[7] Although born in Scotland, Fairbairn qualified to play international rugby league for England due to his father being English.
During the first half of the Final, a dropped ball by Fairbairn after a Lions scrum win saw Australian centre Russel Gartner race away for a 60-metre try.
George Fairbairn played fullback and scored a try and two conversions in Wigan's 10–26 defeat by Warrington in the 1980–81 Lancashire Cup Final during the 1980–81 season at Knowsley Road, St. Helens, on Saturday 4 October 1980.
Fairbairn was appointed as a player-coach at Wigan for the 1980–81 season, helping the club win promotion back to the first division.
After the club's coaching duties were given to Maurice Bamford at the end of the season, Fairbairn requested a transfer, and was sold to Hull Kingston Rovers for a record fee of £72,500.
Fairbairn played fullback in Great Britain's 7–8 defeat by France in the friendly at Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo, Venice on Saturday 31 July 1982.
In October 1983, Fairbairn played fullback for Hull KR in their 8–6 victory over the touring Queensland state team from Australia at Craven Park.
George Fairbairn played fullback in Hull KR's 14–15 defeat by Castleford in the 1985–86 Challenge Cup Final at Wembley Stadium, London, on Saturday 3 May 1986, in front of a crowd of 82,134.