Who put the ball in the English net?

[The Real Laoislad]

On the 12th of June this year it will be 20 years since that historic day when the goal that launched a million hangovers,spawned a character called Joxer and some say even started the Celtic Tiger was scored.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okqR2zEIJHY&feature=related

What happend afterwards went down in history,We beat England,drew with USSR and lost to Holland.It was proably our best chance of reaching a major final considering we were only 6mins away from reaching the semi final..2002 was another wasted chance but 1988 was our best chance of actually winning something

I was a 9 year old kid and my heroes were John Aldridge and Ronnie Whelan.Just weeks before i had watched Liverpool losing the FA Cup final to Wimbledon and felt so disappointed that John Aldridge had missed a peno in that game,Even at that age i knew Liverpool were my team for life,and I couldn't wait for Euro '88 to see how Aldo and Whelan got on..

The Ray Houghton goal in The Neckarstadion,Stuggart will always be in my Top 5 of sporting memories,Its also a real "Where were you moment"
I remember being in our front sitting room,We were just after getting a new TV especially for Euro '88.. It was a 21" Mitsubishi Black Diamond no less! and it was the first time we ever had a remote control ! 
My most abiding memory is seeing my Da crying at the full time whistle,it's not something i would have ever seen before or even afterwards in in the coming years,It meant so much to be Irish that day.
Looking back now i didn't realise how bad things were with the economy in Ireland at the time,I do believe in some way that Euro '88 sparked something in Ireland that brought us out of the doldrums and into the Ireland we now know today..
Anyways it be nice to hear everyone else's memories or what it meant to you if anything at all?

[Yes I Would]

First memory of us getting one over our old colonial masters and as an 8 year old child felt great.  Lookin back it was a super Irsih side who were unfortunate not to get further in the tournament. Ronnie Whelans wonder goal against USSR also a sweet memory from those glory days for Irish soccer!!

[the green man]

Hands up who tried to replicate Whelans goal in the back garden.

http://www.dermothardy.com/euro1988.html

[Billys Boots]

I remember it being a fantastic feeling in an era of almost daily depair - I remember all three games well.  I watched the England game in Killala (Mayo), the Russia game in The Slipper in Ballymun and the Holland game in the Student Union TV Room in NIHED (now DCU).  It was my last memory of the time before soccer became big business in Ireland, there was still a feeling of belonging or being represented about it - there was none of the 'over the top-ness' of Italia '90 about Euro '88.

[The Real Laoislad]

Hands up who tried to replicate Whelans goal in the back garden.

http://www.dermothardy.com/euro1988.html

Many a time!

[the Deel Rover]

i remember it  well we were bringing turf home from the bog it was a beautifull day and we were listeneing to it on the radio . I went mad when houghton scored hit me dad on the head with a sod of turf ( got a fair bollocking for that i can tell ye) but i remember how delighted we were going home that evening the bog tae never tasted so good 

[Shamrock Shore]

Reminds me of having to so exams in the RDS the next day 

Rathmines was mintal that evening. However Shamrock Shore remained sober.

[his holiness nb]

Hands up who tried to replicate Whelans goal in the back garden.

http://www.dermothardy.com/euro1988.html

Many a time!

Also guilty, would take ten minutes to get back up if I tried it now!

[AZOffaly]

I tried that in a game against St. Aengus in Mountrath. It nearly came off too. I hit the bar.

Only took 15 minutes to scrape me off the ground as well.

[magpie seanie]

Mark Hughes had scored a better version for Wales against Spain in a World Cup qualifier a few years beforehand (actually kicked the ball with his foot!) so I was well practiced by the time Euro '88 came around.

[Niall Quinn]

Unfortunately, I think Euro 88 will rest atop of my sporting experiences list for life.
There was something pretty magical about the air of understatement which almost accompanied passage to the Euro semi finals. Growing up with BBC & UTV, pro-England hype was accepted fare, and so it was a bit special seeing my team leave the English commentators dumbstruck in a major tournament. Wim Kieft & the unnatural spin of a ball have long since troubled my sleep....

