Football legend George Best was as famous for being a playboy as he was for being a player – dating a string of glamorous women from actresses to Miss Worlds.
His profile, charm and looks that saw him dubbed the Fifth Beatle, were a seemingly irresistible combination.
Now the little black book where Best kept names and numbers of numerous lovers has sold at auction for £1,500 (€1,667)..
The Manchester United star was married twice, first to former playboy bunny Angie, who he met while winding down his career in the US in the 1970s.
He was boozing heavily and reportedly slept with Angie’s best pal, but the couple had son Calum before parting in 1981.
Despite this Angie once said: “Even when I divorced George, I had no ill will.”
Second wife Alex was with him from 1995 until 2004. Before that he was engaged to Eva Haraldsted, three weeks after meeting her. And in the mid-1970s he had a brief encounter with Texan Miss World Marjorie Wallace.
Best said later: “She wanted me because I was George Best and I wanted her because she was Miss World. It wasn’t exactly a meeting of minds."
He had flings with Barbara Windsor, Straw Dogs actress Susan George and Brit singer Lynsey de Paul, among countless others, and was unapologetic for devoting as much energy to having a good time as he did to football.
“If you’d given me the choice of beating four men and smashing a goal in from 30 yards against Liverpool or going to bed with Miss World,” he once said.
"It would have been a difficult choice. Luckily, I had both.”
Best died aged 59 in 2005.
Stacey’s Auctioneers in Basildon, Essex, said the book held “all his main contacts including, girlfriends” while a note inside reads: “With love, from George”.
But Dave Alexander, from memorabilia specialist Football Wanted, which arranged the sale, could not confirm any of the names listed.
He said: “We couldn’t bring the items to Essex because of lockdown, so I can’t tell you any juicy stories. But I would have loved to have had a look at it!”
The shirt Best wore on his international debut for Norther Ireland was also sold, fetching £13,000.
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