"PT
FAIR PLAY
Fair Play
A TOAST FOR THE IRISH!
They talk about the luck of the Irish, but
maybe the lucky ones are the people who
play against them! Not because the
Republic of Ireland are easy opposition. Far
from it. But because entertaining their fans
is such a great pleasure. As a group, they
are living example of Fair Play.
Exaggeration? As witnesses we can call in
fans from Stuttgart, Flannover and Gelsen-
kirchen, hosts to the Irish when they burst
on to the international scene during the
1988 European Championship finals. Or
people from Palermo, Cagliari, Genoa and Rome who "suffered" the Green Army invasion during
the 1990 World Cup finals. Or the inhabitants of New York and Orlando who received them with
open arms four years later. Or supporters in cities all over Europe who've known them and
grown to love them during various qualifying tournaments.
The Irish won't be in England for the Euro 96 finals but they bowed out of the competition under
lining in their usual cheerful way just how much they are going to be missed.
Jack Charlton's team needed a result against Portugal in their last qualifying fixture. So no fewer
than 25,000 Irish fans made their way to Lisbon for the match. There was not a single incident
in the Portuguese capital, even through the Green Army saw their side beaten 3-0. They made
such a great impression that when sports daily "A Bola" organised a conference at the end of
January on behalf of the European Sports Magazines association, they approached UEFA
requesting permission to honour the Irish fans with an award. As if UEFA were going to refuse!
Permission granted in record time.
While the republic were losing in Lisbon, Austria were also losing in Belfast. So, off marched the
Green Army to the play-off match against the Netherlands in Liverpool. Anfield's famous Kop
was filled with Irish song and laughter for an occasion which was a credit to the game. Guus
Hiddink's Dutch side produced, arguably, their best performance of the tournament and, after
they had won 2-0, were given a standing ovation by... the Irish fans. Once again, they demon
strated just how much they love their football.
Yet the evening wasn't over. While other fans might have been trooping dejectedly out of the
stadium, the Green Army stood fast in the Kop. They weren't moving until they had said good
bye to Jack Charlton.
The Republic's coach went back on to the pitch to salute them and when he returned to the
dressing-room, even "Big Jack" was struggling to contain his emotions. Days later, he and the
Republic of Ireland parted company. So that final tribute from the Irish fans at Anfield will pro
bably go down in history as the warmest and most heartfelt ever given to a coach who had not
only lost the match but his job as well.
The Irish will be missed at Euro 96. Maybe those of us who travel to England will be able to find
time to drink a small toast to absent friends...
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