Exhibit 10.21

                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT


      THIS AGREEMENT is made effective as of the 23rd day of December, 2002, by
and between ED F. BELL (the Executive), an individual residing in Lenoir City,
Tennessee, and UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS, INC. (United), a Georgia corporation
doing business as a bank holding company in Georgia, North Carolina, and
Tennessee.

     WHEREAS, United wishes to assure itself of the services of Executive
for the period provided in this Agreement; and

     WHEREAS,  Executive  is  willing  to serve in the  employment  of United as
provided in this Agreement;

     NOW, THEREFORE,  in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained,
and upon the other terms and conditions hereinafter provided, the parties hereby
agree as follows:

     1.   POSITION AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

     During the period of his employment  hereunder,  Executive agrees to serve,
     at the  pleasure of United,  as the  Chairman of the Board of  Directors of
     United  Community Bank (of Tennessee)  (the Bank) and to perform such other
     duties as may be  requested  or  required  by  United,  including,  without
     limitation,  the oversight of United's  expansion  activities in Tennessee,
     the oversight of and attention to Executive's  commercial  loan  customers,
     and public  relations  for United and the Bank in Tennessee  (the  Duties).
     Executive shall report directly to Mr. Jimmy Tallent or his successor.

     2.   TERM.

     The term of this  Agreement (the Term) shall be deemed to have commenced as
     of the date of the consummation of the merger of First Central  Bancshares,
     Inc. with and into United and shall  continue until July 10, 2005, the date
     of Executive's  seventieth (70th) birthday,  unless this Agreement shall be
     terminated  otherwise  as  provided  herein.  During  the Term,  except for
     periods of absence occasioned by illness,  vacation periods,  and leaves of
     absence,  taken by Executive  upon notice to Mr.  Tallent or his successor,
     Executive  shall devote the majority of his business time,  attention,  and
     skill  to the  faithful  performance  of the  Duties  hereunder;  provided,
     however,  that  Executive  shall not be required to keep specific  business
     hours  or days  and  may  control  his own  schedule  with  respect  to the
     performance of the Duties.

     3.   COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT.

     The compensation specified under this Agreement shall constitute the salary
     and  benefits  paid for the Duties  described  in  Sections 1 and 2. United
     shall pay Executive no less than One Hundred  Twenty-five  Thousand Dollars
     ($125,000.00)  per year for each year of the Term.  Upon the  execution  of
     that certain Agreement and Plan of Reorganization by and between United and
     First Central Bancshares,  Inc.,  Executive shall be paid One Hundred Fifty
     Thousand Dollars  ($150,000.00)  and shall receive options to purchase Five
     Thousand (5,000) shares of United

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     common  stock  pursuant to the terms of a separate  Option  Agreement to be
     executed by the  parties.  The option  price per share shall be at the same
     price per share as paid in  connection  with the merger with First  Central
     Bancshares,  Inc.  Executive shall be entitled to the following  additional
     benefits during the Term:

          a.   Executive  shall have the  option to  maintain  health  insurance
               through his current health  insurance plan (in which event United
               shall pay the  premiums)  or  transfer  his health  insurance  to
               United's   plan  (in  which  event  United  shall  also  pay  the
               premiums);


          b.   Executive  shall be  entitled  to such other  benefits  as may be
               provided by United to other Bank employees;

          c.   Executive shall be reimbursed for expenses (meals, entertainment,
               travel and other  business  expenses  reasonable and necessary to
               carry out his duties  hereunder) and for gasoline during the Term
               but  shall  not  charge  mileage  or have a Bank or  United-owned
               vehicle;

          d.   United  shall pay the annual  dues for the social  clubs of which
               Executive is currently a member;

          e.   Executive  shall  be  provided  an  office  in the  Bank  for his
               exclusive use during the Term;

          f.   United  shall  continue  to  employ  Executive's  assistant,  Ms.
               Barbara Hall,  during the Term at no less than her current salary
               and benefits; notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall
               be  construed  to modify or limit the  provisions  of Ms.  Hall's
               existing employment agreement with the Bank; and

          g.   Executive  shall  be  permitted  to  attend   customary   banking
               conventions and meetings during the Term at United's expense.

