21 Years Ago Today - Where Were You?

[Drumcondra 69er]

Thought thgis desrved a bump today althoygh maybe someone could change the title to 21 years ago today!

Happy Ray Houghton Day!!

[Stuttgart88]

Yep, I had a spring in my step this morning until I realised that, give or take a week, 12th June 1988 was the exact midpoint of my life!

[fergalr]

Happy Ray Houghton Day!!

Nice one. Deserves to be made a national holiday.

[drummerboy]

hmmm The Cat & Cage, memories

[Sligo Hornet]

Nice one. Deserves to be made a national holiday.

Agree!:).......although it would be a fat lot of use to me over here!:(

[tetsujin1979]

Agree!:).......although it would be a fat lot of use to me over here!:(

you could try claiming it as a religious holiday!

[Noelys Guitar]

Just to the left of the goal. Ended up many rows down when we scored as was standing on the walkway. Roasting hot day. Singing Cheerio, Cheerio, Cheerio to the England fans as they left the ground. Drinking and singing that night in "Meatloafs" bar in Cologne. After years of slow torture we had arrived on the big stage. And beat England!

[paul_oshea]

Just to the left of the goal. Ended up many rows down when we scored as was standing on the walkway. Roasting hot day. Singing Cheerio, Cheerio, Cheerio to the England fans as they left the ground. Drinking and singing that night in "Meatloafs" bar in Cologne. After years of slow torture we had arrived on the big stage. And beat England!

describe noely the songs the ccraic the atmosphere, everything from that day

[Noelys Guitar]

describe noely the songs the ccraic the atmosphere, everything from that day

14 of us flew from London to Frankfurt on the Friday before the game. (Was living in Southall at the time). We had our tickets but no hotels booked. Spent Friday night in Saxon Housen? in the center of Frankfurt outside the Irish pub. Great sing song that night with about 50 Irish, Danish and Dutch fans. Many of us spent the night sleeping on the wooden benches outside the pub.

Saturday travelled to Cologne to meet more friends from Ireland. Loaded up with a few crates for the journey and set off for the beautiful City of Cologne. The atmosphere in Cologne was electric. You had fans from almost every team there. We found a "local" and the barman was a ringer for Meatloaf. He was letting Irish fans pull their own beers. Again loads of Danes and Dutch especially would come into our "local" for the craic. An Irish fan from London got us free hotel rooms to crash in charged to his company account. Great gesture. There was some trouble in Cologne (English fans attacking Dutch fans) that night but minor stuff.

It was really warm on the day of the game. We got the train from Cologne to Stuttgart and it was split about 50/50 Irish to English (Mostly Leeds fans). Not much banter between the fans and you could cut the atmosphere with a knife. More and more Irish fans got on as we made our way to Stuggart and the chant started up of "We will win, We will win' We will win all the way into Stuttgart and onto the platform. The "We shall not be moved" sung on the Stuttgart train station platform (about 500 Irish fans jumping up and down)still makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. We had arrived in more ways than one.

Got into the ground no problems. Some good banter with the German stewards. There was an American militarty band playing on the pitch. They came off and the PA guy started playing mostly Irish songs! He even played Imagine by John Lennon. "Come on you boys in Green" started as more fans came in and the sound seemed to bounce around our end of the stadium. Eng-er-land was all I can remember them chanting. With the teams out on the pitch "Molly Malone" started up. Just a wall of sound. Over and over again. Brilliant stuff.

[seand]

I was 12 at the time and not hugely into football, but 1988 certainly changed all that. (Euro88, Dundalk winning the double in 88 and the Liverpool team of 88) I know I watched the games at home, and I certainly remember watching one of them out in the back garden in the sun with the TV set up just inside the back door.
What I remember vividly from Euro88 is Wim Kieft's flukey winner for Holland, the first but not the last time football tore my heart out!

