The One That Got away?
Many years ago my late father Thomas Darlington told me an interesting tale about the great George Best.
I’m hoping my memory is right on this one. Maybe somebody out there can enlighten me if I get any facts wrong after forty years?!
It was in the 1960’s and Manchester United were playing at Old Trafford, George Best had never been booked at the time - which is a surprising fact if I’m right.
The referee was our very own Roy Darlington - no relation to my family but a good friend of my late father’s. I think Roy may have worked on the tarmac, laying flags with my father in Runcorn? Roy booked George Best during the game for being a bit ‘lippy’ and kicking the ball away. After the game the referee gave in his report of the match and the booking of George was strangely overturned by the FA…
Not surprisingly Roy Darlington ‘hit the roof’ and was extremely annoyed about famous players coming before the rules of the game. Roy then decided to inform the FA, that he was quitting. Roy quit even after he had reached the high standard of refereeing, good enough for Division One - a big achievement at the time for someone local.
Roy never refereed a league match again and the player got away with it.
I could be wrong. Perhaps the booked Manchester Untied player was Bobby Charlton or someone else?!
Come on you Reds, put me right on this one if you can!
Does anybody remember who Manchester United were playing and when it was?
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