Best, George (22 May 1946 – 25 November 2005), regarded by many as the most talented player in the history of the game, was born in East Belfast, Northern Ireland. Best made 446 League appearances for United between 1963 and 1973, scoring 178 goals. Dubbed the ‘Fifth Beatle’ he was a dazzling presence in the United teams that won the championship in 1965 and 1967 and the European Cup in 1968 when he scored a superb solo goal in the Final.  A brilliant showman, he thrilled crowds with his mastery of the ball, tormenting defenders with a dazzling display of dribbling.  Best played 37 times for Northern Ireland; he was never to grace the World Cup Finals.  Sadly, increasingly wayward behaviour off the field and alcohol related problems impaired his health and shortened his career. After a series of on-off retirements and a dip in form, he left United for good on New Years Day 1974.   Best played for numerous clubs for the rest of the decade, enjoying a brief resurgence with Fulham (76-77) where he dazzled fans by famously tackling teammate and long-time friend Rodney Marsh.  There followed spells at Stockport County, Hibernian and USA soccer teams L.A. Aztecs (1976-78) Fort Lauderdale Strikers (78-79) and San Jose Earthquakes (80-81). He finally ended his football career with Bournemouth in 1983, although he went on to play in many charity and friendly matches. After retirement, Best fought a very public battle against alcoholism.  He died in November 2005 from a lung infection and multiple organ failure.  His funeral route in Belfast was lined with 100,000 mourners.