His drinking was as legendary as his footballing talents, but an Angus man has recalled the day he managed George Best and the boozy star drank only tea.
Ian Hardie’s memories of Best’s appearance for junior side Arbroath Vics at Gayfield Park in 1982 came flooding back when he picked up a copy of Thursday’s Courier.
We told how the match programme, which was signed by Best and his girlfriend Mary Stavin, was sold off at a Royal Mail “lost in the post” auction.
To celebrate the club’s centenary year, the Vics had secured 36-year-old Best’s services for the match against Arbroath FC and he scored twice in a 4-3 win.
Mr Hardie, 63, was the Vics manager that day and he told The Courier of his memories of the day when Best arrived at Gayfield with a Miss World on his arm.
He has two autographed programmes from that day along with a picture of himself, Best and Miss Stavin during Best’s engagement afterwards at the Vics social club.
Mr Hardie, who has been married for 43 years, has two sons and five grandchildren, said: “Despite his image as a hard drinker, the only thing he had to drink all day and all evening was a cup of tea.
“George was a hero of mine when I was growing up but I could never have dreamed that one day I’d manage him. He was the first name on the team sheet that day, put it that way.”
In 1974 Best left Manchester United, effectively ending his career at the highest level at the age of 27. He would play on for nearly 10 more years at a number of lesser clubs as he struggled with alcoholism.
Arbroath Vics club secretary Jimmy Smith was an associate of Bill McMurdo, who was Best’s agent at the time. He chanced his arm and called McMurdo, and a guest appearance was duly arranged.
Mr Hardie said: “I thought Jimmy was joking when he said he’d managed to get George Best to play for us.
“When George turned up on the day of the game he immediately put everyone at ease in the dressing room. He didn’t need to be given a team talk it was George Best!
“Mary also turned up on his arm and she was a real beauty. Just like George, she chatted away to the players and had time for everyone.”
As for the match itself, Mr Hardie, who previously managed Montrose Roselea, said: “Arbroath were a good side in those days but George was the best player on the park. One shimmy in particular when he left three Arbroath players standing was just unbelievable.”
Asked if he would ever consider selling his signed match programmes, Mr Hardie said: “I would never think of selling them because they mean so much to me.
“I’ve lost count of the times over the years I’ve been asked about that match when people see the photo of me and George.”