Quote:A search is under way for a young footballer to play Manchester United legend George Best in a film about his life.

Film producer Stephen Evans said he hoped to find a talented player in Northern Ireland who could portray the "genius" Best.

Last year, rising Spanish junior golfer José Luis Gutiérrez, 15, got to play his idol Seve Ballesteros in the acclaimed movie Seve, produced by Mr Evans.

He told BBC World Service programme Sportshour that he hoped to do something similar with Best.

"It took me about a year to find a young Seve to play him - in the end, I did but it took me a long time," he said. "The plan is literally starting in a couple of weeks' time, to find a young Northern Irish boy who can play the young Best between about 11 and 17."

"What we want to do then is unravel, if you like, the childhood and youth of George Best, and exactly where he came from and how he did what he did."

Widely regarded as one of the greatest players to have graced British and world football, Best died in November 2005 at the age of 59.

Mr Evans, whose film credits include The Madness of King George, said he wanted to capture what Best's life was like before he was catapulted to major stardom at an early age after leaving his home city of Belfast.

"Don't forget that, having gone to Manchester at the age of 15, at 22 he was the European footballer of the year, and probably at that point the most recognised footballer on the planet," he said.

The leap from Best's humble beginnings to his almost unprecedented fame at the heart of the "swinging 60s" and being dubbed the "fifth Beatle" is something Mr Evans says he wants to explore.

"He had a shy background and he didn't get a lot help from Manchester United because no-one really understood that this is a new thing that's happening," he said.

But what about the ideal candidate to play the young Best?

"We're going to Belfast and we'll be saying to all the very good young footballers in Northern Ireland, do you want to come and interview through your football skills for the job?"

He jokingly added: "He is a legendary genius, so I would think if they're not mad on George Best I'd tell them not to turn up."

Not quite what you expected to find, I am sure...?

Quote:Firefighters were called to the home of the Manchester United and England defender Chris Smalling after his hot tub caught fire on Tuesday night. It is understood an electrical fault may have led to a blaze in the garden of the player’s home in Bowdon, Altrincham.

A statement from Greater Manchester fire and rescue service confirmed a crew from Altrincham fire station had attended after police initially reported the blaze. The statement added: “There was nobody in the house at the time of the incident.”

The watch manager Stuart France said: “Police were in the area when they spotted smoke and reported a fire to our control centre. When we arrived it was quite a large fire involving a Jacuzzi and decking, which could have easily become something more serious.

“The police officers who were at the scene used a garden hose on the fire and when we arrived we extinguished it using a hose reel. The most likely cause was an accidental electrical fault.”

The 25-year-old Smalling had earlier posted a message and photograph on his Instagram account suggesting he was enjoying a poker night with friends. It read: “Lads Night! #pokernight #championsleague.”

A Manchester United shirt worn by the late Bill Foulkes during the 1968 EC1 Final will be sold this Monday at Sotheby's in London by Graham Budd Auctions.

Our Red Devils were the first English team to win the former Champions League Tournament after defeating Benfica 47 years ago at Wembley (4-1). Bill Foulkes gave his shirt to Benfica player Fernando Cruz in the dressing room after the game. Bill Foulkes (who passed away in November 2013) was an absolute legend, making 688 appearances for our beloved United during a remarkable spell of 18 seasons. He and Bobby Charlton were the only 2 survivors of the 1958 Munich air crash to play the final. The shirt is expected to sell for close to 20,000 GBP although it is possible the shirt will exceed this amount as Nobby Stiles' shirt from the 1968 Final was auctioned in 2010 for over 30,000 GBP.

20years of support and still going...

not exactly a newbie...just wanna say hi