Best's plea: Don't let drink wreck your life

Published on Monday 21 November 2005 00:52

GEORGE Best releases a photograph showing the shocking extent of his suffering as the man dubbed Britain's greatest-ever footballer was yesterday described as being in a "dangerous" condition and struggling to survive on a life support machine.

His long-time friend and agent Phil Hughes said Best had insisted he take the picture minutes before the former star was transferred to an intensive care unit, as a warning to others against the dangers of heavy drinking.

The picture, which appeared in the News of the World, showed the shrunken ex-Manchester United hero lying in a hospital bed with tubes attached to his bruised body.

Best's weight has plunged to barely seven stone and his skin has turned yellow due to a failing liver. Mr Hughes said: "George could never beat his drink problem, but he told me: 'I hope my plight can act as a warning to others'.

"Taking the pictures was the most harrowing thing I've ever done. I've been with George for 25 years, through all the great times and the very bad times."

Last night, footballing legend Best was still clinging to life as his family maintained a bedside vigil. Best, 59, was yesterday visited by his son, father, sisters and brothers as he struggled to survive his latest health crisis.

He was placed on a ventilator at London's Cromwell Hospital in the early hours of Saturday morning after he developed a serious lung infection.

Hospital spokesman Jeffrey Brandon, said last night that Best remained in a serious but stable condition in intensive care. Mr Brandon explained: "He is stable but remains critical. He is still on the life support machine. They have been able to withdraw one of the medicines he was on but he remains critical."

Dr Akeel Alisa, assistant to Professor Roger Williams, who has been treating Best, said they were doing everything they could to help the former footballer.

She said: "He remains very critical and in a dangerous condition. We are following all medical avenues to try to keep him stable. He is ventilated so he is not conscious."

Best's son, Calum, arrived at the hospital yesterday to visit his father. Mr Hughes said his two sisters, Barbara and Carol, were also at his bedside, as were his two brothers-in-law, Norman and Alan, and his brother Ian. When a grim-faced Calum left the hospital on Saturday night he took time to thank the public for their support for his father.

He said: "I want to say that my dad is very ill at the moment but he is stable. I would like to thank all the well-wishers; it really means a lot to me and the family."

He refused to give up hope that hard-living Best would recover from his latest brush with death. Calum said: "He's stable, so hopefully he is going to get better."

About 20 minutes earlier, Best's elderly father, Dickie, also left the hospital and was driven away.

Best, who ended his British footballing career at Hibernian, was admitted to the private Cromwell Hospital last month suffering from a flu-like infection. At first he seemed to be rallying, but his health deteriorated rapidly three weeks ago when he developed a kidney infection.

His condition was thought to be improving again until Friday, when Professor Williams announced he had suffered "a big setback" and had developed a severe lung infection. Last night, Mr Williams admitted Best could be dead within 24 hours unless his condition took a huge turn for the better.

"I would like to have seen some very definite improvement in this last 24 hours, so I think the next 24 hours is going to be critical," he said.

Belfast-born Best underwent a liver transplant in 2002 - a last-ditch procedure aimed at saving his life. He vowed to beat the drink problem that had plagued him throughout his life, but continued to drink heavily and became involved in a series of alcohol-fuelled bust-ups with a string of partners.

The player became an almost instant star when he signed for Matt Busby's Manchester United side in the early 1960s, aged only 15.

But the drinking that was to blight his life later spiralled out of control and his career nose-dived after he quit the club in 1974, at just 27.