George could never say no, says Best’s sister

A SISTER of the late soccer legend George Best yesterday described him as a person that could never say no.

But that proved to be his downfall and led to a long battle with alcoholism that eventually resulted in his untimely death two years ago aged 59, according to Barbara Best McNarry.

“Many thousands of people wanted a bit of him. They wanted to buy him a drink for a bit of his time, but he eventually succumbed to this dreaded disease,” she said.

She told a conference on drugs and alcohol misuse that the Manchester United hero had tried many, many times to stop drinking but it always got the better of him, as was the case with her late mother who died aged 56.

An emotional Ms Best McNarry said she simply adored her brother, the man who had everything. He was good looking, charismatic, extremely intelligent, very witty and generous but was also a person that could not say no.

She told the Kerry Life Education conference, in Killarney, that her mother did not start drinking until her early 40s, but could not stop. Her mother was a beautiful, gentle, caring person and loved her family of six children.

Ms Best McNarry, who has recently written a book, Our George — a Family Memoir, also spoke of the sheer joy of the Best family at times when they were alcohol-free and of how that turned to despair when alcohol again took over.

She said she was someone that could take or leave a drink, but her mother and brother could not.

Ms Best McNarry now spends much of her time working for the George Best Foundation, which raises funds for research into liver disease and works closely with young people through soccer. “If we can save one person’s life through this charity, it will do for me,” she said.

Voicing serious concerns about binge drinking among young people, she stressed it was vitally important to get the message about alcohol misuse.

While education was one way of doing that, she also believed local community groups should get together to provide more facilities for young people. Replying to questions from the floor, she said George was “totally anti-drugs”.

She also said he had no real regrets that she knew of, and never blamed anyone for his alcoholism.

Asked about her views on the sponsorship of sport by alcohol companies, she said the companies spent huge sums on advertising and not nearly enough on advising people to drink sensibly.

Companies should put more funds into educating people about the dangers of alcohol, she maintained.