[magnumpi]

I was only 5, but funny story - my dad has been to every tournament that ireland have qualified for.

he's only missed 2 matches, Spain in Korea, and the England game in '88. My mum wouldn't let him go because it was the same day as my brothers First Holy Communion. haha. i don't think he's ever forgiven my brother....

[paul_oshea]

Great read Noely, but there has to be another paragraph there or 2 to finish. It reminds me of the scene from Waynes world where he builds up the whole day and then finishes, after being asked what was it like with, "well it rained, and it rained some more" :D

Unfortunately I cant remember it, I was 6 so No excuse really, but I cant :( Though my brother said we were all jumping up and down though i didnt fully realise what was going on. I do remember the 1990 qualys though we were allowed watch them in our school - a CB school run by 4 brothers I might add. Great half days :D

[Hibernian]

If there was one game I would have loved to have remembered it would have been this one. Was only 5 at time.

My dad tells me the stories but I would have loved to have been old enough to remember and appreciate it.

[Noelys Guitar]

Great read Noely, but there has to be another paragraph there or 2 to finish. It reminds me of the scene from Waynes world where he builds up the whole day and then finishes, after being asked what was it like with, "well it rained, and it rained some more" :D

Unfortunately I cant remember it, I was 6 so No excuse really, but I cant :( Though my brother said we were all jumping up and down though i didnt fully realise what was going on. I do remember the 1990 qualys though we were allowed watch them in our school - a CB school run by 4 brothers I might add. Great half days :D

Stuck in a cubicle with many eyes watching Paul so writng in snatches. Funniest moment for me at Euro 88 was the Danish fans take on our "Who stuck the ball in the Englsih net? Rayo. Rayo.

Danish version. "who stuck the ball in the Danish net? Everybody. Everybody."

[gspain]

In the corner behind the goal from where Ray headed the ball.

Flew to Paris to meet the car (less than a year working so limited holidays), car broke down near Strasbourg and limped into Stuttgart that night in driving rain. 3 of us slept in the car - too late and too wet to pitch the tent. The car had to be left in Stuttgart but the stadium was walking distance. We had to hire one to get to Hannover and Gelsenkirchen. It got repaired and limped back to Limerick.

Tense atmosphere beforehand but stadium was rocking. The Germans were wary of us beforehand. Afterwards was a different story.

That goal then 84 minutes of torture. Ronnie Whelan did hit the bar circa the hour mark which was the closest anyone else came to scoring although Lineker did have a chance or two all right. :D

This was by far my best moment following Ireland. All the pain of dodgy disallowed goals. To this day I still look to the linesman when we score. The years when we thought we'd never qualify for anything. This was all washed away by our first game in a major finals against the auld enemy and then to beat them.

It was also one for the Irish football family. There were no prawn sandwiches in Stuttgart. That was one for the fans who followed Ireland everywhere in the 70's and 80's. In particular the London Irish crew who always travelled in great numbers.

Maybe if we put 7 past Brazil in Jo'burg on July 11th next year it may come close to June 12th 1988 but I very much doubt it would top Houghton day.

On June 12th 1988 they wrote Robert Emmet's epitaph.

"When my country takes her place among the nations of the earth, then and not till then, let my epitaph be written. I have done"

[Paddser]

In the corner behind the goal from where Ray headed the ball.

Flew to Paris to meet the car (less than a year working so limited holidays), car broke down near Strasbourg and limped into Stuttgart that night in driving rain. 3 of us slept in the car - too late and too wet to pitch the tent. The car had to be left in Stuttgart but the stadium was walking distance. We had to hire one to get to Hannover and Gelsenkirchen. It got repaired and limped back to Limerick.

Tense atmosphere beforehand but stadium was rocking. The Germans were wary of us beforehand. Afterwards was a different story.

That goal then 84 minutes of torture. Ronnie Whelan did hit the bar circa the hour mark which was the closest anyone else came to scoring although Lineker did have a chance or two all right. :D

This was by far my best moment following Ireland. All the pain of dodgy disallowed goals. To this day I still look to the linesman when we score. The years when we thought we'd never qualify for anything. This was all washed away by our first game in a major finals against the auld enemy and then to beat them.

