcoholic can't do that because their too fucked up. Have you ever seen an alcoholic with a glossed over look, that demon grip on them? How are they going to put the toys back in the box? They can't.

I've had a lot of relatives and a few friends with serious problems. And I've seen a few deaths too. I even wrote letters to have a couple of my family members committed for rehab. After a certain point there is no control at all. Yes, it's their fault for getting that far off into the deep end but it doesn't exactly give us the right to start throwing stones at a corpse either.

I agree that it's fucked up that people make such a big deal about these kind of things. It happens, and it happened, and it's over with.