21 Years Ago Today - Where Were You?

[smasher]

In a pub in Carrick with all the mates. Forecasted beforehand that if England didnt start Hoddle, we would beat them. Then................HOUGHTON!!!!!!!!

[Emmet]

I was at Primary school in Hong Kong. I remember we had an assembly in the morning during which the (English) music teacher was asking the kids there to name the teams taking part; after they had gone through all eight teams he then said Ireland was probably the weakest side and England one of the strongest. The game was on at around 9pm HK time - I remember my Dad jumping up and down thumping the sofa in a mad frenzy when Houghton scored. Next day at school, we had another assembly. I remember we sang a football song before which that same teacher said sheepishly 'A song for all you Irish fans' ... I remember thinking 'Ha!!'

[GavinZac]

Probably at home in Cork, crushing toy soldiers with a Tyrannosaur. I was 3.

[Duggie]

i was 6 - dont remember

[scousedub]

I was at the game. We stayed on for the whole tournament including final. Been on many trips since, but, nothing will ever beat our first ever qualification for a tournament.

[OwlsFan]

http://www.dermothardy.com/pictures/...land%20end.JPG

At the game and can be seen in one TV view signing along to "Come on you boys in green" (yes, the chants haven't changed much). I had waited 34 years for us to qualify and what a way to start!!

[Claret Murph]

It's funny but I will always remember the game but never the time I watched it as I was in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia glued to a black and white Tv set in a very run down hostel , hard to beleive it was 20 years ago ..........

[boovidge]

i still had 3 months until i was born

[NeilMcD]

A mate of mine was in Cordoba yesterday for the 30th anniversary of Archie Gemmils goal againt Holland. He was able to get on the pitch and do a Phoenix from the Flames type recreation.

Would love to do that in Stuttgar in 10 years time.

[Jofspring]

in a nappy rolling around on the floor

[cobra]

Up along with my father in the athletic grounds, Armagh, watching Donegal get thumped in Ulster championship.

[Sligo Hornet]

A mate of mine was in Cordoba yesterday for the 30th anniversary of Archie Gemmils goal againt Holland. He was able to get on the pitch and do a Phoenix from the Flames type recreation.

Would love to do that in Stuttgar in 10 years time.

Go for it Neil!......with 10years to go you should be able to get in shape!

[NeilMcD]

I am sure I can be just like Ray Houghton is now.

[Schumi]

8 years old in a jammed pub. Couldn't see the TV at all but got the idea of what had happened when the goal went in. Burnt my arm on some guy's cigarette too.

[gspain]

In the Neckarstadion Stuttgart behind the goal.

20 years where have they gone.

The greatest day in Ireland's history bar none (and no I did not leave out the word football by mistake).

First game in a major finals and what a way to enter the world stage.

The reaction of the Germans afterwards was fantastic too. We were cold shouldered before the game but had little old ladies shaking our hands afterwards, "Thank you thank you so much for beating England".

We slept in our broken down car the night before as it was too wet to pitch the tent. Those 84 minutes probably took years off my life but who cares.

[beautifulrock]

In the Archway Tavern North London, chaos and believe it or not a lock in was required as pubs used to close on Sundays during the day back then,

[OwlsFan]

We were cold shouldered before the game but had little old ladies shaking our hands afterwards, "Thank you thank you so much for beating England".

Well, they had failed twice before

[paul_oshea]

In the Archway Tavern North London, chaos and believe it or not a lock in was required as pubs used to close on Sundays during the day back then,

I'd say it was some lockin though rock!

[Drumcondra 69er]

8 years old in a jammed pub. Couldn't see the TV at all but got the idea of what had happened when the goal went in. Burnt my arm on some guy's cigarette too.

Naughty naughty, the game was on during holy hour if I recall corectly!

Watched at at home, my Da had gone over but wouldn't take me, the swine!

Was just gone 18 and a student, had no cash to go over myself, still sick over missing it!

What a day though, was in disbelief afterwards, the pubs filled up more and more for the Russia and Holland games over the next week as the non football fans in the nation stood up and started taking notice and the homecoming down O'Connell Street, while not the same scale as in 1990 was still amazing. Proper spontaneous homecomings not like the contrived boll1x up the phoenix park we had to endure in 94 and 02.

Truly the start of something special in Irish society, heady days.....

[osarusan]

in my kitchen, with my mum, uncle and sister. I was 9. At the final whistle, I remember my uncle on his knees, banging his head against the floor in celebration! I went outside and picked up my 'Maradona' football, and kicked it up in the air. In my emotional state, and due to my lack of skill, I ended up kicking it into a patch of briars from which it was not recovered for years.

My dad and brother were on a quay in Wexford waiting for a boat to take them to the Saltee Islands, as they went every year. I was mercifully still too young to go that year. They watched the first half in a bar, then had to head to the quay to be in time for the boat. Except, the lads taking them out to the islands didn't turn up for another hour, because (as they cheerfully admitted) they'd been watching the game.