George Best

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

These words quoted to a journalist by former Manchester United and Northern Ireland football legend George Best in the 1980's. Best an insanely gifted, but shy young man was spotted by Chief United scout Bob Bishop in the early 1960's.

By the time he was 17, United manager Matt Busby was so confident in the lads ability that he threw him on as a sub at Old Trafford when the home side were playing against West Bromwich Albion in September 1963.

Although he was initially worried about George being battered by some of the Division One's bruisers due to Georges slight and skinny build, Best soon laid any fears to rest. He took no time in showing up some of the leagues more high profile and established players by putting the ball threw their legs and then on occasion going back and doing it again for good measure.

A measure of his talent can be seen clearly in the fact that Manchester United won their first league title for eight years in 1964/65 - Best's first full season. However, it wasn't until he single handedly took apart Benfica in a European Cup Quarter-Final away leg in March 1966, that Best truly began to capture the attention of the worlds press.

However, despite such a wonderful performance, United were to crash out in the Semi-Final against Partizan Belgrade. Off the pitch, he began to cash in on this notoriety by opening his own clothes boutique in Manchester and then later, a nightclub.

Following another League title triumph in May 1967, Matt Busby got the chance to have another tilt at winning the European Cup in 1967/68. Sure enough, with Best at his best, United went all the way to the final beating Benfica 4-1 in extra-time giving United their first ever European Cup win.

Although he was rightly awarded the European Player of the Year for 1968, United and George Best's fortunes on the pitch gradually started to decline from here on. Best started to lose some of his usual great composure against some of Division One's and Europe's wind-up merchants, culminating in occasional sending-offs.

It was also around this time that Best started to get into the headlines for his off-the-pitch habits, most notably his fondness for alcohol and women. In May 1969, Best's Manchester United manager and some-time father figure Matt Busby retired. This suddenly left George without anyone to steer him in the right direction.

During the period 1969 to 1971, it seemed that George was with a different girlfriend as often as Manchester United played games in a season. Of the more famous names he was seen with at this time, he could count actresses Susan George and Sinead Cusack as live-in lovers.

These women would also be the cause of George not bothering to turn up for training with United on many an occasion.

After three more fallow seasons without winning any silverware under three managers in as many years, he broke United fans hearts when he left the club in 1973. Between 1974 and 1984, Best played for a further 18 different clubs including the likes of Fulham, Hibernian, Stockport County and Los Angeles Aztecs.

It goes without saying that had he not touched the booze, Best's football career could have been lengthened as well as being possibly more trophy laden. With time and off-field activities catching up with him, George Best died of liver failure while in hospital in London in 2005. He was just 59.

Profile:

• Full Name: George Best
• Date of Birth: 22nd May 1946
• Place of Birth: Belfast, Northern Ireland
• Date of Death: 25th November 2005
• Place of Death: London
• Height: 5ft 9ins (1.75m)
• Playing Position: Winger/Attacking Midfielder