Lancs legend Engineer is hoping to get the cogs turning at Old Trafford

THE indomitable Farokh Engineer will be back at his old stamping ground this week, sprinkling golden age glitter over Old Trafford again.

- EXCLUSIVE by Neil Squii es

Few cricketers put the swing into the swinging sixties and early seventies quite like the swashbuckling Indian wicketkeeper-batsman with the Brylcreem promotional contract.

A Lancashire legend through his performances for the all-conquering Red Rose one-day side, his exploits off the field in the company of one George Best were equally noteworthy.

“The Manchester United players had homes near the Old Trafford cricket ground,” recalled Engineer.

“George wasn’t interested in cricket — he couldn't even spell the word — but he had just come from Northern Ireland, | had just come from India and somehow we became very good friends.

“He enjoyed a good curry and I loved good Irish stew. He was a rather thirsty lad and | wasn’t far behind.

“I used to leave him sometimes in the middle of the night after a night out and tell him | was going home because |’d had enough. ‘I've got a game tomorrow and so have you,’ Vd tell him. ‘ll catch up with you later, Rooky,’ he’d say.

“1 don’t know whether he even went to bed but the next day he would dribble around the fullbacks and the goalkeeper and score.

“He was a genius. An absolute genius.”