Two years after his death mystery still surrounds the creative and destructive forces which ruled George Best – the man who, many good judges insist, was the greatest footballer of all time anywhere.

Those forces are explored in this unique, penetrating new book using the words of people who knew him throughout his life. Memories of George Best gathers the candid experiences of a host of friends and enemies, team-mates and opponents, journalists who lived it with him, celebrities and fans.

Here the creative forces live again in the glorious games, captured through the words of those who played in them. Here are mighty Benfica humbled and little Northampton Town mesmerised. Here is the strange excursion to play for a Jewish team in South Africa and the North American adventure where Best scored what he considered his greatest goal.
Here, too, is the sadness when he constantly ran away from problems, became a mercenary player and ultimately a doomed alcoholic.

There is a full examination of his extraordinary sexual attraction and how he gave it full rein and how as a young man he became so famous so fast that he was called The Fifth Beatle.
The book is co-authored by Christopher Hilton, formerly of the Daily Express and an acclaimed writer of sports books, and Ian Cole of the Daily Mail, a lifelong football follower and respected expert on the game.

They say: ‘We have gone to the people who really know to unlock the mystery of this genuinely amazing human being. It involved dozens of interviews with people all over the world and we like to think we’ve done the unlocking.’

Many of the people interviewed have contributed pictures and memorabilia – previously unseen – to give the book an intimate feel. These are accompanied by a portfolio of professional photographs carefully chosen to illustrate all aspects of his life. Many of these, too, have never been seen before.

… a frank insight into the man behind the lurid tabloid headlines. This book is a must-read for any one who grew up with a poster of George on their bedroom wall in the 1960s.
Andrew Forfar, Men’s Health
For full review see http://www.menshealth.co.uk/Wellbeing-&-leisure/Review%3A-Memories-of-George-Best/v2

… a fascinating, engaging. awe-inspiring but also sad portrait of a man taken to the heights by his talents and depths by his demons.
The books on the great footballer are legion, but this has to go down as one of the Best.
Graeme Anderson, Sunderland Evening Echo

Books on George Best proliferate the libraries while countless admirers cherish their own personal collection, many of them signed personally by someone who rarely refused an autograph.
I have read virtually all of them; some were mediocre, a few obvious newspaper clipping "jobs", while others can be classified as perceptive and even brilliant.
The latest tome, Memories of George Best by Christopher Hilton and Ian Cole, in my opinion surpasses them all.
The authors felt there had to be a different George Best behind the endless screaming, occasionally lurid headlines so they set out to find him.
The 255 page publication is a gripping story and one when you start reading is impossible to stop. Here diligently researched are hundreds of anecdotes by team-mates, newspapermen, friends or just acquaintances.
...And Rodney Marsh, who launched a series of road-shows with him, contends nobody ever understood George and he issued a challenge to the authors: "People have never ever, ever, got the true side of George Best. Ever. Maybe you two will."
My view - they certainly have after trawling deep with their nets spread world-wide.
...Overall this book portrays with honesty and sincerity George Best in all his facets.
Malcolm Brodie, Belfast Evening Telegraph
For full review see http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/article3264174.ece