Memories of George Best on his birthday today.

[Lisa O`Brien]

I was dancing in Japan in 1989,when we were given a rare night off work. The large party booked into our hotel [it had it`s own theatre where we did the show every night],cancelled at the last minute. So we had the whole next day and next night to ourselves. We headed to Tokyo. Spent the full day at Tokyo Disneyland,then that evening went to the Hard Rock Cafe.The other girls I was dancing with [there were 6 of us,not including a French woman and an Australian male dancer. It was us four English girls who went off to Tokyo together for the day.] Anyway,they knew I was originally from the Old Trafford area of Manchester,and a United fan. We had been in the Hard Rock Cafe about half an hour when one of the girls said,"Lisa,George Best is just around the corner from us, i`ve just seen him". I was like,yeah,pull the other one.!  Anyway,seeing how I didn`t believe her,she took me by the hand and led me to ...George Best Himself.!!  You have to understand what it was like growing up living so near to the stadium in the late sixties and early seventies. I distinctly remember my dad taking me for walks near the football ground on several occasions and saying "Let`s see if we can see Georgie Best while we`re here". Of course,he wasn`t going to be just hanging around the ground ,but I was very little and didn`t realise this of course. I used to sometimes be allowed to stay up very late on a Saturday night to watch Match of The Day with my dad. And so,here I was,thousands of miles away from Old Trafford ,face to face with the man himself. The first thing I blurted out to him was,"I was brought up in the Old Trafford area and my dad used to take me for walks to see if we could spot you." He looked really surprised . He was actually lovely. In Japan for a charity Aids match,called Kick Aids. Later on Kevin Keegan and Ruud Kroll turned up.They seemed to quite like having a few English girls to chat to [i think] as everyone else was mostly American. We told them we were dancers, and I will forever have fond memories of us trying to teach both George and Kevin the Five Positions of The Feet. Kevin didn`t do too bad a Fifth Position,actually.!! George was,no surprise,knocking back glasses of wine. His hands were "Roaming". He asked me if I wanted to spend the night with him in his hotel ,"And I`ll take you shopping and buy you anything you want". I declined his invitation. But as they were leaving George said to me,"Well will you at least not give an old man a goodbye kiss?" Was going to turn him down,but I thought,what the heck? So,I snogged George Best.! The most memorable part about kissing him was the taste of alcohol. I HATE the taste of all alcohol, so it wasn`t the most pleasant of kisses for me.! I cried buckets when he died. So just sitting here on George`s birthday [he would have been 69],recalling a memorable event with a smile on my face.!

[Sim]

What an amazing story, Lisa!!  I was about to say "it's not many women who can say that" but then realised it IS Georgie Best you are talking about!! 

[sarahw]

Lisa that is fabulous. Bet he wasn't turned down very often. ......

[Lisa O`Brien]

He looked really put out. Was sulking a bit. Kevin Keegan tried to console him saying,"She`s a football fan George,they see you differently to other women". !!!

[Lisa O`Brien]

 Kevin Keegan tried to console him saying,"She`s a football fan George,they see you differently to other women". !!!  I actually said that to him. I told him I idolise him, and if we were to spend the night together my image of him will forever be tainted. He did understand after that.

Edited May 23, 2015 by Lisa O`Brien