As a Man City supporter who saw George Best a lot in the 60s, it's an irony that you also have an article on Colin Bell in The Game. A greater contrast in personalities you could hardly find. Best was a wonderful player, and when City were too far away, I'd often go with the away supporters at Old Trafford, to boo United and watch Best. I met him a couple of times (he lived down the road from us in Woodford for a while), and he was both times charming, shy and personable. It's a crying shame what has happened to him, but it's also a crying shame that a good liver was wasted on him, if he truly wasn't prepared to shout time on his drinking. Jeremy Poynton, Frome

Sure the media and time change things in our minds but I did see "Bestie" a few times with United in the 60's when they visited London - West Ham, Spurs and Palace and always plenty of goals. In my memory he received more attention due to the playboy image and cheeky play on the pitch. He had the Maradona-like gift of being able to ghost through defences. And often the ball crossed the line gently as per Bebeto and Brazil. Mostly I remember him as a waste of talent. I didn't like the way he treated Sir Matt either in the latter stages. He was one of the famous trio - Best, Law and Charlton - all were equal in my mind. Peter Ferris, Brisbane, Australia

I have watched a great deal of football in my life and was lucky enough to see George Best several times in the 1960's. He was poetry in motion on the football field, by far one of the most skilful players to play in the English game, in Europe and possibly the World. There have been glimpses of such talent in players like Gascoigne and Giggs but even they didn't come close to the magic he could display as he took the ball through the opposing team. It is completely misleading to suggest that he was "loathed, despised, vilified and seen as an embodiment of all that is wrong in football". Sure, he was seen as a playboy off the field and there is little doubt that he wasted much of his talent - both while playing and after - but to the football fan, he was a genius who took the game to it's highest level. Keith Downer, London

My father took me to my first professional game in 1938 and I have been a fan for all of my life. George Best is the greatest player I have ever seen. His talent, entirely natural, was fantastic. The way he could walk through defences and score, seemingly, simple goals was in a class of its own. A top goalkeeper was once interviewed regarding the players that he feared the most, his answer, just one - George Best. Because he could make you appear to be absolutely stupid. Derek Bowden, Wyckoff, USA

I didn't see Best play in a live game until his days at Fulham when he made a comeback towards the end of his career as a player. Obviously before that I had seen clips on TV and watched him on Match of the day and especially enjoyed his six goals against a bemused Northampton. He was absolute genius and embodied a fantasy that is lacking in so many "world class" players of today. Without doubt, he has to be classed in the same company as Maradona, Cruyff and Pele - all who truly personified that overused term world class. Back to Fulham, even then Best's genius still shone through and in that team with Marsh, Moore and Mullery the enjoyment they showed while playing was felt by the crowd. I am a Chelsea supporter but when Best was playing it wasn't too far a detour from the Bridge to the Cottage. An excellent piece by Simon Barnes and he makes a good point about Best. Yes, we think of him in terms of skill and the share beauty of the game, but I had never given the courage aspect any thought. It truly sums up Best and you can see that same characteristic in his approach to life. He just keeps on coming back. Long may it be so. Francis Jones, London

I was fortunate enough to see Best play a number of times and perhaps unfortunate enough to support Sheffield Wednesday. How he tormented and delighted. How we loved him even when he flowed through our defense of hard dour professionals like Megson and Mobley. What did we really love? He was like us, or rather, what we wished to be: good looking, talented and above all rebellious. We couldn't understand why he gave up on football but perhaps with age we can. "Ah but we may as well try and catch the wind." Keith Hurst, Atlanta, USA

God Bless Simon Barnes for his article on George Best and defending our national treasure. I grew up in Belfast near to the Best family home, had a brief "courtship" with one of his sisters and met most of his family. I started my amateur playing career with Creagh Boys, as did George. Good players at the time thought they were good until they played with and against him. His God-given natural ability appeared to others as arrogance on the field, not helped by his rugged good looks and charisma off it, leading to an endless queue of beautiful women bidding for his attention. Throughout history, those in various walks of life who have been blessed with a gift that has thrilled and inspired a generation throughout the world appear to have a flawed character that inevitably leads to their untimely downfall. It almost appears to be an essential qualification in order to graduate as a genius. George Best should be given a knighthood before he dies, if not to thank him, then to at least acknowledge in him a talent that was extraordinary to the point of sublime. I, like many others, will always remember the magic feet, the style, humour and charisma and, most importantly, how he created a pride among the people of Northern Ireland across the political divide at a time when the political process and terrorism was going through its worst period. Thank you "Sir George" for the memories. You truly are "The Belfast boy that done good". Terry Wilson, London

I saw Best play once in the flesh. It was 1966 and I was nine years old, an Oldham Athletic supporter whose father had provided the special treat of a visit to Old Trafford to see that great Best-Law-Charlton side. United beat Ipswich 2-0 and Best scored a typically virtuoso goal. Petulant or not, he was that rare player who invokes a collective catch of breath from the crowd, a frision of expectation, every time he gets the ball. Gascoigne had it - Rooney has it too. Philip Clegg, West Yorkshire

