Adrian Doherty book scoops top sports award

Adrian Doherty was highly regarded at Old Trafford before his career was blighted by injury.

‘Forever Young: The Story of Adrian Doherty - Football’s Lost Genius’ details the extraordinary life and times of the Strabane boy who played junior football in Derry before heading to Old Trafford.

Written by Oliver Kay, chief football correspondent with ‘The Times’, the book retraces the footsteps of a quiet, shy and unassuming boy described as not your “typical footballer.”

The book was this week awarded the Cross Sports Book of The Year.

Kay’s book has already been awarded the Specsavers Football Book of the Year at a star-studded ceremony that took place at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London only last month.

Speaking about winning the award, Kay said: “I’m absolutely thrilled, delighted, honoured and amazed by this. Above all, I’m delighted for the family and friends of Adrian Doherty.

“Some of them took some convincing that a book was a good idea – and some even wondered whether anyone would really be interested – but I know how much they have been touched, as I have, by how it has been received since publication.”

Adrian Doherty - who, on his 17th birthday, was offered a five-year contract by the Red Devils of Old Trafford only to see his footballing career blighted by injury - died in 2000 the day before his 27th birthday following an accident in a canal in Holland.