Ten years have flown by since the death of George Best... there'll never be another like him but in Belfast the search goes on

• It's been 10 years since legendary footballer George Best passed away 
• Northern Ireland are still searching Belfast for their next superstar 
• Best is the country's best ever player and won numerous accolades with Manchester United including European Footballer of the Year in 1968
• Best famously won the European Cup final against Benfica in same year 
• The former winger grew up on the Cregagh estate in east Belfast
• Ireland Under-21 boss Jim Magilton has created 'Club NI' to try nurture and develop youngsters to emulate Best 

By Michael Walker For The Daily Mail

Published: 17:30 EST, 20 November 2015 | Updated: 05:36 EST, 21 November 2015

Site 295, section S, Roselawn Cemetery, Belfast. Draped across the grass in front of the black headstone lies a green scarf. There are two ornamental footballs, a poppy and a fresh bunch of red roses. The scarf's white letters spell out: 'C'Mon Norn Iron'. The family name on the grave is Best. Here, with his parents Anne and Dickie, rests George Best.

It is near inconceivable to think that 10 fast years have passed since the world heard of George Best's death in the Cromwell hospital in London.

Irish football's version of a state funeral followed, Best's coffin being taken from his home on Burren Way on the Cregagh estate in east Belfast, via Stormont and up into the snowy hills that cloaked the city that November.

Northern Ireland legend George Best jumps for joy after passing his driving test in Belfast

The former Manchester United star played a starring role as his side won the 1968 European Cup final 

It was said many times in those days that Best would not be forgotten and those words were true. At Old Trafford on Wednesday — the 10th anniversary of Best's passing — there will be a new banner unfurled in his honour at the Stretford End before the Champions League game against PSV Eindhoven.

Elsewhere, Dutch magazine Voetbal International has eight pages on him in its current English football special.

Meanwhile back in Belfast, back on the Cregagh estate, Best's face glows from a mural over the old open lumpy field where he used to play. It's now smooth and fenced in. It's called the George Best Pitch.

In the Belfast Telegraph and other local papers, Best remains prominent. There are books, films, there was a £5 note commissioned.

Best lived a life of luxury as a footballer and is still fondly remembered all over Northern Ireland

The former European footballer of the Year plays cricket with his neighbours children

United fans left a touching memorial following his death and the club will unveil a banner on Wednesday

George Best resonates. It can be said the Irish are a bit too keen on remembering, but in the post-Paris atmosphere of these days it is striking that many of the streets around Best's have names such as Hamel, Bapaume, Picardy, Thiepval, Somme.

Best's forefathers from this area died in northern French towns in the First World War and that 'C'Mon Norn Iron' scarf at his headstone is a reminder that the descendants of Best, the Northern Ireland team of today, are going back to France next summer. The 1.8m population — two thirds of Greater Manchester, where Best made his home — makes Michael O'Neill's managerial achievement all the more admirable.

Best wheels away in celebration after scoring for United's second to help defeat Benfica in 1968

The flying-winger scored a brilliant individual goal at the old Wembley Stadium as United went on to win 4-1 

Another element to this achievement is that Best's Belfast is not supplying the resources it did once. The three key men in qualification for Euro 2016 were Gareth McAuley, captain Steven Davis and Kyle Lafferty. None are from Belfast.

Without any knowing reference, they call it 'best v best'. On the windswept edge of Belfast on a cold Wednesday night, coaches Conor Marlin and Darren Murphy are overseeing Northern Ireland's young players. The passing is as crisp as the wind. This is year-group 2000, Northern Ireland's Under 16s. There are 14 of them here and when asked about George Best 14 hands go up.

When asked about Belfast, there are eight from the city. Only one comes from Best's area — east Belfast — though amazingly he first lived on Burren Way, Best's street.

Even at 14 months Best was kicking a football as pictured outside his Granny Withers house in Belfast

In February of last year the Irish Football Association, motivated by O'Neill and the newly-appointed director of performance, Jim Magilton, created 'Club NI'. It is a re-structuring of youth coaching with the aim of getting the best players across Northern Ireland together much more often than in the past.

'Best v best — it's about increasing contact time,' says Magilton. 'If you are up against better players, you get better.'

And so three times a week, boys are driven across Northern Ireland to train and play together at places such as the University of Ulster pitches at Jordanstown.

