Best At Villa - George Best!

Well, just as we were getting excited, an international break interrupts everything! I hope the players do not forget what they've done when they return, and demolish the Foxes as well.

So, as we have free time, let's have a look at a big one-off in Villa history - when George Best turned out for the Villa for 60 minutes, wearing the no. 11 shirt!

Yes, it happened as follows, as reported in the Birmingham Mail on the occasion of the sale of Best's Villa shirt, Nov 28, 2014:

The appearance was a fundraiser hurriedly scheduled following the Bradford City stadium blaze on May 11, 1985, which killed 56 people and injured 265.

The Holte End was closed for the clash against [the Albion] and most of the 5,663-strong crowd was sandwiched into the Trinity Road stand.

In fact, the match was arranged with such haste, no programme was published. Fans had to make do with a four-page newspaper-type flyer.

Best lined-up in a side that also featured Kevin Poole in goal, Gary Williams, Tony Dorigo, Allan Evans, Brendan Ormsby, Ray Walker, Steve McMahon, Peter Withe and Paul Rideout.

On-line writer Dek Hogan was there. He recalled: “It is absolutely true to say that George wasn’t in prime physical fitness, being just shy of his 39th birthday at the time.

“But all the skill was there and his every touch was greeted with yelps of delight from the assembled Trinity Road throng.

He added: “I was certainly awestruck, so much so that I couldn’t find it in my heart to sing the old classic: ‘Georgie Best, superstar, looks like a woman and he wears a bra’.

“Mind you, the emerging middle-aged spread and the full beard made the song somewhat redundant anyway.”

After a tame first 45 minutes, fans were treated to something of a goal-fest in the second half.

McMahon and Evans put Villa 2-0 up before Steve Mackenzie and Tony Grealish levelled matters.

Gary Thompson put the Baggies ahead, but Didier Six earned the home side a 3-3 draw.

It so happened that an old Villa-fan pal of mine, John Biddle, ran the line in the match, being a qualified referee. John was once a supervisor at the Lucas company, where Stan Lynn worked under his wing for a time, much to John's glee. Stan 'the Wham' Lynn was one of our favourites back in the 50s.

UTV!