As a school boy growing up in Macclesfield, 20 mins south of Manchester, I was in awe of Georgie. The skill of the man was phenomenal. He could dazzle, dribble and show up the other players around him. He played aggressively and yet with a sense of humour. Who can forget him kicking the ball out of Pat Jennings hand to try and score? He was the antithesis of Bobby Charlton, whose class and dignity contrasted to Georgie's flair and style. Bobby had very little patience for Bestie, however for me, standing on the Stretford End as a 9 year sing "E for B and Georgie Best" the man is and was the greatest soccer player ever. I met the man in 1969 outside a cafe behind Kendals, it was a magical moment that still lives in my mind. Georgie, thanks for all the memories. Bob Leon, New York

Simon Barnes is spot on about Georgie Best. Remember the football scene in Kes. Brian Glover, the teacher, decides he's going to be Charlton, not Best... I had a Manchester Unitd pennant on my bedroom wall (even though I was a Derby fan - that's how important Man Utd were) but I loved Bobby Charlton. I was scared of George Best. Willie Morgan was just about ok but bordering on dangerous with that haircut. And, it has to be said, that Best was inconsistent, certainly in the late sixties, early seventies. United were not really a big threat to Derby when Charlton's legs faded, Law's instincts failed him and Best couldn't be bothered. He played more and more as an individual, suggesting with his body language that his team-mates weren't worthy. Nothing rankles more. Football is a team game, even if you're Pele or Maradona. So when Best took off to Spain in a fit of pique and United lost patience, we were as delighted as when Hoddle dropped Beckham and subsequently got sent off in 98. "Serves him right, the flash git", was our reaction. We Brits like people to know their station. And that's why the Press will always be gunning for Rooney whilst worshipping his talent. We need someone to raise his game to Rooney's level before he becomes isolated, or he'll head the same way as Best. Loved, hated, and ultimately abandoned. Ashley Slater, London

George Best was the most gifted player I have ever had the pleasure of watching. the first game I watched with him playing was at West Brom he was absolutely brilliant to watch he did things that young people, as I was then, had only ever dreamed about, he was creative, quick and above all three steps ahead of all the rest in his thought process. That was on the field of play. Off,well, I remember many of his antics getting terrible press coverage when most folk only cared about his ability on the pitch. He set a poor example to others with his behaviour on occasion but many of his stunts didn't even warrant a mention. He was and still is a very guilible man who can make simple mistakes and pay a terrible price for it. I thing he was the BEST of the lot in the English game. Many have followed but none have matched him for his pure talent. I wish him well. Ken Attwood, St Martin De Landelles, France

I saw George Best play for Manchester United when I was a child. He was the most gifted player I have ever seen. I remember a game against West Ham at Old Trafford. He ran around the West Ham defence for 90 minutes. Short-sighted people complained because he didn't fit the Charlton/Law model of the "well-behaved" sportsman. Had George been English and not Irish, minders would have kept him on the straight and narrow. Pele? Maradona? No, George is the Best I have seen. Nick Mitchell, Miami Beach, USA

As relentless as his skills were, George Best was an indifferent person who fully understood his abilities and, I would believe more importantly for him, the personal benefits this allowed him off the football pitch. He very much lived to excess off the pitch with countless stories of drunken binges, romps with some of the most beautiful women of the day and a less than enthusiastic approach to the game that served him so well. In many respects, he was the first modern day footballer with the levels of petulance and disregard for authority displayed by many of today's "icons". All of this, I would argue, came from over exposure in the media, staggeringly high wages (even for George in his day) and a belief that these people are beyond reproach for anything they do or say. George Best is not, and has never been an ambassador for football. His reputation is based on a few fleeting years of domestic brilliance. His commenting of the game is bland, his punditry lacks insight and intelligence and his contribution to grass roots football in Northern Ireland has been non-existent yet he has fashioned a career from simply being “George Best”. I agree in many respects that he epitomised the facade of the 1960s but it's a fair point to argue that, like the 60s, once they were over they could never come back...like George Best, once he left the game he never contributed anything more. Paul Phillips, Sydney, Australia

As a boy growing up at the time George Best actually kicked a ball, I can say that he has had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with how I felt or behaved or for that matter played football. He once drove me around Roker Park in the bright green Lotus Europa he then owned (circa 1971); and I remember him as quite nice; at that time I was around eleven years of age. Otherwise "Bestie" was just a good football player who played for another team. We Sunderland boys thought our Dennis Tueart far better. It is the media who are responsible for creating the monsters we come to know and George Best is no exception to that rule. I bet his first drink was bought him by a journalist. Steve Ward, Hastings

I saw Best play often, but only once in person, at Old Trafford. He was liquid gold. At his best he just floated over the turf, and he could stun you with what he did with the ball. He was original, natural, inspired and delightful. The only other player I ever saw who could rise to Bestian heights was Socrates. I couldn't care less about Best's personal life, except to wish him courage and pride. He had a gift and he was an artist. Robert Fournier, Vancouver, Canada

I was living in Manchester during Best's great years at Utd. I first saw him play in 1965 before he became famous and I can only say that having played soccer and watched all the truly great players of the late fifties and ever since George Best was simply the greatest. No player before or since brought the crowd to their feet quite like George. When he got the ball there was an air of excitement went round the stadium that was unique. He had everything, ball skills, balance, two footed, (impossible to tell which foot was the natural one )speed, courage, strength, superb tackler and very good in the air. He could have played in any position. Such a pity he stopped playing before reaching his peak. The word genius is too often applied today in the soccer world but, make no mistake George Best was a soccer genius. Jack Hamilton, Sarasota, USA

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