Fans flocked in their thousands to say their final goodbyes to Best before his funeral service 

His son Calum Best looks on during the service as the footballing world said goodbye to the legend 

'In the previous system the boys might meet up once a week for 24 weeks,' explains Marlin. 'Now it's three times a week for 35 weeks. It's 'best v best', it's more intensive.

'We're also arranging more matches. Our Under 14s played in the Mediterranean Cup this Easter — they were beaten by Real Madrid.

'Our Under 13s beat Manchester United's 5-1 in the final of the Milk Cup. A 16-year-old now might play 60 times for Northern Ireland. That's never happened before.'

Magilton is witnessing 'a step up in quality,' but the former Southampton and Ipswich midfielder and manager is cautious, saying: 'I've been in England 20 years. I've seen what it takes.'

Northern Ireland Under-21 boss Jim Magilton is attempting to find the next Best in Belfast

The former European Player of the Year looks to take on the England defence at Windsor Park in 1971

From the Glen Road in west Belfast, Magilton joined Liverpool as a teenager and remembers how Belfast was.

'We were growing up in the Troubles,' he says. 'There were a lot of restraints. You were aware of what was going on around.

'There weren't the facilities, it was still a jumpers-for-goalposts time. It was all run by volunteers and I'm very appreciative of that. There was no coaching, it was just going out to play, get a shirt and go. There was very little training.

'But there were so many talented footballers. Maybe there was method in that madness. Was George Best coached?

Best is seen arriving at Euston Station before the game against Chelsea in 1967, which ended 1-1 

Best, pictured with his Lotus Europa, passed away in November 2005 from a lung infection and multiple organ failure following a long battle with alcoholism

'Now clubs can travel, you can go anywhere, boys have never been coached more, trained more, instructed more. There's certainly a lot more thought going into it but it's non-stop and there has to be a balance. Sometimes we feel there's 'paralysis by analysis'. It's why coach education is a major thing for us.'

Magilton recalls mid-1980s Liverpool: 'What an education. Every day you'd have Ronnie Moran or Roy Evans saying: 'Work it out for yourself, the solution is on the pitch' and Magilton mentions 'self-responsibility' more than once.

But while the boys at training can hear that, you have to be there. There have been changes in society. Recently the latest of several reports restated that Protestant working-class boys, a category Best, Danny Blanchflower and Norman Whiteside fell into, are falling behind academically and in terms of attainment. 

Then there is the increased profile and activity of Ulster Rugby, whose ground at Ravenhill now overshadows Best's Cregagh estate, while Gaelic Games (GAA) remains hugely popular on one side of the religious divide.

Well-wishers line the streets as Best's funeral cortege leaves the Cregagh estate in East Belfast

'Ulster Rugby have done a tremendous job, theirs is a very positive story,' Magilton adds. 'They have a core group of schools involved and they can control what they are coaching from an early age.

'It's the same with the GAA. On St. Patrick's Day both rugby's and Gaelic's schools cup finals are televised. Football's isn't.

'In terms of previous Belfast hotbeds for football — the Shankill and Falls Roads — we don't have exact numbers yet, but anecdotally we feel there's a drop-off. We have a wider spread, some rural. For all the coaching, there's still that lack of street footballers.'

Pat Crerand (left) and Best hold the European Cup with their manager Matt Busby at Euston Station 

Best was described as a 'genius' in the notes handed to Sir Matt Busby by the scout who discovered him

On the other side of the pitch this night is a 14-year-old who might fit that description. Small, lithe, from Belfast, he is set to play the young Best in football sequences in a new film. He is, moreover, already claimed by Liverpool. There are others — one at Chelsea, one at Manchester United, two at Everton and a third interesting Arsenal, who are renewing their interest in this part of the world.

'Arsenal think we have three boys who could go into their academy,' says Magilton.

Their names remain withheld, these coaches know how publicity can distort a boy's expectations.

Belfast is one place where you will not hear anyone talking about 'the next George Best'. There's only one.

Comments (66)

Share what you think

• Newest
• Oldest
• Best rated
• Worst rated

 View all

The comments below have not been moderated.

 View all

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

Add your comment

Enter your comment

By posting your comment you agree to our house rules.

Submit Comment Clear

Who is this week's top commenter? Find out now