It was also one for the Irish football family. There were no prawn sandwiches in Stuttgart. That was one for the fans who followed Ireland everywhere in the 70's and 80's. In particular the London Irish crew who always travelled in great numbers.

Maybe if we put 7 past Brazil in Jo'burg on July 11th next year it may come close to June 12th 1988 but I very much doubt it would top Houghton day.

On June 12th 1988 they wrote Robert Emmet's epitaph.

"When my country takes her place among the nations of the earth, then and not till then, let my epitaph be written. I have done"

Great Post Gspain!!

[Junior]

It was also one for the Irish football family. There were no prawn sandwiches in Stuttgart. That was one for the fans who followed Ireland everywhere in the 70's and 80's. In particular the London Irish crew who always travelled in great numbers.


I think thats for sure - great point.

I have vauge'ish memories from the TV of '88 and much better memories of '90. a few years later, around '93 I started to travel to the games in Dublin and also went to USA94. I suppose at that stage, the popularity of the national soccer team was well on the rise.

All credit to the hard core supporters who travelled in 70's and 80's when a draw let alone a win was deemed a great result and the thought of reaching a tournament was deemed cuckoo land. Stuttgart 88 was for them more than anyone!!!!

[paul_oshea]

Stuck in a cubicle with many eyes watching Paul so writng in snatches. Funniest moment for me at Euro 88 was the Danish fans take on our "Who stuck the ball in the Englsih net? Rayo. Rayo.

Danish version. "who stuck the ball in the Danish net? Everybody. Everybody."

Funny I recently started a new job and one of the guys was asking me about going down to see ireland in fulham for the nigeria game, anyway hes not that much into soccer, and he recalled a time he was in dublin somewhere around temple bar, and it was after the ireland holland game, not sure he knew of its importance/significance to either team, but he walked into this pub and he thought it was great all these irish singing "rocky road to dublin" and "wild rover", but then he looked around and stared noticing there was an awful lot of Orange in the pub. He was amazed to realise it was a load of Dutch singing all these Irish songs :D

[geysir]

To this day I still look to the linesman when we score.
:D
I know what you mean.

[youngirish]

Watched it at home with the older brothers. I was 11 at the time. Many of the kids on the street were fairly sure Enlgand were going to comfortably beat us (as were the English media who were fairly dismissive of our chances and generally quite disrespectful but they are still like this when playing what they consider to be smaller teams) but myself and the brothers were of the minority opinion that we could beat them on the day.

There was a massive outpouring of emotion when Houghton scored followed by the next 85 minutes of nail biting, almost constant pressure. Bonner was fantastic on that day and made some crucuial interventions. Once the final whistle blew I remember a huge feeling of relief. All the kids were outside celebrating the win.

[Drumcondra 69er]

you could try claiming it as a religious holiday!

St Raymonds Day. Epulum of Dulcis Victoria! Has a nice ring to it doesn't it?

[Den Perry]

Watched it at home. I remember my best mates uncle from London brought him to it(Couldn't believe how lucky he was) but couldn't go myself as was only a poor schoolboy and also couldn't watch it in pub. Was at the home matches against Scotland and Belgium...both ni-nil draws if I remember correctly. Also rem a bit of trouble outside after the Scotland game

I remeber players used to write a column in Shoot every week and Bryan Robson was rather begrudging towards our win. Referred an awful lot to "long ball" and missed chances

[Seano]

I remember the morning of the game , a sunny Sunday morning and myself and a few mates were outside a mates house talking about the game and everyones in great form. One of the lads didn't know much about football and therfore couldn't get in on the conversation. Not wanting to be left out he felt he had to say something, so he says ' I think John Aldrige should play in defence' ....everyone went silent...before he continues ' eh, he's good at clearing the ball ', followed by more silence before we all burst out laughing. He still got slagged about it many years later. If I met him today I'd have to bring it up.

