Just randomly clicking through stuff and I noticed Boothferry Park held this European qualifier in 1972. George Best and Pat Jennings in the N.I team. Before my time so wondered if anyone on here was in the 20k crowd?
I also attended City v Japan in 71(?), when we pissed on their sushi 5-0. There were a few damp japs' eyes that night.
Football was almost unknown in Nippon back then- think they were just here learning about how other countries play and their standards.
I was there too. I was also there when Spurs played TWS when the TWS were forced to play some home games 50 mile away as punishment for crowd trouble I think.
No. He was better. Was at all 3 of the games mentioned. Over 20,000 there for the N Ireland game, the majority who were there to see George Best.
He was not outstanding that day. The Man U Watney Cup game with Best, Law and Charlton was a bigger draw in 71 (att. 34, 007 for a pre season night game)
I saw him play several times when stood on Old Trafford's Stretford End and a couple of United's away games I went too. He was a genius, but a genius who got the sh*t kicked out of him by some very tough defenders in those days who seemed determined that George would not show his genius that day. When he was given a free reign and not clobbered by defenders, he could cause havoc on his own. One obvious match was against Northampton Town in the FA Cup where George scored 6 goals. Admittedly not exactly testing opponents but in another match at St James park the game had no soon started when George was laid out, Bob Moncur was the culprit on that occasion. United signed a Best lookalike, Willy Morgan who may have resembled Best in looks but never got near with his football ability, although on occasions we wasn't too bad. But of course George's undoing was when he was off the field not on it and I still shudder at the memory of his appearance on the Wogan show when he was absolutely stoned out of his head, who on earth let him go on the air in that state wanted sacking. Paul Gascoigne is bordering on the same precipice.
I was at all four games. Best didn't play particularly well in either the international or the Watney Cup. The Northern Ireland match was played at Boothferry Park because Terry Neill was their manager and he got it there. It was thought to be too dangerous to play it in Belfast at the time. I'm pretty certain it was during one of the Miners' Strikes and was played on a Wednesday afternoon because that area of Hull wouldn't have had electricity that night. I was also there when The League of England played the League of Ireland in about 1966. Booby Charlton and Alan Ball played for the English League team. Was anybody else at that one?
i was there seen george best twice in a short period of time in that era , we got beat by man utd in the watney cup final. waggy ect missing penalties . my sister & her friend had to cup there hands together to lift me , to see the next game northern ireland v spain. in the well in the west stand great days great team city had . i think the best team ever had. better then phil browns team but not as good as the team we have now. if only we can find a partnership like waggy & chillo for next season we would be pushing for honours. ps ian butler on the wing allso plz
2 interesting little records that Boothferry Park holds. George Best was the first person in the UK to take a penalty kick in a penalty shoot out in the Watney Cup final against us. And ... Before the recent under 21 games at the KC when Peter Taylor was in charge, we held England U21 v Finland U21 in 1977. England beat them 8 - 1 which remains their record win. Unless of course you know better ......
i was there that night at BP for the Watney Cup.I think it was the semis after beating Peterboro away.I was sat on the track in front of the white fence due to a bad foot injury.The police let me sit there infront of the well on a small box as i was only 9.The ball rolled to me in the second half and i grabbed it and threw it to the player coming to take the throw in-Georger Best was that player.I am sure the game was televised because when i got home the penalty shoot out was on.I can find no trace of it anywhere.
I was there (seem to remember it was '73, but I was very young). I was a Best fan and me Dad took me. I remember nothing but watching Best wherever he was on the pitch. It was so long ago, the world was almost in black and white .
