 Best atWest Ham United'sBoleyn Ground, in August 2012 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Clyde Cyril BestMBE | ||
| Date of birth | (1951-02-24)24 February 1951 (age 74) | ||
| Place of birth | Somerset,Bermuda | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Somerset Trojans | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1968–1976 | West Ham United | 186 | (47) |
| 1975 | →Tampa Bay Rowdies (loan) | 19 | (6) |
| 1976 | Tampa Bay Rowdies(indoor) | 4 | (7) |
| 1976 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 19 | (9) |
| 1977–1981 | Portland Timbers | 118 | (38) |
| 1977–1978 | Feyenoord | 23 | (3) |
| 1979–1980 | Cleveland Force(indoor) | 30 | (33) |
| 1980–1981 | Portland Timbers(indoor) | 6 | (2) |
| 1981–1982 | Toronto Blizzard | 22 | (2) |
| 1981–1982 | Toronto Blizzard(indoor) | 18 | (3) |
| 1982–1984 | Los Angeles Lazers(indoor) | 90 | (29) |
| Total | 535 | (179) | |
| International career | |||
| 1968 | Bermuda | 2 | (1[1]) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1997–1999 | Bermuda | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Clyde Cyril BestOBE (born 24 February 1951) is a Bermudian formerfootball player. He was one of the firstblack players inFirst Division football in England, scoring 47 goals as astriker forWest Ham United between 1968 and 1976.
Best moved from Bermuda to England at the age of 17, to play forWest Ham United. Upon his arrival he was looked after by club captainBobby Moore.[2] He has credited Moore and fellow West Ham playersHarry Redknapp andBilly Bonds with helping him deal with racist abuse.[2]
As one of England's first black footballers, Best was regularly targeted withracist chanting from the terraces,[3] but eventually became a fan favourite atUpton Park. He was a strong, powerful player with the skills of the traditional English centre forward, tough to dispossess when he had the ball and good in the air. He made his debut for West Ham United in a 1–1home draw againstArsenal on 25 August 1969 at the age of 18. His first goal for the Hammers came duringLeague Cup competition, in a 4–2 win againstHalifax Town, on 3 September 1969. In 1973 Best deputised for an injuredBobby Ferguson in goal againstLeeds United.[4] Best played 218 games and registered 58 goals for West Ham over 7 seasons between August 1969 and January 1976.[5]
Best also played in the DutchEredivisie forFeyenoord where he was generally viewed as a failure, scoring only 3 goals in 23 matches,[6] and in the United States and Canada forTampa Bay Rowdies,Toronto Blizzard andPortland Timbers of theNorth American Soccer League. While playing for Tampa Bay inSoccer Bowl '75, he scored an 88th-minute goal to secure the Rowdies' first NASL championship in a 2–0 victory over Portland Timbers.[7] The following spring he led the Rowdies to the1976 indoor title and was named tournament MVP.[8] He was the Rowdies leading scorer for the brief1976 indoor season with 11 goals, 5 assists for 27 points.[9]
Best was an assistant coach for theSan Diego Sockers for a brief period in the early 1990s.[10] Best coached theBermuda national team from 1997 to 1999.
After his coaching career finished he retired back to Bermuda.[2]
Best was inducted into the Bermuda National Sports Hall of Fame in 2004. He was awarded anMBE in the2006 New Year Honours list for services to football and the community in Bermuda.[11][12]
