My father was possibly Manchester United's greatest player of all time; I am now president of the women's team

The president of the Dorking Wanderers women's team clearly inherited his football knowledge from the Bests.

george bestthat is, whose son Calum is now carving his own path to glory.

Despite the football heritage that his father – the united man legend: It was in the realm of reality TV that the 43-year-old forged his individual path to fame.

His appearances on shows including Celebrity Love Island, Celebrity Big Brother, SAS Who Dares wins and many more made him an American television personality.

But the California-born star has never lost his passion for soccer.

For the past few years, Best has held the role of president of the Dorking Wanderers women's team as he attempts to take the Tier 5 team to a higher level in the football pyramid.

Speaking to talkSPORT's Shebahn Aherne and Ruesha Littlejohn on The Kickback, she explained that it was something that had happened quite unexpectedly.

“I've loved football my whole life,” Best said. “When I moved here from California when I was 21, I stopped loving football because I felt the pressure more than I had ever felt before. Because it was put in my face so many times.

“And then a few years later I started playing charity games and I always went to United and then I became a Dorking Wanderers fan through my friend Marc White. “I'm sure you've seen clips of Marc White on various lots of amateur shows and things like that.

“He told me, we are launching this women's side of our team because as a club grows you need certain aspects of the club for it to grow and I am thinking of launching a development team, a women's side and a men's development team.

“And he asked me to make a little good luck video, so I grabbed the phone and did good luck, all that. And then I thought, this is really cool, what else can I do? I asked him if I could sponsor the team with a business that he had and he said to me, friend, do you want to get more involved?

“And I said, well, what do you think? He said, what does president sound like? I said, it sounds really good to me, and I liked the idea of ​​it being a grassroots thing at the time.

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“They were at the bottom of the football pyramid. I was on a random field somewhere muddy, there was nothing glamorous about it and I loved the idea. So I said yes, I'll take the role and here I am in my fourth season. Entering my fifth!”

It has been a role that has not been without difficulties for Best.

When asked if he ever had to deal with people belittling his decisions or criticizing him for false reasons, he admitted that he had certainly faced difficult times.

He added: “I think there's a lot of cynicism like, well, that person is only going there for money reasons. But at the end of the day I feel like having your eyes on whatever awareness you're trying to raise is always going to help.” So if there is a person in the public eye who is doing it, it will obviously bring light to any situation that is correct.

“So I knew it could happen, but I didn't become president of Dorking thinking about anything else that sounds fun, you know, it sounds great. I love football, I love the camaraderie that's in it; I'm getting older, which means you don't don't play as much.

“But if I can take my enthusiasm for the game and my love for the game to a club where it's on the rise, then I'll try it, you know?”

Best added that at times he had even had to deal with violent reactions from his close friends.

“I will tell you a hard truth,” he explained. “I sat down with some friends I play soccer with and they literally told me 'shouldn't the field be smaller, shouldn't the goals be smaller?'

“And I told them that my team would outdo them all day long. And it's just this weird petty skepticism. I know a lot of people are like that and I know that as a nation we're like that too, but I just think why hold it back when you can sing your praises?”

And his dedication to the team is truly great, as the team was also the subject of a 2022 BBC documentary. Dorking until I diewhich shed light on the team's mission to win the league and the role played by Best.

“I want to see them succeed,” he added. “I want to see them prosper because they deserve it.

“This Sunday, for example, in a couple of days we have the FA Cup and it is the second time we have reached the first round and if we win this game, which is what we should, we will be as far away as we can be. I have ever been .

“I'm excited for them more than anything, but I'm the loudest president you'll ever meet! I'm on the sidelines, the referee is yelling at me, I'm outside the box trying to yell when they tell me to get back into it.

“But I love it. I'll definitely be the loudest man in the room. I just went on a work trip and made sure my ride got home today so I could be there this Sunday for our FA Cup game.”

While his new focus is Dorking Wanderers, Best is always keeping an eye on what is happening at Manchester United, a club that will always be close to his heart thanks to his father George's long association with Old Trafford.

The Belfast-born winger spent 11 years as a Red Devil and is remembered as one of the most beloved names to ever wear the shirt.

Tragically, in November 2005, Best died at the age of 59 after multiple organ failure, something that hit his son and the rest of his family hard.

Tributes were paid to the legend from across the football world and Calum joined his former team-mates in observing a minute's silence on the pitch at Man United's next match.

He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players to ever grace the field and is often lamented that he never appeared on the World Cup stage for Northern Ireland.

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However, he won two First Division titles with Man United in the 1960s, as well as the 1968 European Cup and two Charity Shields.

However, many decades after his father's glory days at the club, Calum reflected that he was glad to see another club legend have taken on the role of caretaker boss.

“I love the idea of (Ruud) Van Nistelrooy” he admitted. “I think he's a genius. I watched the game (against Leicester) and thought what a great person to have! Who knows if it will stay, but I thought it looks good.

“I remember a random story, this is a little tragic, but I'll tell you anyway because it's a little relevant. When my old man passed away, I was all over the place. I remember I was drinking whiskey before this memorial, I was quite lost in that moment and I remember that Ruud came up among all the people and sat there and looked at me.

“And I could feel his sincerity when he asked me how I was doing. So I've always had a soft spot for him and I liked seeing him on the sideline.”

So, with an FA Cup run on the line for his Dorking team and a big season ahead for his beloved Man United, how does Calum reflect on everything his and his father's careers have taught him so far?

“I just feel that way,” he said. “As much of a spiritual guru as I may seem, I think all those trials and tribulations, those ups and downs, get you to this point now and I feel happy and healthy and comfortable.

“I run some successful businesses. I have a lot of good passions, I'm always learning, we're always trying to do better and be better, but I think I've had a crazy life, you know, in football. I'm grateful to my dad.” and everything it brings.

“I love being able to go to Old Trafford and sit in the director's box and enjoy that. I love it. I'm 43 years old and I've worked hard to create the life I've created, but I also know I had one foot in the door.

“But the flip side is you have to keep that door open, you have to prove yourself and at some point I realized that I take away the pressures of being George Best's son and make it all about me, you know.

“It's just a life I want to live and a life I want to create, but respecting my mom and dad for bringing me here.”