Favourite Footballing Stories?

[Tooj 17]

After a chat me and Stevie have just been having I thought I would post a thread on great footballing stories over the years, obviously chip in with your own. I'm going to start off with the one and only George Best. (If that's ok Mr. Pundit? )

 

In 1976, Northern Ireland were drawn against Holland in Rotterdam as one of their group qualifying matches for the World Cup. Back then the reporters stayed at the same hotel as the team and travelled with them on the coach to the game. As it happened I sat beside George on the way to the stadium that evening.

 

Holland - midway between successive World Cup final appearances - and Johan Cruyff were at their peak at the time. George wasn't. I asked him what he thought of the acknowledged world number one and he said he thought the Dutchman was outstanding. 'Better than you?' I asked. George looked at me and laughed. 'You're kidding aren't you? I tell you what I'll do tonight... I'll nutmeg Cruyff first chance I get.' And we both laughed at the thought.

 

A couple of hours later the Irish players were announced one by one on to the pitch. Pat Jennings, as goalkeeper, was first out of the tunnel to appreciative applause. Best, as No 11, was last. 'And now,' revved up the PA guy, 'Number 11, Georgie [long pause] Best.' And out trotted George. Above him, a beautiful blonde reached over with a single, long-stemmed red rose.

 

Given his nature, his training and his peripheral vision there was no way he was going to miss her or the rose, so he stopped, trotted back, reached up to take the flower, kissed her hand and ran out on to the pitch waving his rose at the punters as the applause grew even louder.

 

Five minutes into the game he received the ball wide on the left. Instead of heading towards goal he turned directly infield, weaved his way past at least three Dutchmen and found his way to Cruyff who was wide right. He took the ball to his opponent, dipped a shoulder twice and slipped it between Cruyff's feet. As he ran round to collect it and run on he raised his right fist into the air.

 

Only a few of us in the press box knew what this bravado act really meant. Johan Cruyff the best in the world? Are you kidding? Only an idiot would have thought that on this evening.

 

I could tell you so many stories about George Best that Pat Jennings has told me about him. Jennings at his peak was rated just about the best goalkeeper in the world, Best probably the most exciting forward apart from Pele. Best used to like to prove that a striker was better than a goalkeeper when they were together on international duty.

 

Spurs played manure at OT in the mid/late 60's, Best went round a couple of defenders, then round Jennings and faced an empty net. He then stopped, turned around and went back around Jennings again before putting the ball in the net.

 

As he went back past Jennings Best said ' Thought I'd give you a second chance Pat but you still weren't good enough. World's best? Pah!!'

[Knackers 0]

The best 1 i heard was at a Peter Beardsley talk in..Beardsley ,Gazza and Waddle were sharing a hotel room in Albania and were throwing the little bars of soap you get in hotel bathrooms out of the window to all the gathered youngsters below.

The kids were picking up the soap and eating it to the amusement of the said three......

When they were in full swing ie pissing themselves laughing Bobby Robson walked in behind them and asked what all the fuss was about .

 

Gazza not one to hide the truth explains to Robson what they are doing...within minutes Robson was knocking on the hotel doors of the rest of the England squad collecting all thr soap so he could join in ....fukin priceless

[Smooth Operator 10]

One of my favourites if from Italia 90 when a couple of players took videos over of recent horse races to pass the time in the team hotel in between games. The plan being to run a book with all the squad. A couple of them, Gazza was one I'm sure watched the tapes beforehand and obviously knew who to back but Peter Shilton, a big gambler by all accounts, was getting more and more worked up as the evening went on as he backed loser and loser and the others in the know were backing the winners of each race. Anyway by the end of the night they came clean and Shilts and a few others were foaming!

[Happy Face 29]

The scottish fan who got his dad to make him a bow-tie in the team coulours, out of wood.

 

It was too heavy so he attached it to a pole and held it like a roman standard.

[zico martin 90]

The scottish fan who got his dad to make him a bow-tie in the team coulours, out of wood.

 

It was too heavy so he attached it to a pole and held it like a roman standard.

 

 

that was on the danny baker phone-in thing wasnt it? great story, but this thread should be about footballers really shouldn't it?

[Happy Face 29]

The scottish fan who got his dad to make him a bow-tie in the team coulours, out of wood.

 

It was too heavy so he attached it to a pole and held it like a roman standard.

 

 

that was on the danny baker phone-in thing wasnt it? great story, but this thread should be about footballers really shouldn't it?

 

But footballers stories are invariably shit. Have you ever read a football biography? I'd rather creosote the fence.

[Matty 0]

The scottish fan who got his dad to make him a bow-tie in the team coulours, out of wood.

 

It was too heavy so he attached it to a pole and held it like a roman standard.

 

 

that was on the danny baker phone-in thing wasnt it? great story, but this thread should be about footballers really shouldn't it?

 

But footballers stories are invariably shit. Have you ever read a football biography? I'd rather creosote the fence.

 

 

Gazza's is quite good like.

[Ketsbaia 0]

Dougie Hall flying to Turin and demanding he wants to sign Baggio tickles me.

[Jimbo 175]

The scottish fan who got his dad to make him a bow-tie in the team coulours, out of wood.

 

It was too heavy so he attached it to a pole and held it like a roman standard.

 

 

that was on the danny baker phone-in thing wasnt it? great story, but this thread should be about footballers really shouldn't it?

 

But footballers stories are invariably shit. Have you ever read a football biography? I'd rather creosote the fence.

 

 

I thought Paolo Di Canio's was superb.

[Tooj 17]

The scottish fan who got his dad to make him a bow-tie in the team coulours, out of wood.

 

It was too heavy so he attached it to a pole and held it like a roman standard.

 

 

that was on the danny baker phone-in thing wasnt it? great story, but this thread should be about footballers really shouldn't it?

 

But footballers stories are invariably shit. Have you ever read a football biography? I'd rather creosote the fence.

Garrincha's is a cracking read IMO.

[Meenzer 15731]

The scottish fan who got his dad to make him a bow-tie in the team coulours, out of wood.

 

It was too heavy so he attached it to a pole and held it like a roman standard.

 

 

that was on the danny baker phone-in thing wasnt it? great story, but this thread should be about footballers really shouldn't it?

 

But footballers stories are invariably shit. Have you ever read a football biography? I'd rather creosote the fence.

Garrincha's is a cracking read IMO.

Bought that for my old man last Christmas. Fully intend to steal it off him this year.

[Walliver 0]

Stan Collymore's, for the majority, is really entertaining.

[Ayatollah Hermione 14066]

Same with Pele's.

[Guest alex]

I believe Gol's read the recent Lampard one.

[Ayatollah Hermione 14066]

I believe Gol's read the recent Lampard one.

 

With foreword from Joey Barton?