George Best
The BBC reports that George Best, probably one of the greatest footballers the UK ever saw, died of multiple organ failure after a lifetime struggle with drugs and alcohol.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4380332.stm
Meanwhile his old club could use someone of his stature right now
http://www.manutd.com
Reds Euro Campaign Ends In Enormous Disappointment
Benfica 2 United 1, Estadio da Luz
UEFA Champions League, Group D
Estadio da Luz, Lisbon, 7 December 2005
Manchester United’s European campaign came to an enormously disappointing and premature end in Benfica’s Stadium of Light in Lisbon on Wednesday evening. Paul Scholes gave United an early lead but Benfica fought back to lead 2-1 at the break and despite a spirited performance from the Reds it was the Portuguese champions who claimed a place in the UEFA Champions League along with Spanish side Villarreal. Worst still, the defeat also meant that the consolation of moving into the UEFA Cup via a third-place group finish was also snatched from their grasp after Benfica had stepped over United and Lille into second position. The French side therefore claimed the UEFA Cup spot.
The present day Stadium of Light is Benfica’s modern headquarters, which was completed a few years ago alongside the old open-bowl version, which during its time was the largest football ground in Europe. It was once capable of holding around 120,000. Remarkably, this was United’s first competitive visit to the Stadium of Light since that momentous night of almost 40 years ago when George Best inspired the Reds to one of the greatest victories in the club’s history.
BENFICA: Quim; Alcides, Luisao, Anderson, Leo (Ricardo Rocha 90); Nuno Assis (Joao Pereira 73), Petit, Beto; Nelson, Nuno Gomes, Geovanni (Mantorras 80).
Substitutes: Aguiar, Dos Santos, Helio Roque, Rui Nereu.
MANCHESTER UNITED: van der Sar; Neville, Ferdinand, Silvestre, O’Shea (Richardson 85); Ronaldo (Park 67), Scholes, Smith, Giggs (Saha 61); Rooney, van Nistelrooy.
Substitutes: Howard, Brown, Fletcher, Bardsley.
