Ulster Bank notes Best way to remember football hero

Published on Thursday 26 October 2006 14:06

FOOTBALL legend and former Hibs star George Best is to be immortalised on a million commemorative £5 bank notes.

The Ulster Bank is to issue the limited edition notes as a tribute to the footballing genius next month to mark the first anniversary of his death.

The celebration of one of Northern Ireland's best-known sporting heroes will feature Best in both his Northern Ireland and Manchester United strips.

Finalised artwork for the note was unveiled at the bank's Belfast headquarters by chief executive Cormac McCarthy.

The star's father Dickie Best and sister Barbara McNarry were invited to attend as representatives of the George Best Foundation.

Mr McCarthy said: "At the outset of this project we wanted to ensure that, in celebrating the life of this legendary footballer, we paid fitting tribute to his contribution to football in Northern Ireland and beyond.

"We wanted to make it possible for fans throughout Northern Ireland and further afield to own their very own piece of unique George Best memorabilia."

He added: "By selecting the most affordable note denomination, five pounds, we have tried to make the notes as widely accessible as possible.

"This is the first time that Ulster Bank has commissioned a commemorative bank note and by limiting the print run to a million notes, we feel this makes the initiative even more significant."