Striker Healy pledges cash for Best statue

Leeds United striker David Healy set the ball rolling today to build a statue of George Best.

He wrote a cheque for £1,000 (€1,500) towards a fund to erect a memorial in the centre of Belfast.

Healy is patron of the George Best Memorial Trust. He had pledged to donate £1 (€1.50) for every item sold at the launch sale of a range of sportswear he has endorsed.

It is costing an estimated £200,000 (€302,000) to pay for the statue, which will be located temporarily in the grounds of Belfast City Hall before it gets a permanent base as part of plans to revamp the city centre.

Northern Ireland international Healy, said: “A small donation of a couple of pounds each from all Northern Ireland and Manchester United supporters would see the target amount being reached without too much difficulty.”

A sculptor is expected to be chosen by April and there are plans to unveil the statue by the time of the second anniversary of Best’s death in November.