George Best dies, aged 59

[corksean]

George Best, one of the greatest and most charismatic players in the history of football, died today after losing his long battle with illnesses linked to alcoholism. He was 59.

His death was confirmed just after 1pm today by doctors at Cromwell hospital in Chelsea, west London, where he had been receiving treatment since October 1.

Best died after suffering multiple organ failure; he had been on a ventilator and the hospital announced this morning it had stopped giving him treatment to keep him alive. Doctors said he had remained sedated and not suffered pain.

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,1563,1650892,00.html

[Niccolo_Macchiavelli]

1. 7 out of 10 characters i would have loved to see

a well one day... one day

[Michael_UK]

2. Real shame

We all knew it was coming, but still sad

[non sociopath skin]

3. R.I.P, George.

The Skin

[fedsron2us]

4. Simply a footballing genius whose like we will not see again.

May you rest in peace George.

[GCP]

5. What a great shame, such talent thrown away over booze

He was the Best there was, no pun intended, he was sheer genius on the football field. He was dubbed the Fifth Beatle during the sixties (one of many!), but he had the looks, the charisma and the skill to be worthy of the title. Maybe if people had been more aware of the real dangers of alcoholism and got him into rehab in the early 70's, his career would have survived and he'd be managing a team and bringing up grandkids by now.
RIP George.

[demobrit]

6. RIP George you were simply the Best

[IndianaGreen]

7. Second only to the great Pele

He quit playing too early and he drank too much!

[emad]

8. Good footballer. Astonishing drinker. His quip about alcoholism

starting when he saw the drinks poster "Drink Canada Dry" much discussed in metings of Alcoholics Anonymous.

For many years the UK security/intelligence services kept classified files on him, mainly concerning his real parentage. Those cited as being his mum and dad were paid off by the natural mother who gave him away at birth, according to several UK newspaper reports published in June 1972, December 1976, December 1982 and January 1983. None of these are archived on the internet but ARE available on microfiche at the British Library newspapers and periodicals archive in Colindale, North London. The UK investigative journalist Chapman Pincher wrote extensively about this, quoting the late Lord Goodman (ex Master of the Rolls) in the written professional advice that he gave Best's natural mother regarding the concealment of his paternity.

[Skittles]

9. in pain no more

[barb162]

15. Wow he was a hunk

I didn't know anything about him until yesterday as I never followed soccer

[GCP]

17. He was gorgeous in his day

And a better player than Beckham!
Nominated for greatest page.
I also agree that bumping this topic from LBN was a great insult. Too bad the mods sometimes just don't get it.

[It was not a pretzel]

10. RIP Georgie

"I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered."

George Best

[Crankie Avalon]

11. It's too bad he couldn't have come up as a United player today...

...it seems like Fergie has a way of guiding young players through the temptations and pitfalls of sudden fame to get them to have long careers and avoid quick burnout. Best was little before my time, but from what I've read, he could have used a stabilizing presence like that during his playing days.

[Dutch]

12. A sad, unfortunately not unexpected loss.

I have to say that given that this news story is dominating the UK news and is a headline around the world, it really is shameful, insulting, ignorant and incredibly miopic that this post was bumped from LBN. Some of you guys may not have heard, but "soccer" actually means a hell of a lot to a lot of people outside God's own country, and beyond that George was a cultural icon of the first rank.

[jannyk]

13. I went to bed knowing that when I awoke he would be gone

Another piece of my youth died today with you Georgie. You were the best!!!

Now you have found the peace you never could when alive. I'll raise a toast to you tonight because you would have appreciated that - no matter how politically incorrect it may be - sod 'em.

This should be on LBN - the world is mourning an icon and wondering what he could have been. For it to be removed from LBN is disgusting. I can only presume the decision was made by one too young and too xenophobic to know who Georgie Best was.

So I encourage you all to 'recommend' this topic. If George can't be on LBN, maybe we can get him on the 'Greatest' page. It's where he belongs.

Good night Georgie, sleep peacefully.

[DS1]

14. Lounge threads have been categorically banned from ever

seeing the Greatest Page. You can still nominate, however.

[LadyAziz]

16. Me too...

After watching Sky Sports news and his phycsician saying it was the end of the road for Best. I am too young to have ever seen him play, but for Pele to say his was the best footie player that he ever saw play, puts into retrospective how truly great he was.

R.I.P GB

[Skittles]

18. I echo you r sentiments, jannyk

I always loved him

[Henny Penny]

19. Very sad news....

A rare and special talent has gone from this world.

RIP Georgie