George Best

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] The notes sold out in five days. [cite news|title=Last of Bestie fivers sells out | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6199180.stm | publisher=BBC Online | date=2006-12-01 | accessdate = 2007-06-09] The notes sold on the online auction site eBay for up to £30. [cite news|title=Best note prompts auction fever | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6142840.stm | publisher=BBC Online |date=2006-12-01 | accessdate = 2007-06-09]

Current plans for a new national stadium for Northern Ireland near Lisburn include a proposed statue of Best as one of several celebrating sporting heroes from the country. These statues would surround the main sporting arena and Best would be joined by rugby player Willie John McBride, Gaelic Athletic Association player Cormac McAnallen, Olympic gold medalist Mary Peters, Grand National winner Richard Dunwoody, Grand Prix driver Eddie Irvine, Motor cycle World champion Joey Dunlop and snooker world champion Alex Higgins.

In December 2006 the George Best Memorial Trust launched a fund-raising drive to raise £200,000 in subscriptions to pay for a life-size bronze sculpture of George Best. By 2008 the money had still not been raised until a local developer, Doug Elliott, announced on 29 January 2008, that he would put up the rest of the money and would manage delivery of the project. [cite news | first=Victoria | last=O'Hara | title=Best memorial plan rescued by fan |work=The Belfast Telegraph | page= 3 | date=2008-01-29 ]

Best in popular culture

George Best's autobiographies include:
* "Bestie" (co-written with Joe Lovejoy),
* "The Good, The Bad and The Bubbly" (with Ross Benson)
* "Blessed: The Autobiography" (with Roy Collins)
* "Scoring at Half Time" (with Martin Knight).
* "Hard Tackles and Dirty Baths"

In the year 1970, German avantgarde film director Hellmuth Costard made a film entitled "Fußball wie noch nie", translated into English as "Football like never before". The film shows only Best, filmed from 8 cameras, during a regular Manchester United match. The film was screened in the year 1971 by German public broadcast ARD.

In 1984 Best made a fitness video with Mary Stavin called "Shape Up And Dance".

A warts-and-all biopic simply entitled "Best" was released in the year 2000. The film pulled no punches in chronicling Best's struggles within his personal life and footballing career - showing the full extent to which Best's personal battle with alcoholism and his hedonistic lifestyle played in bringing an end to the footballing career of one of the game's most naturally gifted players of all time. The Mary McGuckian directed film starred John Lynch (actor) as George Best, Ian Bannen as Matt Busby, Roger Daltrey as Rodney Marsh, and Jerome Flynn as Bobby Charlton. The film also featured Patsy Kensit and Sophie Dahl as Best's love interests. "Best" was released in UK cinemas on 12 May 2000, and was subsequently released on Region 2 PAL DVD on 27 January in the year 2003 by Mosaic Movies.

Indie rock band The Wedding Present named their first album after him. He is featured on the cover wearing his red Manchester United kit. Best has also been mentioned in the song "In the name of the Father" written by Bono, Gavin Friday and Maurice Seezer and performed by Bono and Gavin Friday.

Former frontman of Men At Work (now solo artist) Colin Hay and Heather Mills re-released Hay's "My Brilliant Feat" in 2005 as a digital single. The re-release in memory of Best's then recent passing gave all proceeds to charity. In Another Colin Hay song, "Are You Lookin' At Me?", Best is mentioned: "Well I love the Lone Ranger, and I love that Dennis Small. Him and George Best sure knew how to kick a ball."

His fellow Belfast-man Van Morrison mentioned George Best in his song "Too Long In Exile": "I've been too long in exile, like George Best, baby".

In the Irvine Welsh novel "Glue", the main characters attend a fictional Hibernian match which Best competes in. The crowd sings "His Name is Georgie Best"

Elsewhere, Best has been mentioned in numerous other songs, television shows and internet articles, most recently inspiring the song "Where Did It All Go Wrong Mr Best?" on the 2008 album "Bingo" by Rinaldi Sings.

ee also

*UEFA Golden Jubilee Poll
*BBC Sports Personality of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award
*Grosvenor Grammar School

References

External links

* [http://www.nationalfootballmuseum.com/Hall%20of%20Fame/georgebest.htm English Football Hall of Fame Profile]
* [http://www.georgebest.com/ The George Best Foundation]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4380332.stm Football legend George Best dies] from the BBC
* [http://football.guardian.co.uk/obituary/0,16836,1651234,00.html United in grief for a tragic hero] - The Guardian
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/4309502.stm Was George the Best?] - BBC
* [http://www.culturenorthernireland.org/article.aspx?art_id=141 George Best Profile at CultureNorthernIreland.org]
* [http://www.myspace.com/georgiebest/ Photos, videos & music in tribute to George Best]
* [http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=164 George Best Manchester United photo 1, biography & stats at sporting-heroes.net]
* [http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=165 George Best Manchester United photo 2, biography & stats at sporting-heroes.net]
* [http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=166 George Best Hibernian photo, biography & stats at sporting-heroes.net]
* [http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=11771 George Best Fulham photo, biography & stats at sporting-heroes.net]
* [http://www.stretford-end.com/united-articles/george-best-legend.html George Best Player Profile - A true genius]
* [http://fourfourtwo.com/interviews/one-on-one/107/article.aspx One on One George Best Interview with Four Four Two]