Hahahaaaaaa just found this, i wrote it a few years ago but with Euro 2016 on the horizon i may as well post it, not for English eyes
Who put the ball in the English Net?Ireland in the 1980s was a Country that was rocked by financial and Political turmoil North and South of the Island. The Irish Governments focus had been turned towards fiscal issues due to ongoing pressures from home and abroad while forgetting about its own backyard as it fell deeper into social dysfunction. The Country had seen five different Governments come and go in the eighties as Ireland was thrown deeper into a State of complete instability with huge rates of unemployment and with little or no hope of a job thus leading to mass immigration across the state. Added to that social dysfunction came high crime rates that were increasing by the week as Ireland as a Nation needed an outlet, that something to make it all go away just for awhile.
Gary Mackay you little Scottish beautie ya!!
For seven other Nations Euro 88' which was to be hosted by the might of West Germany was just another Tournament, but not for a small island nestling on the edge of Europe, not a chance is was going to be just that, not a chance in hell. The Rep. of Ireland had qualified for its first ever European Championship and to make it even more interesting it was spearheaded by a Yorkshire man named Big Jack, a bloody Englishman in charge of Ireland, madness i tell ya, fuckin madness, but in time Jack was to become a welcome face into every home in Ireland as the Summer progressed.
In Germany Europe's elite where gathering to challenge for the Henri Delaunay Cup and we where part of this extravaganza, Ireland in the Euro's, we couldn't bloody wait, and what was to follow during that long hot summer of 1988 would go down in Irish Sporting History.
The summer of 1988 will always have a happy place in my memory as I remember football took over for the everyday lives of Ireland's residents with the whole Country turning Green, White and Yellow for the month of June as Buntings and Flags hung from every lamppost, house, pub, school and anything else the women of Ireland could fucking tie them too. Cars where draped with tri-colours as kids where painted in green and dressed head to toe in Dunne Stores best bargain outfits with Caricatures of players faces plastered all over them. We where ready for you Europe bring it on.
Mammy's had the kids ready with chips in hand and bows in the hair. The pubs where waiting for an invasion of punters even though unemployment was high people skipped the bills for a month and basked in the glories sunshine that came with the Euros, sandwiches made, seats taken in the local, kids put aside, pints ordered. Everything is in place and all the waiting was over, June 12th has arrived and all raods led up to that game yes who know the one, we where playing our neighbors, the English. The talk around was can we get something from the game, sure jaysus they have Robson, Barnes, Beardsley, Lineker, can we do the unimaginable and beat England, sure jaysus they invented the fucking game. Too be honest England had a very strong team and the Irish team where only seen by the British media as a second rate English team, so they thought, ha! God I love this feeling but my stomach is doing somersaults, here we go, Come on you boys in Green!! Was the cry from the crowd.
I spoke silently to myself alone in a room full of people with only my thoughts, COME ON IRELAND, come on lads as i clenched my fits together not showing the emotion i so wanted to unleash.
The ref blew his whistle and Ireland's Euro 1988 opening game against England had begun. Nothing much in the first 5 minutes then it happened, six minutes in and a long free kick from Kevin Moran was belted towards the goal where it was met by Frank Strapleton who jumped with Gary Stevens and Mark Wright as the ball break to Tony Galvin who crossed into the box. Kenny Samson mishit the ball towards John Aldridge who then headed the ball towards Ray Houghton who headed it back across goal passing Peter Shilton he could only look on' time stopped as a Country rose to its feet as a looping header spun over Shilton and into the back of the English net. The Irish crowd froze, no off side flag, the referee blew his whistle and pointed to the center circle, one-nil! And so the legend was born at 15:06 on 12 June 1988.
Get fuckin in ya little fuckin beautie, and the song arose from the pure joy that was Ireland 1 - 0 England, Who put the ball in the English net, Who put the ball in the English net?
Who?
Ray fuckin Houghton did.
England battled on but when the final whistle was blown the noise in Ireland was possibly heard in Stuggart that day. The Irish had just endured the longest 84 minutes in the history of time and the Irish smiles were saved by Bonner in particular who was magnificent as our fans stayed in the stadium for over an hour singing and enjoying the atmosphere in what was a very hard won victory. Euro 1988 was where the Irish fans assumed the mantle, with the Danes, as the best supporters in Europe.
Next up the USSR who had beaten the much fancied Dutch 1-0 but in all honesty this Russian side where top drawer, but here we just beat England so we are now the best fucking team since time began, we where in the zone.
We have a throw-in, a shout from a young man bellowed across the hustle and bustle of the local, get Mick McCarty to fucking launch one in, Here ma watch this fucker throw the ball its like a slingshot, watch.
And big Mick McCarthy did as the young man had predicted as he launched one into the USSR box only to be met by Ronnie Whelan in mid-air swinging a left-footed volley which actually as he told in years after that the ball came off his shin, but I tell you what shin or no shin that ball rocketed into the back of the Soviet goal. 1-0!!!
The Country well fucking mental.
The elation was not lasting as even thought the USSR had few chances a clear chance came when Belanov flicked a long ball to Protassov who fired a shot under Bonner for the equalizer. The result left both teams on four points and still with a chance to qualify. All was not lost but unlike the England game Ireland should have won it, i guess things even itself out. In the other Group game Holland had beaten England and now had three points and England, having suffered two defeats could not now qualify and had only pride to play for in their final game against the USSR.
The Irish team had now earned their place in the Euro 1988 Championships and could hold their own against the best teams in Europe. All we needed to do was get any result against Holland to secure a semi-final birth. The nucleus of that Dutch team was formed around Ruud Gullit, Marco van Basten, Ronald Koeman and Frank Rijkaard - all at their prime. They where not bad like but here we are not backing down from anyone. The Dutch where excellent and Ireland defended bravely with Kevin Moran and Mick McCarthy holding steady and the great Paul McGrath a revelation at right back.
The Irish dream ended however when, the Dutch brought on two extra strikers, one being a certain Wim Kieft (the bollix) headed the ball wide, Bonner appeared to have the ball covered. However the spin on the ball resulted in a freak bounce past Bonner and into the back of the Irish net. The Dutch and Russians qualified from the Group to the semi-final stage and both went on to meet in the final, with Holland the eventual winner. Marco Van Baston scored a spectacular goal to win goal of the tournament ahead of Ronnie Whelan's goal against the Russians.
One interesting footnote to the final was the small contingent of several thousand Irish fans who were clearly audible singing "Come on You Boy's in Green" throughout the final. We may not have qualified for the final but were well represented on the terraces!
Back in Dublin a woman asks, Are we out now?
Yes luv.
Ahh that's a load of shite now.
Alas Euro 88 had come to an end for the gallant Irish but for many it has never left our thoughts and the names of Bonner, Whelan, McGrath and Ray Houghton will go down in folklore for ever and a day.
Ireland had made their mark and we had the summer to beat all summers, well that's what we though . Italy 1990 beckoned but that's another story.
Sarge,
A happy Irishman.
Roll on France.
