Football’s Greatest Goals No.30
This week’s ‘Greatest Goal’ comes from the great George Best. It came in a 2-0 win for Best’s Manchester Unite side at home to Sheffield United in a First Division match on 2nd October 1971.
Sheffield United were top of the old First Division at this point, having won eight and drawing two of their first ten games. The loss at Old Trafford knocked them off the top of the table and ended a 22 match unbeaten run.
Manchester United had a decent side at the time and had won the European Cup three years before. Best was part of a devastating forward trio alongside World Cup winner Bobby Charlton and Scottish international Denis Law. The front line was responsible for much of United’s goals and George Best was the one player that drew the crowds in.
The year before, Best had scored six goals in an 8-2 demolition of Northampton Town in the FA Cup. On a boggy pitch, Best ran through the Northampton defence with ease again and again, making the game look ridiculously easy.
The Irishman had an uncanny ability to play with an unnerving ease. He ran at defences, taking opponents on with ease and enjoyed making opponents look daft in the process. He did just that against Sheffield United on that sunny day at Old Trafford in October 1971.
Picking the ball up ten yards inside the opponents half, Best started off slowly running at the Sheffield United defence before suddenly bursting out into a sprint. He was able to run at full speed with the ball at his feet, something that is much harder to do than you’d imagine.
The three opponents that tried to get near Best were easily beaten and his run at goal was diagonal, so he was being forced wide, away from goal. Sheffield United keeper took a few steps forward to narrow the angle but the Manchester United forward just hit the ball hard across him towards the far corner. The ball hit the inside of the far post and came to a stop at the back of the net.
Best’s celebration was of sheer delight. With his arms outstretched, he looked up at the sky with his eyes closed and a huge smile across his face. The sun shone down on him and it was a moment in time that typified the genius of the man.
It was around this time that Best’s life was taking a downward spiral and his football career was taking a direct hit. He became more interested in having a good time off the pitch than keeping control of his sporting career. He became dependent on alcohol and this would ruin his life until his death in 2005.
George Best will always sadly be one of those players who football fans will think of what could have been. His supreme talent was there for all to see in his early career and glimpses were still shown later but when the chance had gone. Paul Gascoigne is probably the closest that English football has had to Best and he too was troubled with alcohol and other off-pitch antics.
What brief moments of genius was seen by George Best mesmerised the crowds that were there to witness his talents. Luckily there were plenty of games that were filmed and so fans growing up without seeing Best in the flesh have been able to be wowed by his extraordinary skills, control, turn of pace and sheer ability. One thing is for certain, there will be several more goals from George Best in the series in the months to come!
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