[EastTerracer]

1988 was the year of my Leving Cert so unfortunately I wasn't there. I tried to persuade my father that deferring the Leaving for a year would not be a big deal but he was having none of it. I spent the Sunday afternoon roaring the team on and then had to cram for my Irish exam the next day - I may even have written an essay about the match despite being asked something completely different.

I did (just about) pass the exam but I haven't missed a tournament since.

One other memory - I bought a scarf outside Lansdowne Road on the day we beat Brazil in 1987. When I couldn't go to Germany my older brother brought it with him to the 3 matches. After that the same scarf traveled to Italia 90, USA 94, Japan & Korea 2002 and every home game in between. It was only a tatty green and white hooped scarf but I still brought it along as a lucky charm until some little fe*ker swiped it on the way to the ground in Sofia last Saturday. I suppose I'll have to buy a new one now.:(

[Scram]

With your Ma. :p

[Drumcondra 69er]

1988 was the year of my Leving Cert so unfortunately I wasn't there. I tried to persuade my father that deferring the Leaving for a year would not be a big deal but he was having none of it. I spent the Sunday afternoon roaring the team on and then had to cram for my Irish exam the next day - I may even have written an essay about the match despite being asked something completely different.

I did (just about) pass the exam but I haven't missed a tournament since.

One other memory - I bought a scarf outside Lansdowne Road on the day we beat Brazil in 1987. When I couldn't go to Germany my older brother brought it with him to the 3 matches. After that the same scarf traveled to Italia 90, USA 94, Japan & Korea 2002 and every home game in between. It was only a tatty green and white hooped scarf but I still brought it along as a lucky charm until some little fe*ker swiped it on the way to the ground in Sofia last Saturday. I suppose I'll have to buy a new one now.:(

Wouldn't worry about it, it hasn't brought us much luck the last 7 years has it? ;)

Still a sickner losing something you've had that long seriously though.

[Deckydee]

9 years old and kicking a ball of the old garden shed

[EastTerracer]

Wouldn't worry about it, it hasn't brought us much luck the last 7 years has it? ;)

Still a sickner losing something you've had that long seriously though.

Actually I was pretty philosophical about it last week - if someone had offered to swap my scarf for a point I would have taken it so still came home happy.

[NeilMcD]

Actually I was pretty philosophical about it last week - if someone had offered to swap my scarf for a point I would have taken it so still came home happy.

Wasn't me I swear.

[elroy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okqR2zEIJHY

I love this commentary, the sounds of Eoin Hand in stitches laughing just after we scored is priceless :D

[Noelys Guitar]

What happened to Lineker that day? Here we had the most ruthless center forward in Europe and he could not hit a barn door. I can clearly remember Lineker lining up a shot clean through and he skied it out of the ground. Unbelievable considering his record at that time. People should remember that the 88 English team a serious contender for the championship. Jack "killed" them. Another thing I remember from the day was Peter Shilton coming down to the Irish end (after the toss)and applauding the Irish fans. And the fans applauding him back. The way it should always be.

[mypost]

Watching at home with the Da.

Nobody gave us a cat in hell's chance of winning, but the early goal was great, made extra special by the fact a Liverpool player scored it, and Liverpool players scored all our goals at the tournament.

Had to face a barrage in the second half, they had at least 5 clear chances and how they didn't score, I'll never know, we struggled badly in the heat.
(there was no acclimatisation programme :rolleyes:)

Bar the last 10 minutes of our game against Holland, that was a great tournament in the 15 games imo. Holland beat Germany in a wonderful semi-final, Holland and Russia met twice, England were dumped out without a point, Italy beat Spain. And the final saw one of the greatest final goals of all time. Denmark along with England lost all their games, while France the holders, failed to even qualify.

