Letter: George Best despite his battles put our wee country on map - and for the right reasons

Apparently, one of George Best’s sisters has had to hit out at social media trolls who have gone out of their way to attack her brother and try to tarnish his memory. Some have referred to him as a drunk and said George should have been ashamed for going back on the booze after his 2002 liver transplant.

Northern Ireland has been a place that has had its fair share of bad publicity, especially the dark days of the Troubles. But George Best cared about Northern Ireland and especially his East Belfast roots. He managed, on and off the field, to transcend the sectarian divisions in our troubled land.

Long before his death at just 59, his photograph and posters adorned the walls of bedrooms from the Shankill to the Bogside. He is remembered by many for what he was – an outstanding player and a genuinely ordinary Belfast guy. And yes, ordinary Belfast guys do have their faults.

The begrudging comments on social media denigrating George take no account of the feelings of those who matter most – his family who no doubt still miss him. George’s life and death should make all those toxic trolls reflect on their own lives and the choices and mistakes they made in their lives.

George blamed no-one. He didn’t ask for sympathy. He didn’t make excuses. He killed no-one but himself with a disease that was out of his control.

A disease that is suffered by many ordinary people in society but made all the more difficult by his celebrity status. Despite his flaws George did help put our wee country on the map for all the right reasons.

His memory lives on in grainy celluloid as goalkeeper after goalkeeper scratch their heads in amazement as they pick the ball out of the back of the net.

I hope all the begrudgers and toxic armchair social media trolls reflect on George’s contribution compared to their own. I doubt any of them contributed as much to life as George gave to his native land and brought joy to so many young and old lucky enough to witness his skill on the pitch.

His family should feel proud that despite the battle he was unable to win off the pitch his toxic detractors can never tarnish the Belfast Boy’s memory.

George Larmour, Author ‘They killed the ice cream man,’ Belfast BT13