On the 12th of August 1983 - the greatest player Britain or Ireland has ever produced - George Best - turned out for us in a friendly against Shamrock Rovers at the Showgrounds.
The match was our final warmup game before the start of the 1983/84 season which, after a 43 year absence, finally seen us given our place back in the Irish League which we had been omitted from with the outbreak of World War 2.
The special occasion drew a huge crowd to the Showgrounds - many getting to see the ex-Manchester United and Nothern Ireland legend in the flesh for the first time - and they were treated to a highly entertaining 3-3 draw.
Although Best didn’t get his name on the scoresheet he did have a hand in two of our goals.
First he set up Eugene ‘Yogi’ McInerney to put us 1-0 up before Shamrock equalised through Alan Campbell.
Newry then went 2-1 up with a goal from Ronnie Clarke and soon after Clarke, a boyhood Manchester United fan, latched on to a through ball from his idol to score his second and our third.
Shamrock however scored twice late on to snatch a draw, - former Hearts favourite Pat Byrne scoring twice in the last ten minutes to end a highly enthralling contest all square.
The result didn’t matter, fans were only there for one thing - to get a glimpse of the bearded legend Best.
How good was it to see him in the famous blue and white stripes!
Back Row (L-R) Dennis Shields, Johnsie Mallon, Martin McCoy, Ronnie Clarke, Robbie Brown, Lindsay Morton, Maurice McAnulty, Ray Tumilty, Barry Brown (manager).
Front Row (L-R) John Grant (chairman), Tommy Kane, Eugene ‘Yogi’ McInerney, Danny Doran (captain), George Best, Lee O’Loughlin, Ollie Ralph.
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