[tetsujin1979]

What happened to Lineker that day? Here we had the most ruthless center forward in Europe and he could not hit a barn door. I can clearly remember Lineker lining up a shot clean through and he skied it out of the ground. Unbelievable considering his record at that time.According to Mick McCarthy's autobiography, Lineker had hepititis at the time, which was the reason they gave for his performance.

[Noelys Guitar]

According to Mick McCarthy's autobiography, Linekar had hepititis at the time, which was the reason they gave for his performance.

That makes sense. He had 3 clear chances that day and missed them all badly. Thank god!

[Dun Laoire]

To be honest they should've went on and won the competition

[Drumcondra 69er]

What happened to Lineker that day? Here we had the most ruthless center forward in Europe and he could not hit a barn door. I can clearly remember Lineker lining up a shot clean through and he skied it out of the ground. Unbelievable considering his record at that time. People should remember that the 88 English team a serious contender for the championship. Jack "killed" them. Another thing I remember from the day was Peter Shilton coming down to the Irish end (after the toss)and applauding the Irish fans. And the fans applauding him back. The way it should always be.

In fairness, ill or not Lineker still had a number of chances on target, it was just that Bonner was inspired that day, that point blank save in the last minute from Lineker was something else.

[Hibernian]

correct me if im wrong but think its 15 years today since we beat Italy 1-0 in New York

[Wolfie]

correct me if im wrong but think its 15 years today since we beat Italy 1-0 in New York

You are indeed correct, sir!!

http://www.planetworldcup.com/CUPS/1994/groupe_ita_v_ire.html

[gspain]

correct me if im wrong but think its 15 years today since we beat Italy 1-0 in New York

If June 12th is Ray Houghton day then this is Paul McGrath day. Ray scored the goal but Paul was magnificent.

Great day but not a patch on Stuttgart - huge Irish support but way too many corporate types ("do you have to shout so loud?" ) Although the touts were struggling to give away free tickets in the end there were many genuine fans left at home who waited a week before coming directly to Florida for the Mexico game.

Although I enjoy a day out at an American sports event the result appears to matter a lot less than here in Europe. You have your beers, hotdogs, enjoy the experience won or lose. It wrecked my head during the world cup though.

Singing one team in Europe (there was one of those EU referenda in the news) and screaming "Arrivederchi Italia" x 50 at an RAI tv crew who were lapping it up were the highlights from afterwards.

Although we didn't hear until the following day it was a shock to hear about 6 people shot dead while watching the match on tv in a pub in Loughinisland. It was one of many terrorist atrocities committed at the time in Northern Ireland but somehow those associated with football seem to hit home harder.

[SUB of the day]

Totally agree re comparison with Stuttgart.On the recent trip to Bari, four of us had a chat about our most memorable sporting experience.Stuttgart was the unanimous favourite, even the two rugger heads put it ahead of the "European Cup" win for Munster in Cardiff.My own top 3 were Stuttgart, Dutch game in Dublin, and City away to Galatasaray.

[Drumcondra 69er]

If June 12th is Ray Houghton day then this is Paul McGrath day. Ray scored the goal but Paul was magnificent.

Great day but not a patch on Stuttgart - huge Irish support but way too many corporate types ("do you have to shout so loud?" ) Although the touts were struggling to give away free tickets in the end there were many genuine fans left at home who waited a week before coming directly to Florida for the Mexico game.

Although I enjoy a day out at an American sports event the result appears to matter a lot less than here in Europe. You have your beers, hotdogs, enjoy the experience won or lose. It wrecked my head during the world cup though.

Singing one team in Europe (there was one of those EU referenda in the news) and screaming "Arrivederchi Italia" x 50 at an RAI tv crew who were lapping it up were the highlights from afterwards.




Yeah, that was my first World Cup and much as I really enjoyed it the attitude of the locals (bemusement mainly) was a let down. Japan / Korea was streets ahead from the point of view. I did like the way they held a rake of tickets back till the morning of the game though although they could have been more public about it. Plenty of people I met over there had just strolled up to the stadium and bought tickets for that game despite all the news stories stating that tickets were going for 10 and twenty times their face value. A lad we met over there got one for the Norway game at the ground in the same box office for that game.

