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Approaching his 15th birthday, George played in a match for Cregagh U-15’s side against a Boyland team made up of 17 and 18 year olds, George was unaware at the time but the game had been set up to see if with his small build he would be able to hold his own against bigger and more experienced players. George played well and his 2 goals helped secure a 4-2 victory. The game was being watched by Manchester United scout Bob Bishop, after the game, Bishop sent a telegram to united manager Matt Busby; it read ‘I have found a Genius’.
George was handed a 2 week trial by United along with Eric McMordie, another local boy. The young boys boarded a boat bound for England in what was the first time either of them had left Northern Ireland. Both boys believed they were just going to be in England for 2 weeks and then Manchester would pack them both off back home.
Once they arrived at Old Trafford, Manchester’s Chief Scout Joe Armstrong began to show them the ropes. He began by introducing them to some of the United’s Irish lads, the likes of Harry Gregg, Ronnie Briggs and Jim Nicholson, the idea being it would help the 2 young Irish boys settle in, and unfortunately it had the opposite affect. George had suffered years of jibes regarding him being too small to make it as a professional footballer and was now being fully confronted by it with the size of the first team pro’s seeming overwhelming.
After training they were taken to there digs, Mrs. Fullaways council house in Chorlton. With all the changes and being in a strange new place mixed together with a lack of sleep after traveling, both Eric and George were both already beginning to feel home sick and on the first night at Mrs. Fullaways, George Suggested to Eric that they go back home and Eric agreed, so the next morning the left Manchester and headed back to Belfast. On the journey back home, George was already feeling that he may be making the wrong decision and after being home for a few days he decided he wanted to give it another try. George’s Dad, Dickie was given the go ahead by United and 2 weeks later they were waving George off once again on the boat to England, this time alone.
At this time, players from Ireland were not permitted to sign apprentice forms with football league clubs so George was forced to take a job and train with the amateurs 2 nights a week. United found him a job working on the Manchester Canal where was employed as a tea boy/General dogsbody, George hated this job and soon complained. He was moved to a new dept but only to find himself doing the same job. After his 2 week trial was over nothing was said about whether he was going to be staying or leaving so he just continued working and training, although he was beginning to feel like he was just being used as cheap labour for local company’s. George decided he would rather go home than continue working in the ship yard and was soon given an new job, this time in a timber yard stacking wood, by lunchtime on the first day he had had enough and quit his latest job. After a meeting with United, although illegal and unofficial, he was given a job as full time ground staff boy; the new job consisted of cleaning the 1st team players boot and cleaning the terraces.
George was training hard and was soon playing in the youth team which was a big step up from the B team where he had been playing. Matt Busby had been hearing good things about him and he was also called up into the Northern Ireland Youth International Squad.
In May 1963 George turned 17, this was the time when most boys got an arm around the shoulder and were told ‘Sorry Son, We’re letting you go, he was nervous and soon got called to the gaffers office. When he got to Matt Busby’s office, Matt was all smiles and told him ‘Congratulation Son, we’re offering you a professional contract, a contract that turned out to be worth around £17 a week, a lot of money in those days. George quickly wrote his Dad a letter and rushed to post it before last post, the letter simply read ‘Your son is now a Pro. I’ve signed.
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