It was a very simple team talk when George Best pulled on the black and white stripes of Arbroath Victoria to celebrate the club’s centenary.
Vics boss Ian Hardie pointed at Best and told his players: “Give the ball to him.”
It was to prove a simple but effective tactic!
While the 36-year-old Best was long removed from his Manchester United prime he was still a box office draw when he turned up at Gayfield 40 years ago.
There were at least 1,000 people on the terraces to catch a glimpse of the former European Footballer of the Year who arrived with a beauty queen on his arm.
Best rolled back the years and scored two goals during 90 unforgettable minutes before signing autographs for young and old alike after enjoying a hot bath.
So how did the Vics lure this superstar to play for a side whose competitive honours included the Brechin Rosebowl and the Forfar Junior Consolation Cup?
The journey from Old Trafford to Gayfield
Best was 27 when he played his final competitive match for Manchester United on New Year’s Day 1974, when he was sacked by United’s manager, Tommy Docherty, after a long series of alcohol-related disciplinary breaches.
He played a handful of games in South Africa, three for Stockport County and another three for Cork Celtic before he went to LA Aztecs in the summer of 1976.
It earned him a couple of seasons with Fulham alongside Rodney Marsh and Bobby Moore, while continuing to spend the English close season with the Aztecs.
Best moved on to Fort Lauderdale Strikers before signing for Hibs on a pay-as-you-play deal in 1979 where his debut away to St Mirren drew 13,670 fans.
One infamous incident saw Best briefly sacked in February 1980 after he went on a massive drinking session with pop star Debbie Harry and the French rugby union team, who were in the city to play Scotland.
The highlight of his return was a 2-0 win over Dundee at Easter Road that was his finest performance in a Hibs jersey and saw him score his best goal for the club.
After a summer with San Jose Earthquakes, he made another half a dozen appearances for Hibs and was made captain for his final match, against Falkirk in October.
Best later became a freelance gun for hire, although manager Billy Bingham still considered including him in the Northern Ireland squad for the 1982 World Cup.
Instead, he kept faith with the group of players who had earned qualification to the World Cup, and Best was there only as part of the ITV commentary team.
Arbroath Vics club secretary Jimmy Smith knew Bill McMurdo – who was Best’s agent at the time – and asked if the 36-year-old would play in the centenary match.
Best was paid £1,500, which helped pay off an income tax bill!
Best was struggling with alcoholism and would often go missing so the Vics were on tenterhooks waiting for the star attraction to show up on August 8 1982.
Superstar couple had time for everyone
There was no need to worry because he got there in plenty of time.
Best arrived with former Miss World Mary Stävin but there was no ego or look-at-me prima-donna posturing from this superstar couple that day in Arbroath.
Vics boss Hardie recalled later: “When George turned up on the day of the game he immediately put everyone at ease in the dressing room.
“He didn’t need to be given a team talk — it was George Best!
“Mary also turned up on his arm and she was a real beauty. Just like George, she chatted away to the players and had time for everyone.
“George was a hero of mine when I was growing up but I could never have dreamed that one day I’d manage him.
“Arbroath were a good side in those days but George was the best player on the park.
“One shimmy in particular when he left three Arbroath players standing was just unbelievable.”
The Sunday afternoon game kicked off at 3pm and legendary whistler and 1982 World Cup referee Bob Valentine from Dundee was the man in the middle.
Best took time to get to grips with the game.
After a slow start he typically brought the game to life in the 34th minute.
Vics were 2-0 down at this stage when he dragged the ball across the box, turned several Arbroath defenders inside out, and then struck from six yards.
The shot was handled on the line by a defender and Best converted the penalty.
Vics then equalised before Best put them 3-2 in front – again from the penalty spot.
Arbroath scored a penalty themselves to make it 3-3 before Vics claimed victory with a goal that brought applause from the great man himself.
Best, of course, had a hand in it but the plaudits went to Ian Harrison who eluded a couple of defenders before thumping in the winner from an acute angle.
Best drank tea in the Vics social club
Although Best was limping noticeably before the match ended, he managed to last the full 90 minutes and was engulfed by pitch-invading youngsters at full-time.
Little wonder given his performance!
But the encore was almost as memorable as the 90-minute masterclass.
He enjoyed a hot bath after the match while the crowds hung around Gayfield for a glimpse of their hero and he obliged by signing hundreds of autographs.
Best spent a considerable period of time accommodating every request for his signature from young and old alike, which summed up the magic of the Belfast boy.
After the game he went back to the Vics social club for a question and answer session.
Despite his image as a hard drinker, the only thing he had to drink was a cup of tea.
Everyone who was there still fondly remembers it to this day.
Best also made guest appearances for Perthshire side Scone Thistle and Motherwell in August 1982 before signing for Bournemouth in March 1983.
He finally hung up his boots in 1984, at the age of 37, and fought a public battle against alcoholism until his death at the age of 59 on November 25 2005.
The legendary Brazilian Pelé famously named him as the world’s greatest-ever player.
Few would argue he was also the greatest player to ever grace Gayfield.
More like this:
The forgotten goal against Dundee which could have been the greatest George Best ever scored
In pictures: The changing face of Arbroath FC’s Gayfield stadium
Conversation