GEORGE BEST was close to death last night after a long battle against the effects of years of alcohol abuse. The 59-year-old former Manchester United and Northern Ireland winger remained in intensive care at the Cromwell Hospital in West London, with his family, including his father Dickie and son Calum, at his bedside. Unable to breathe unaided, Best was also suffering from internal bleeding.

The media surrounded the hospital yesterday, filming, interviewing and photographing his final visitors, who included Sir Bobby Charlton and Denis Law, two of his United team-mates in the club’s triumphs during the 1960s when Best was idolised by millions.

Across the world, his legions of admirers began reminiscing about Best’s dribbling skills and the pick of his 180 goals in 465 appearances for United, most notably in the 1968 European Cup final, the zenith of his career.

Professor Roger Williams, Best’s consultant and one of the country’s leading experts on liver disease, gave the unwelcome but long expected news yesterday, saying: “I am afraid Mr Best is coming to the end of the long road of his ill-health.”

He explained that this had been caused by recent complications of bleeding in the lungs and other parts of the body. “There is really no return from that situation,” Williams said. “It’s just not possible to recover from that episode that he had during last night and he is now facing.”

Williams, who has been treating the former European Footballer of the Year for nearly five years, said that he could not forecast the time of his death but said that it “was the final stages of this illness and I am afraid that he could die at any time over the next 24 hours.

“I would be very surprised if he survives another 24 hours”.

After a second visit to the hospital during the afternoon, he said: “There is no change, just deterioration.” Williams described a desolate picture of the final stages of the illnesss, saying: “We have just all been sitting down together and it’s very upsetting for everybody, isn’t it, those looking after him, the family? I have talked to them at great length. I think they understand everything. Calum is there, everybody is there. I think they understand everything.”

Williams, who in 1968 was a medical member of the team that conducted the first liver transplant, has become close to Best over the past few years and when asked how he felt personally, he appeared close to breaking down and simply replied: “I think we are all very upset.”

Williams oversaw Best’s liver transplant in 2002. However, Best ignored pleas to stay away from alcohol after the operation. Williams said on Tuesday that “his only difficulty comes when too many people are feeding him drink”.

On October 1, Best was admitted to the hospital suffering from a flu-like infection, but he rallied and his condition was thought to be improving until the early hours of Friday, when he suffered a severe setback. He then developed a lung infection and was put back on a ventilator in intensive care. On Tuesday night, his condition worsened significantly. Best carries a donor card and has said that on his death he would like his organs to be used to help others.

Another of his final visitors was Milan Mandaric, the Portsmouth chairman, who had been a close friend and had hurried to his bedside. He said that the family were taking Best’s deterioration badly, saying: “It’s not easy for them. Calum loves his Dad. They are all good people, like George.

“George was always there for me. I will always be there for George. I just want George to still be around. That would be my hope. What is a shame is that people who don’t know George Best don’t know what a great man he is. He’s got a large heart.”

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