Recovering Best blasts critics of liver transplant

FOOTBALL legend George Best has hit back at critics who said he did not deserve his liver transplant because of his alcoholism.

The ex-Manchester United and Northern Ireland legend said he had pledged never to drink again.

Best, 56, yesterday said he haemorrhaged so badly during surgery that he nearly died and found out he would not have lasted 12 weeks without surgery.

"I would never say to anybody you don't deserve to live, no matter who they are. As for calling this self-inflicted, I didn't decide one day that I would drink myself to death. It is as a result of alcoholism," he said.

He added: "I know myself I will never drink again. The only reason I would is because I want to kill myself or I want to go through this again and I don't want either, so there's no reason to drink."

Best said he was grateful to the anonymous donor of the organ, adding that he felt guilty that someone else had to die for him to survive.

And he said he now hoped to have children with wife Alex, 29, as soon as he was feeling better which he had been told would be in about three months.

But he said it was "extremely frightening" to find out how close to death he had come and the experience had forced him to confront his own mortality.

The TV pundit underwent 10 hours of major surgery and needed 40 pints of blood during the operation at the Cromwell Hospital in west London.

After spending several days in intensive care, Best was moved to a specialist liver ward last Thursday.

He had been waiting about seven to eight months for a suitable liver, after causing irreparable damage to his health from years of heavy drinking and high living.