Lasting tribute for football legend
Best
A MAJOR initiative is to be launched next month to raise funds for a
lasting memorial to George Best in Belfast city centre.
And it has been revealed that the current golden boy of football in the
North, David Healy, has agreed to be the champion of the fund-raising
efforts.
The Lord Mayor of Belfast Pat McCarthy and George’s sister Barbara
McNarry personally delivered a letter inviting David to become involved
in the initiative during his recent trip home to play for the North against
Latvia.
Healy was unable to hide his delight at being involved. He said: “I
am absolutely privileged and delighted to have been asked to be the champion
of the memorial fund and had no hesitation whatsoever in agreeing to take
part.
“Like every other football fan and player from this part of the
world, George was my hero and to be associated with him in this way is
an opportunity of a lifetime.
“I would urge the general public to support this memorial when it
is launched next month.”
The Lord Mayor revealed that since George’s untimely death last
year, a number of organisations have been working closely with the Best
family on the plans for the memorial project.
It is planned that the memorials to George will consist of a life-size
statue in Belfast city centre and a portrait which will tour Northern
Ireland before being permanently housed at the Castlereagh council offices.
Any surplus money will go towards footballing schools of excellence, which
are being planned by the George Best Foundation as a living memorial.
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