[Lionel Ritchie]

I set the reminder on my phone to go off at 20.12 last night. Thought of Pagliucia frozen in the moment, contorting like a roman candle in thin air and the profanities he must have blurted when he saw how far off his line he was, and dark realisation settled that the ball wasn't going to sail harmlessly over the bar.

[Drumcondra 69er]

I set the reminder on my phone to go off at 20.12 last night. Thought of Pagliucia frozen in the moment, contorting like a roman candle in thin air and the profanities he must have blurted when he saw how far off his line he was, and dark realisation settled that the ball wasn't going to sail harmlessly over the bar.

Cue disbelief and then pandemonium! Can't believe it was 15 years back. We were up top level behind that goal and all, cracking view of it drifting in! Terry Phelan's face during the celebrations is still one of the funniest things I've ever seen! He was clinging onto people for dear life! Not even a hint of a smile!

http://www.independent.ie/multimedia/archive/00302/rayhoughton_getty_302264t.jpg

[Noelys Guitar]

Cue disbelief and then pandemonium! Can't believe it was 15 years back. We were up top level behind that goal and all, cracking view of it drifting in! Terry Phelan's face during the celebrations is still one of the funniest things I've ever seen! He was clinging onto people for dear life! Not even a hint of a smile!

http://www.independent.ie/multimedia/archive/00302/rayhoughton_getty_302264t.jpg

I always wondered how we would have done if Quinn and Cascarino had been fit. Huge loss for 94 not having those two available.

[Lionel Ritchie]

I always wondered how we would have done if Quinn and Cascarino had been fit. Huge loss for 94 not having those two available.

Aye ...though not as much as Quinny wonders I'd say. There was a story at the time that Citeh had received a £4M bid from Roma for him the week he did his knee. S*** for luck.

[stojkovic]

I always wondered how we would have done if Quinn and Cascarino had been fit. Huge loss for 94 not having those two available.

When you consider the heat, I dont think it would have made any difference. Tommy Coyne was more mobile than the two of them and it allowed us to play 5 across the middle and try to slow the game down.

I know Cascarino didnt play but he was in the squad wasnt he ?

[paul_oshea]

Cue disbelief and then pandemonium! Can't believe it was 15 years back. We were up top level behind that goal and all, cracking view of it drifting in! Terry Phelan's face during the celebrations is still one of the funniest things I've ever seen! He was clinging onto people for dear life! Not even a hint of a smile!

http://www.independent.ie/multimedia/archive/00302/rayhoughton_getty_302264t.jpg

ray is as brown as terry there!

[Drumcondra 69er]

When you consider the heat, I dont think it would have made any difference. Tommy Coyne was more mobile than the two of them and it allowed us to play 5 across the middle and try to slow the game down.

I know Cascarino didnt play but he was in the squad wasnt he ?

YEah, think he got half an hour against the Dutch but he was clearly unfit. Quinn was actually fit but Peter Swales the Man City chairman wouldn't let him go as he hadn't got fit before the end of the premier league season.

Always thought Coyle could have been brought in to give us the option to try and change things if the 5 man midfield wasn't working, think Jack thought we'd get away with it in the group stage (which we did in fairness) and that Cas would be fitter then he was for the knock out phase. Unfortunately we fluffed our lines against the Dutch with howlers from Phelan and Packie....

[Metrostars]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRRt8Pwv3cY

That was a hot and humid day at Giants Stadium. Best individual performance I've ever seen in an Irish shirt that day by McGrath.

[Deckydee]

I know this is an old thread but was looking through Youtube recently for irish videos and found this gem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FH0iUW-HBjo

Shocked about the smug and quiet demeaning comments of Clough.

The laughing on the bus shows how much respect they had for Ireland. They never saw it coming.