BEST and PAPE

Football On This Day - 7th February 1970

George Best gave a masterclass performance when he scored 6 goals in an FA Cup Fifth Round match at the County Ground home of Northampton Town. Manchester United won the the match 8-2. Northampton's goalkeeper, Kim Book, later said 'not even the Berlin Wall could have stopped Best that day'!! 

Ray Fairfax, Best's marker, said 'The closest I got to him was when we shook hands after the game.'

match 8-2. 

On the 7th February 1925 one of the most unusual player transfers in English football history took place. Albert Pape started the day as a player for Second Division Clapton Orient (now Leyton Orient) and travelled by train with his team-mates for a League match against Manchester United at Old Trafford. 

Before his departure from London, representatives of the two clubs had spoken on the phone and had agreed in principle for Pape's transfer from Orient to United for a £1070 fee. When the Clapton Orient players arrived at Manchester's Piccadilly Station around mid-day United manager John Chapman was there to negotiate terms with Pape. Terms were agreed and the paperwork was wired from the Manchester General Post Office to the Football League and the FA and about an hour before kick off Albert Pape was confirmed as a Manchester United player. 

In the morning he was expecting to play for Clapton Orient against Manchester United but in fact turned out for Manchester United against Clapton Orient. Not only that he scored a goal for his new club in their 4-2 victory over his old club!