got anyone who can take care of George, you might have a bit of a problem,” he was advised.

On match day, the sun was out but the County Ground was a quagmire, with the pitch markings practically indiscernible and barely a blade of grass to be seen. Best, unfazed by the uneven terrain on which he was forced to work his magic, at times seemed to glide above it as he set about almost single-handedly dismantling the Cobblers.

His opener was a gift, Book letting a Kidd cross from the right sail over his outstretched arms and leaving United’s No 7 with a straightforward back-post header towards the Hotel End. Latching on to a through ball from Crerand, the faintest of touches took him past Book before he fireda low diagonal shot into the corner for his second. Kidd, who scored United’s other two goals, turned provider again for goal number three, with Book weakly palming his cross into the path of Best, who roofed it at the second attempt despite the best efforts of three defenders attempting to block its path from six yards. No longer bothering to celebrate, he converted another Kidd cross after getting in front of his man to skim a deft near-post header home for his fourth.

This George Best effort was blocked but from the rebound he scored his third goal in the mud at the County Ground. Photograph: Michael Webb/Getty Images

Northampton, 5-0 down after Kidd added to United’s tally by stabbing home from a corner, decided to implement their original