Stockport County made George Best history alongside Man United and Fulham: View | OneFootball

One of the world's most legendary players left part of his story inside Edgeley Park

Highlights

Few Football League sides can boast a world-famous Ballon d'Or, European Cup and English First Division winner in their history books, but Stockport County can, thanks to George Best's short stint at Edgeley Park back in 1975.

The Hatters aren't short of notable names in their hall of fame, most recently the likes of Dean Henderson and Ashley Williams, who are recognised in every football-supporting household in the country.

But Best trumps them all, by some distance. His is a name that sits in comfortable company among the likes of Pele, Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi as an all-time great of the game.

Yet, at 29 years old, he was lacing up his boots to face Swansea City at Edgeley Park.

The start, and indeed the bulk, of the most memorable periods in Best's career was, of course, just down the road from Edgeley Park, at Old Trafford with Manchester United.

Having been with the Reds since the age of 15, Best quickly rose to the first team and made his professional debut as a 17-year-old and scored in just his second appearance.

He was showing strong promise, but few could have predicted just how successful he would go on to be over the next few years.

By 23 years old, Best had a European Cup, league titles and a Ballon d'Or to his name, shooting him to stardom and cementing his place as one of the best players to have ever lived.

A mixture of personal demons and manager disputes drew the Old Trafford chapter of his career to a close, setting him on a career adventure that would see him take in the sights of Los Angeles, London, Hong Kong, South Africa, Australia and... Edgeley, just outside the centre of Stockport.

Best played his first post-United professional game at Edgeley Park

As Best's time with the Reds was nearing the end, he had turned out for non-league Dunstable Town after being convinced by manager Barry Fry to do him the favour, but the Northern Irishman's first professional game since departing Old Trafford came on 28 November 1975 for County. Over 9000 fans packed into Edgeley Park that Friday night for the occasion, according to records kept by online County archive Hatters Matters.

It would be the first of three league outings for the then-Fourth Division side, plus a friendly match set up against Stoke City which provided the first glimpse of Best at the club.

Before the friendly, the winger said: "Please don't judge me on this match, I am a long way off fitness." He went on to score a 25-yard free-kick in the game.

Despite only sticking around for a handful of games, he was as prolific as you might expect, scoring again in his first professional game for the Hatters against the Swans.

He netted again in his next game, a 2-2 draw against Watford, before finally drawing a blank in his last game for the club, a Boxing Day clash with Southport, but the Hatters still managed to nick a win thanks to an effort from Mick Hollis.

Stockport finished 21st that season, so the sprinkling of Best magic didn't quite do the trick to elevate the club, but it did provide County with a unique place in the history of one of football's most renowned icons.

County are part of an exclusive club in the history books

Although he was something of a journeyman in his post-United playing days, the Hatters remain part of an exclusive group of clubs to boast Best as part of their club's history.

Many clubs, including Cork Celtic and the three teams he played for in the United States, no longer exist, making that group even smaller today.

In England, only United, Dunstable, County, Fulham and AFC Bournemouth had any experience with the star, and it remains a source of Stopfordian pride today.

With the Hatters focusing on the development of young players in the present, perhaps one day another world-renowned footballing icon will pass through the doors of Edgeley Park. Regardless, the club will always be able to count one of the game's best-ever players, Best, as a former County player.