Grainy footage of George Best playing in Celtic’s world-famous green-and-white hoops has finally emerged.
Images of the game, played at the Elizabeth City Soccer ground in Adelaide in 1989, had been circulating for years, leading to Celtic running a story back in 2020 about the Manchester United icon’s appearance.
Here is the footage of a quite unique George Best appearance:
Look closely, and you will also see Lisbon Lion, Willie Wallace, as well as Albert Kidd, who has become a cult icon in his own right following his part in the Love Street ’86 victory.
Also featured are George’s girlfriend Mary Shatila, as well as George’s minder during his trip to Australia, Linfield legend Billy Millen.
As more information comes in about this match, there is even a suggestion that Ben Doak’s grandfather, Martin Doak, played in the game. Martin had played for Morton before moving to Australia to play for West Adelaide alongside Albert Kidd. Jim Muir, formerly of Dumbarton, who ended up being capped for Australia, has also been spotted in the line-up.
GEORGIE IN THE HOOPS
Best had long retired when he made this appearance in the hoops at the age of 43, and his Australian itinerary shows that he travelled across Oz during June and July 1989, playing in this charity game on 22nd June. Best had scored against Celtic for Hibs during his short-lived stay in the capital nine years earlier, and was still a big pull for supporters wherever he went in the late eighties.
Billy Millen looked after George during his six-week tour of Australia, telling the Belfast Telegraph on 13th January 2018, “George came over in 1989 for a series of appearances. He came with his then partner, Mary Shatila, and was paid £30,000, which was huge money then, but by the time he flew home, he had blown the lot. He won 10 grand in a casino one night and lost 18 grand the next. The press got wind and I had to hide him for two days.
Wearing the centenary jersey, Best is cheered every time he touches the ball. The crowd can be heard singing Celtic songs during a match that had been thought to be lost to the depths of time.
Best had played at Celtic Park during his peak years with the Red Devils, appearing alongside Paddy Crerand, Bobby Charlton and Denis Law as Celtic ran out 4-1 winners during the friendly on 6th August 1966. Now we have images of Crerand, Charlton and Best in the hoops, all we need to complete the set is to find a snap of Denis Law wearing the world-renowned jersey.
PAUL JOHN DYKES
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.