Bidders pitch in to claim Best memorabilia

A COLLECTION of George Best memorabilia, collected by his late father Dickie over a 40-year period, was sold last night at an auction in Belfast.

Bids were registered from as far away as Australia, Canada and the US as George Best fans from all over the globe made offers to own a unique piece of sporting history.

Highest prices paid included a replica European Cup which sold for £2,600. This rare trophy was presented to Dickie Best to mark the highlight of George’s Man Utd career when he helped them win their first European Cup in 1968. A silver Benfica letter opener, dated March 9, 1966, made £900. This received a lot of attention as the memento was given to George to mark his two famous goals in Man Utd’s 5-1 European Cup defeat of Benfica in Lisbon.