Maverick Irishman

“The image of football legends Denis Law and George Best in a recent Craigie page, relating to the Scot’s first appearance as a club player in Scotland, brought a fact-finding query about the Irish player’s involvement in Courier

Country,” writes Fraser Elder. “After 13 glorious years with Manchester United, capped with being crowned European Player of the Year in 1968, George Best then adopted a nomadic career across nine countries including 22 games over a 325 day-period with Hibs between 1979-80.

“To answer the query, Best’s intermittent appearances in a £2,000 ‘pay-per-play’ deal with the Easter Road club saw him face the two Dundee clubs five times with only two games in the city at Dens Park.

“Scoring only three goals for the Edinburgh club, his most outstanding counter came in a home game against Dundee with a trademark solo in a 2-0 win.

“The two clubs involved were then relegated together soon after and with Willie Ormond replacing Eddie Turnbull as manager,

“Best then faced Dunfermline at East End Park and in his final game at home he said farewell in the role of club captain in a 2-0 home win over Falkirk in October 1980.

“The maverick Irishman played for 18 clubs in total but missing from his colourful CV is a 20 minute appearance in a charity game in Perthshire for Scone

Thistle against village rivals Scone Amateurs in August 1982.

“It was later revealed the sizeable fee for his cameo was claimed by the Inland Revenue for arrears. Two years later his on-field career ended in his home-land with Tobermore United.

“The talented George Best died at the age of 59 in 2005.”