Those fans who forced referee Alan Wiley to call a halt to the silence after 20 seconds should be ashamed. It was a sad indictment on the game's reputation that club rivalries could not be put aside to honour the passing of one of football's finest.
It would make little sense to debate George Best's position at the summit of footballing greats. Suffice to say, he was the complete package. His sponteneity and impudence on the field were matched by his gregarious character and good looks off the field to make him a King among men.
His off the field excesses became well documented, and it is often said that he wasted his talent and under-achieved. By quitting United at the tender age of 24, he served to elevate his status because the power of what could have been possible is often greater than what actually occured.
But at the same time, this neglects his achievments. His awesome contribution to United's 1968 European Cup triumph led him to become European Footballer of the Year at just 22. He was also the First Division's leading scorer in the same season.
What makes the disrespect so narrow-minded is that those fans could not recognise Best's achievements should be respected outside of Old Trafford. Any player who can score six goals in an FA Cup game deserves respect. Yes, it was against Northampton Town, but how often does that happen today?
Any player who scored the jaw-dropping goals, like those against Benfica, Sheffield United and Chelsea, deserves respect. When old footage is shown of games from 20 or 30 years ago, there are very few players who look like they could stand up to the rigours of the modern game. Best was one of them. Teams used to try and kick Best off the park, but he could handle that, and still display effortless balance and skill to unhinge defences across the land.
Even after he left United, footage of goals he scored in America leave a lasting impression. There are very few players who could do that. Best achieved global recognition despite a stifled international career. None of his 37 Northern Ireland caps ever came at a major tournament, and it is this fact that should draw the closest comparision with Ryan Giggs.
Giggs and Best have often been compared, but Giggs will never be the talisman that Best was. Giggs has been a great servant for United, and an outstanding player, but comparisons with Best are unfounded. Best's scoring record and final ball mark him out from the Welshman.
Wayne Rooney's goal in the 2-1 win at West Ham on Sunday sparked comparisons with the Belfast Boy. Rooney could be anything he wants to be, and there are those who see Rooney's destructive side as similar to Best's, but this could not be further from the truth. Rooney is rapidly maturing at United, and is not the party animal Best was.
Indeed, this man-of-the-people persona helped enhance Best's stock among many fans. He was a great player who liked a drink, and many fans could empathise. The harrowing bedside photo he asked to have published to warn against the dangers of alcoholism was a starlting reminder of the fallable nature of our sporting greats.
But it should be on the field where he should be remembered. There he was untouchable. There he was free. And there, the taunts and disrespect of opposing fans would have meant nothing to him.