Young George a good boy and a prefect

A Belfast principal has told how George Best was once a school prefect and remains a source of great inspiration for pupils today.

Lyn Thompson, head of Lisnasharragh High, said Best "epitomised the 'local boy made good' phenomenon" and "set a great example to pupils of the school of how one can succeed when one tries".

Ms Thompson was not principal of the east Belfast school during Best's time there but said she was well informed about its most famous past pupil.

"All the reports indicate that George was very able", she said.

"He was intelligent, very quiet and extremely shy.  George was not a boy who involved himself in any bad behaviour at all.  He was a good boy, a well adjusted boy".

"Indeed, he was a prefect for his final two years at the school."

She said Best's passion for football had been evident from an early age. 

"He transferred to us from the grammar sector so he could play football instead of rugby," she said.

"George played football in school at every break.  He practised on the pitches here after school and at weekends and on nights through the week" such was his passion even at that young age."

She said his skills were soon noticed.

"He started playing with a tennis ball rather than a football because it required more skill.  He could keep the ball up in the air for well over 100 kicks.  No-one could match it," she said.

"He once accidentally broke a window with a tennis ball so it was taken off him as a temporary measure!"

Ms Thompson said Best's death was a profound loss for the school, which is adorned with many photos of the foot-balling icon.

"We have lived with the fact that George Best went to this school for a long time," she said.

"So the whole school feels very aggrieved by the loss.  To the pupils here he was more than a footballer - he was a source of inspiration."

The school will hold a tribute service for Best in the coming weeks.  Invitations will be offered to the community and to peers from his era.