     4.   PAYMENTS TO EXECUTIVE UPON AN EVENT OF TERMINATION.

     In the event of Executive's disability,  death, or in the event that either
     party desires to terminate this Agreement (an or the Event of Termination),
     Executive (or his estate) shall be paid  compensation  in the amount of One
     Hundred Thousand Dollars  ($100,000.00) per year until July 10, 2005, which
     amount  shall  be  payable  within  fifteen  (15)  days  of such  Event  of
     Termination for that year and on the same day of each subsequent applicable
     year;  however,  in 2005,  not  later  than  July 10,  2005.  Additionally,
     Executive shall receive Fifty Thousand Dollars  ($50,000.00) per year until
     Executive shall have reached the age of seventy-five  (75). In the event of
     Executive's death during this period,  Executive's estate shall receive, in
     lump sum, the  remaining  compensation  due under this  Section.  By way of
     example  only,  should an Event of  Termination  occur on March  31,  2004,
     Executive  would  be  entitled  to  receive  $75,000.00  ( pro rata for the
     remaining  months  and days of 2004),  plus  $52,777.78  for the  remaining
     months and days until July 10, 2005,  plus $250,000 for the years 2006-2010
     (5 x  $50,000),  for a total of  $377,777.78.  In the event of  Executive's
     death, this amount would accrue to his estate according to this formula.

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     5.   DISABILITY.

     Disability,  under the terms of this  Agreement,  shall have the meaning as
     defined in United's then current  disability  plan; if no such plan is then
     in effect,  if the Executive is permanently and totally disabled within the
     meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code as determined by a
     physician designated by United, United may terminate Executive's employment
     for  Disability.  Executive  shall be  entitled  to payment as  provided in
     Section 4 of this Agreement.

     6.   NOTICE.

     Any purported  termination by either party hereto shall be  communicated by
     Notice of Termination to the other party. For purposes of this Agreement, a
     Notice of Termination  shall mean a written notice which shall indicate the
     specific termination  provision in this Agreement relied upon and shall set
     forth in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances claimed to provide a
     basis for  termination  of  Executive's  employment  under the provision so
     indicated.  Date of Termination shall mean (A) if Executive's employment is
     terminated for  Disability,  thirty (30) days after a Notice of Termination
     is  given   (provided  that  Executive  shall  not  have  returned  to  the
     performance of his duties on a full-time  basis during such thirty (30) day
     period);  and (B) if his employment is terminated for any other reason, the
     date specified in the Notice of Termination.

     7.   NON-COMPETITION AND NON-DISCLOSURE.

          a.   Upon any termination of Executive's  employment hereunder for any
               reason,   including   but  not  limited  to  expiration  of  this
               Agreement,  Executive  agrees  not to  compete  with  the Bank or
               United during any period in which  Executive shall be entitled to
               compensation under this Agreement (the  Non-Competition  Period).
               Executive  shall not work for or  advise,  consult  or  otherwise
               serve with,  directly or  indirectly,  any entity whose  business
               materially  competes  with  the  depository,   lending  or  other
               business  activities  of the Bank or  United.  Executive  further
               specifically  agrees  that he will not,  for the  Non-Competition
               Period,  work  in  either  a paid or  unpaid  capacity  with  any
               individual  or group  proposing  to establish a new bank or other
               financial institution in the Bank's market area in Tennessee. The
               parties hereto,  recognizing that irreparable  injury will result
               to United,  its business and property in the event of Executive's
               breach  of this  Section,  agree  that in the  event  of any such
               breach by Executive,  United will be entitled, in addition to any
               other  remedies  and  damages  available,  to  an  injunction  to
               restrain the violation hereof by Executive.  Executive represents
               and admits that in the event of the termination of his employment
               hereunder  that  Executive  can obtain  employment  in a business
               engaged in other lines and/or of a different nature than the Bank
               and that the  enforcement  of a remedy by way of injunction  will
               not prevent Executive from earning a living.

          b.   Executive  recognizes and acknowledges  that the knowledge of the
               business activities and plans for business activities of the Bank
               and United and affiliates  thereof,  as it may exist from time to
               time, is a valuable,  special and unique asset of the business of
               United.  Executive will not,  during or after the Term,  disclose
               any  knowledge  of the  past,  present,  planned,  or  considered
               business  activities of

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               United or the Bank or  affiliates  thereof to any  person,  firm,
               corporation,   or  other   entity   for  any  reason  or  purpose
               whatsoever. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Executive may disclose
               any knowledge of banking,  financial and/or economic  principles,
               concepts  or ideas that are not solely  and  exclusively  derived
               from the business  plans and activities of United or the Bank. In
               the event of a breach or  threatened  breach by  Executive of the
               provisions  of this  Section,  United  shall  be  entitled  to an
               injunction restraining Executive from disclosing,  in whole or in
               part, the knowledge of the past,  present,  planned or considered
               business  activities of United or the Bank or affiliates thereof,
               or from rendering any services to any person, firm,  corporation,
               or other entity to whom such knowledge,  in whole or in part, has
               been disclosed or is threatened to be disclosed.

