BEST, George. Blessed: The Autobiography. (Signed Limited Edition)

London: Ebury Press, 2001. First edition, special limited edition, signed by George Best on the half-title. Royal 8vo. pp. 374. Bound in full black morocco leather, spine lettered in gilt, all edges gilt. A fine copy, housed in the publisher’s large presentation box, with the original folding illustrated biography and accompanying ephemera; the outer presentation box with some light surface wear and marking.

George Best’s celebrated autobiography, issued in only 1,010 copies and produced as a deluxe collector’s edition. This example is individually numbered 624/1010 and bears Best’s full autograph beneath the half-title Blessed.

Blessed, written with Roy Collins, is Best’s candid account of his life and career, encompassing his childhood in Belfast, his discovery by Manchester United scout Bob Bishop, the triumphs of the Busby era, international football with Northern Ireland and the fame that made him one of football’s first genuine global celebrities.

An attractive and substantial George Best signed limited edition, combining an authentic autograph with the autobiography of one of the most famous figures in British and Irish football. Particularly desirable in the original deluxe binding, presentation box and with the accompanying printed material preserved.

One of the most naturally gifted footballers of the twentieth century, George Best (1946–2005) became an international sporting icon during his extraordinary career with Manchester United. Joining the club as a teenager, he was a central figure in Matt Busby’s great side of the 1960s and helped Manchester United win the European Cup in 1968, scoring in the 4–1 victory over Benfica at Wembley. The same year he was named European Footballer of the Year. His combination of remarkable dribbling ability, pace, balance and goalscoring made him one of the defining players of his generation and one of Manchester United’s most celebrated footballers.

[WR sport]