September 14 – Paying the Penalty and George Best’s Debut

The first sightings of the penalty kick and George Best in today’s round up of footballing history.

1891 – Paying the Penalty
THE humble penalty kick: scourge of England, masterminded by Germany, invented by an Irishman and first seen today in 1891. Read all about it here.

1963 – Maradona good, Pele Better, George Best
IN 1961 Manchester United Manager Matt Busby received a telegram from Bob Bishop, one of his scouts in Northern Ireland. It read: “I think I’ve found you a genius.”

Two years later, on this very day in 1963, a 17-year-old George Best made his United debut in a 1-0 win over West Brom. The performer had found his stage and Bestie would grace Old Trafford for the next ten spell-binding years which would see him, and United at their peak. Click here for the full story.

Best knows his way around San Jose in this NASL game from 1981.