George Best's old school faces shutdown

Plans to close George Best’s old school will wipe out part of the soccer legend’s past, it was claimed today.

Lisnasharragh High in east Belfast, where the future star honed his dazzling ball skills, is facing possible shut down.

Best became one of its first pupils in 1957 when he moved across the city from Grosvenor Grammar because the focus there was on rugby rather than football.

But with a falling enrolment leaving its future looking bleak, an East Belfast MLA spoke of his dismay.

Ulster Unionist representative Michael Copeland, who also attended Lisnasharragh, said: “It’s another link with George Best that will go.

“I was there after him, but it was widely known among all the pupils that somebody very special had gone there before them.”

Principal Lyn Thompson has also expressed dismay at the threatened closure, which comes in its 50th anniversary year and just months after Best’s death last November.

Lisnasharragh and three primary schools in the area all face the axe under proposals from the South Eastern Education and Library Board in Northern Ireland.

It has announced a consultation period before a final decision is taken by the North’s Education Minister, Angela Smith.

The Board’s chairman, Rev Gary Haire, said: “While no one likes having to consider the possible closure of schools, nevertheless, it is a fact that there are fewer children now and projections suggest that there will be fewer still over the next 10 years.

“The general trend over the last few years clearly shows that pupil numbers are decreasing at an unprecedented rate.

“The pace of the demographic downturn is such that we have no option but to critically review the schools estate.”