Royal Mail tribute to "former Cherries player" George Best (From Bournemouth Echo)

George Best to be immortalised in new set of stamps

9:31am Friday 8th February 2013 in News

FOOTBALL legend George Best - whose professional career ended with a season at AFC Bournemouth - is to feature in a new set of football-themed postage stamps.

The Royal Mail is marking the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the rules of Association Football by launching a series of Football Heroes stamps.

They will feature 11 soccer heroes in their home nation strip, including George Best for Northern Ireland. Best played for the Cherries from 1982-83 before retiring at the age of 37.

The other players are: John Barnes (England); Gordon Banks (England); John Charles (Wales); Bobby Charlton (England); Jimmy Greaves (England); Kevin Keegan (England); Denis Law (Scotland); Dave Mackay (Scotland); Bobby Moore (England); and Bryan Robson (England).

The illustrations are by Andrew Kinsman and when all 11 are placed together, they form a traditional team shot.

The stamps can be pre-ordered at www.royalmail.com/footballheroes and will be available online from May 9 at www.royalmail.com/stamps, or by phone on 08457 641 641, or at post offices.

Andrew Hammond, managing director of stamps and collectibles at Royal Mail, said: “The UK has given the world some of the greatest sports and football is rightly celebrated as a national obsession. The stamps celebrate heroes of the beautiful game who excelled on the pitch at club and national level, and are rightly considered icons of the sport.”