On 28th November 1975, George Best made a League debut for Stockport County, yes he really did! After his acrimonious departure from Old Trafford in 1974, he made his first brief return to League football at Edgeley Park and made his debut for Stockport in their home Fourth Division match against Swansea City on 28th November 1975. He scored a goal in County's 3-2 victory and played in their next two home matches, against Watford and Southport, before moving on and growing a longer beard!
With his good looks, dark "Beatle" mop of hair and playboy lifestyle, Best became one of the first media celebrity footballers, earning the nickname "El Beatle" by Portuguese press reporters after a stand-out performance for Manchester United in Lisbon in March 1966. However, his extravagant lifestyle led to various personal problems, most notably alcoholism, which he suffered from for the rest of his life. These issues affected him on and off the field, causing controversy. Although conscious of his problems, he was publicly not contrite about them; he said of his career: "I spent a lot of money on booze, birds [women] and fast cars – the rest I just squandered".
After football, he spent some time as a football analyst, but his financial and health problems continued into his retirement. He died in 2005, aged 59, due to complications from the immunosuppresive drugs, he needed to take after a liver transplant in 2002. He lived a desperate life following this and died on November 25 2005 aged 59. A shocking waste.
A day later, on the 29th but in1990, on his 17th birthday, another United youth team star was revealed to the world, made his mark at Manchester United. Ryan Giggs was awarded a 5 year professional contract. He was regarded as the best prospect at Old Trafford since George Best. Ryan signed the contract and was immediately part of the United family. Giggs is the son of former rugby union and Wales international rugby league footballer Danny Wilson. Giggs was christened Ryan Joseph Wilson but as a teenager changed his surname to that of his mother after his parents separated.
Giggs won 64 caps as a Wales international as their leading light from 2000 onwards, although they were frustrated in their efforts to reach a major tournament. However, he is United's all-time leading appearance-maker (963) and, with 25 major honours, he is the most decorated player in British football history. His numbers for Wales place him outside of the top 10 for appearances and goals, with near misses for USA 94 and Euro 2008, the closest he came to qualification for an international tournament.
Van Gaal retained Giggs as his assistant manager, but Jose Mourinho's move to the club in 2016 signalled the end of Giggs' time on the United bench. He took up the challenge of replacing Chris Coleman as Wales boss in 2018, before a legal case again forced him to step away in 2020, and he formally resigned this summer. Giggs was initially arrested on suspicion of assault in November 2020, in relation to an allegation made against him by his ex-partner, and he was immediately placed on leave by the FAW. He was later charged with assault causing actual bodily harm, common assault, and coercive and controlling behaviour.
He denied all charges during a trial in Manchester in August 2022. The jury was later dismissed by the judge after failing to reach a verdict on any of the counts named.
Giggs faces a retrial in July 2023. Giggs and the FAW opted for a policy of caution during the police investigation, and subsequent court case, as Rob Page stepped in as caretaker. Page led Wales at Euro 2020, with Giggs still on leave, and the FAW indicated the former would manage the team at the 2022 World Cup, if they qualified. Giggs resigned and Page secured a play-off spot in Qatar, with the FAW swiftly confirming a contract extension for him.
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