     8.   EFFECT ON PRIOR AGREEMENTS AND EXISTING BENEFIT PLANS.

     This  Agreement  contains  the entire  understanding  between  the  parties
     thereto and supercedes  any prior  employment  agreement,  written or oral,
     between  Executive and First Central Bank (the  predecessor  name of United
     Community Bank (of  Tennessee))  or United.  No provision of this Agreement
     shall be interpreted  to mean that Executive is subject to receiving  fewer
     benefits from United than those available to him without  reference to this
     Agreement.

     9.   NO ATTACHMENT; SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS.

     Except as required by law, no right to receive payments under this
     Agreement shall be subject to anticipation, commutation, alienation, sale,
     assignment, encumbrance, charge, pledge, or hypothecation, or to execution,
     attachment, levy or similar process or assignment by operation of law, and
     any attempt, voluntary or involuntary, to affect such an action shall be
     null, void, and of no effect.

     This Agreement shall be binding upon, and shall inure to the benefit of,
     Executive and United and their respective successors and assigns.

     10.  MODIFICATION AND WAIVER.

     This Agreement may not be modified or amended except by an instrument in
     writing signed by the parties hereto. No term or condition of this
     Agreement shall be deemed to have been waived, nor shall there by any
     estoppel against the enforcement of any provision of this Agreement, except
     by written instrument of the party charged with such waiver or estoppel. No
     such written waiver shall be deemed a continuing waiver unless specifically
     stated therein, and each such waiver shall operate only as to the specific
     term or condition waived and shall not constitute a waiver of such term or
     condition for the future as to any act other than that specifically waived.

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     11.  SEVERABILITY.

     If, for any reason, any provision of this Agreement, or any part of any
     provision, is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect any other
     provision of this Agreement or any part of such provision not held so
     invalid, and each such other provision and part thereof shall, to the full
     extent consistent with law, continue in full force and effect.

     12.  HEADINGS FOR REFERENCE ONLY.

     The headings of sections  and  paragraphs  herein are  included  solely for
     convenience   of   reference   and  shall  not   control   the  meaning  or
     interpretation of any of the provisions of this Agreement.

     13.  GOVERNING LAW.

     This  Agreement  shall be governed by the  substantive  laws and procedural
     provisions of the State of Tennessee,  unless otherwise  specified  herein;
     provided,  however,  that in the event of a conflict  between  the terms of
     this Agreement and any applicable  federal or state law or regulation,  the
     provisions of such law or regulation shall prevail.

     14.  PAYMENT OF LEGAL FEES.

     All reasonable legal fees paid or incurred by United or Executive  pursuant
     to any  dispute or question or  interpretation  relating to this  Agreement
     shall be paid or reimbursed by the prevailing party.

     15.      INDEMNIFICATION.

     United shall provide  Executive with coverage  under a standard  directors'
     and officers' liability insurance policy at its expense and shall indemnify
     Executive to the fullest extent permitted under applicable law and United's
     and the  Bank's  charters  and  bylaws  against  all  expenses  liabilities
     reasonably incurred by him in connection with or arising out of any action,
     suit,  or  proceeding  initiated  by a person or entity not a party to this
     Agreement  in which he may be  involved  by  reason of his  having  been an
     officer or  director  of the Bank  (whether  or not he  continues  to be an
     officer or director at the time of incurring such expense or  liabilities),
     and that is a result of actions or omissions taken or omitted in the course
     and scope of his  Duties  as an  officer  or  director  of the  Bank.  Such
     expenses and liabilities include,  but are not limited to, judgment,  court
     costs,   and  reasonable   attorneys'  fees  and  the  cost  of  reasonable
     settlement.

     16. SUCCESSOR TO UNITED OR BANK.

     United shall require any successor or assignee, whether direct or indirect,
     by purchase,  merger,  consolidation or otherwise,  to all or substantially
     all  the  business  or  assets  of  the  Bank  or  United,   expressly  and
     unconditionally  to assume and agree to perform United's  obligations under
     this Agreement, in the same manner and to the same extent that United would
     be required to perform if no such succession or assignment had taken place.


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     IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  United has caused this  Agreement to be executed by a
     duly  authorized  officer  or  director,  and  Executive  has  signed  this
     Agreement, effective on the date first written above.



                                            UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS, INC.

                                            By:  /s/ Jimmy Tallent

                                            Print name and title:Jimmy Tallent
                                                 President and CEO



                                            ED F. BELL

                                            /s/ Ed F. Bell

                                            Witness:  /s/ Barbara Hall