Jewish Guild South Africa Appearances
Following his departure from Manchester United, Best plays a short spell for Jewish Guild in South Africa, beginning an itinerant later club career.
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
George Best Biography and Timeline — Page 2
Follow George Best through 62 dated historical records for Great Britain.
George Best, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
62Distinct records
2 of 2Page
1974–2006Years on this page
1974
1975
Cork Celtic League Appearances
Best turns out for Cork Celtic in the League of Ireland, bringing an internationally famous name to the club for a brief period.
Stockport County Playing Spell
Best makes three Football League appearances for Stockport County and scores twice during a brief return to English professional football.
1976
First Los Angeles Aztecs Season
Best joins the Los Angeles Aztecs in the North American Soccer League, where his technical ability makes him a prominent attraction.
Fulham Second Division Signing
Best joins Fulham and returns to English league football, playing alongside other experienced international names at Craven Cottage.
1977
Fulham Season Completion
Best concludes his Fulham spell after contributing goals and creative attacking play during the club’s campaign in England’s Second Division.
Return to Los Angeles Aztecs
Best resumes playing for the Los Angeles Aztecs after his Fulham period, continuing his North American Soccer League career.
1978
Fort Lauderdale Strikers Move
Best moves to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers, adding another North American Soccer League club to his career in the United States.
1979
Hibernian Scottish League Debut Season
Best signs for Hibernian and begins a Scottish football spell that brings large crowds and sustained media attention to the Edinburgh club.
1980
San Jose Earthquakes Signing
Best joins the San Jose Earthquakes in the North American Soccer League, beginning the last substantial top-flight spell of his playing career.
1981
Solo Goal Against Fort Lauderdale
Best scores a celebrated individual goal for San Jose against Fort Lauderdale, dribbling past multiple opponents before finishing.
1982
Hong Kong Rangers Appearance
Best plays briefly for Hong Kong Rangers as his football career continues through short appointments outside Britain.
1983
Bournemouth Third Division Spell
Best makes a small number of appearances for AFC Bournemouth in the English Third Division during the latter stages of his playing career.
Brisbane Lions Australian Appearances
Best makes four league appearances for Brisbane Lions in Australia’s National Soccer League, extending his playing career to another continent.
1984
Arrest of George Best
Best receives a three-month prison sentence for drunk driving, assaulting a police officer and failing to answer bail, he spent Christmas of 1984 behind bars and turned out as a player for Ford Open Prison
Tobermore United Competitive Appearance
Best makes an appearance for Tobermore United in Northern Irish football, one of his final recorded competitive club outings.
1999
Election
Voted 11th, behind Marco van Basten, at the IFFHS European Player of the Century election and 16th, behind Lothar Mattheus, in the World Player of the Century election
European Player of the Century
Voted 11th, behind Marco van Basten, at the IFFHS European Player of the Century election and 16th, behind Lothar Matth„us, in the World Player of the Century election
World Player of the Century
Voted 11th, behind Marco van Basten, at the IFFHS European Player of the Century election and 16th, behind Lothar Matth„us, in the World Player of the Century election
2002
Health of George Best
Best has a liver transplant at King's College Hospital in London
2005
Death of George Best
Death of George Best
2006
Belfast City Airport
Belfast City Airport is renamed George Best Belfast City Airport as a tribute to Best, the official new name and signage is unveiled to a gathering of the Best family and friends at the airport on 22 May 2006 which would have been his 60th birth
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.