Charlton Athletic Online

George Best survived another night in hospital, though his condition is still described as "severely ill". After the death of Johnny Haynes last week as a result of car crash, British football does not want to lose another icon so soon.

Best has lived his champagne-lifestyle to the full, always on the edge. He was one of the first celebrity footballers of the sixties, taking his place alongside Beatlemania, and holding his own (or maybe getting a Miss World to do it for him?) in a changing world where money and status for footballers came to the fore.

He scored a wonderful second goal for Manchester United in the European Cup Final in 1968, when they beat Benfica 4-1 after extra time. A Northern Ireland international, George never had the chance to play in a major championship, as his teammates were not of high enough calibre to qualify, and his efforts alone were not quite enough.

Georgie never played against Charlton for United, though he did turn out for Fulham when they played the Addicks in 1977. I saw Best play alongside Rodney Marsh in the famous Fulham versus Hereford match where they ran riot in a 4-1 win.

I hope George recovers; he may have had some poor press over recent years, but he always came across to me as a man who loved football, women, and a drink or ten, and that struck the right note with most men in this country.