[T Fearon]

Great day indeed, but remember in 1957 we came within one minute of eliminating England from the 1958 World cup

The English have not beaten us in a competitive game or a friendly since, if memory serves me right

[Bord na Mona man]

I remember watching it in my sitting room that day as a young lad.
The siege the Irish goal was under that day and the saves Bonner pulled off were something else.
It is one game I'd love to see again ahead of all the others.

They were more innocent times then, before the Ole Ole crew, official Ireland, celebrities and every half wit jumped aboard. Imagine Lansdowne Road was half full for the match against Bulgaria!  Only 17,000 watched the mighty Brazil the year before.
By 1990, it was different. A draw was England celebrated with more gusto than the Euro 88 win.

Even the official team song for Euro 88 had far more integrity than some of the dirge that came along for later tournaments. "We are the boys the green..."

The talent Ireland had back then was immense. Going into a major championship with Brady, Lawrenson and Beglin all been ruled out with injury. The manager having the luxury of dropping David O'Leary.
Its funny how some soccer people in Ireland blame the GAA of sabotaging them with "The Ban". Yet the current crop of players who developed in a post Ban, supposedly boom era and they aren't a patch on what Ireland used to produce.

I remember being exasperated with John Aldridge in those days too. He couldn't score to save his life.
In the next game he drove a sitter over the bar with Dassyev the keeper in a daze having been injured. These were chances he would score in his sleep for Liverpool. That was the achilles hell of that great side, they just couldn't score enough goals.

Once Stapleton went and Cascarino and Quinn took over from him, the long ball stuff really took off. The very early Charlton years didn't have as much of the hoofing, if I recall correctly.

[Bord na Mona man]

Christy Moore - Joxer Goes To Stuttgart lyrics

It was in the year of '88 in the lovely month of June
When the gadflies were swarming and dogs howling at the moon
With rosary beads and sandwiches for Stuttgart we began
Joxer packed his German phrasebook and jumpleads for the van.

Some of the lads had never been away from home before
'Twas the first time Whacker put his foot outside of Inchicore
Before we left for Europe we knew we'd need a plan
So we all agreed that Joxer was the man to drive the van.

In Germany the autobahn, 'twas like the Long Mile Road
There was every make of car and van all carrying the full load
Ford Transits and Hiaces and an old Bedford from Tralee
With the engine overheating from longhauling duty free.

There was fans from Ballygermot, Ballybough and Ballymun
On the journey of a lifetime, and the crack was ninety-one
Joxer met a German's daughter on the banks of the river Rhine
And he told her she'd be welcome in Ballyfermot any time.

As soon as we found Stuttgart we got the wagons in a ring
Sean Og got out the banjo and Peter played the mandolin
There was fans there from everywhere attracted by the sound
At the first Fleadh Ceoil in Europe, and Joxer passed the flagon round.

But the session it ended when we'd finished all the stout
The air mattresses inflated and the sleeping bags rolled out
As one by one we fell asleep Joxer had a dream
He dreamt himself and Jack Charlton sat down to pick the team.

Joxer dreamt they both agreed on Packie Bonner straightaway
And that Moran, Whelan and McGrath were certainly to play
But tempers they began to rise and patience wearing thin
Jack wanted Cascarino but Joxer wanted Quinn.

The dream turned into a nightmare, Joxer stuck the head on Jack
Who wanted to bring Johnny Giles and Eamon Dunphy back
The c**k crew in the morning, it crew both loud and shrill
Joxer woke up in his sleeping bag many miles from Arbour Hill.

The next morning none of the experts gave us the slightest chance
They said the English team would lead us on a merry dance
With their Union Jacks all them English fans for victory they were set
Until Ray Houghton got the ball and he stuck it in the net.

What happened next is history, brought tears to many eyes
That day will be the highlight of many people's lives
Joxer climbed right over the top and the last time he was seen
Was arm in arm with Jack Charlton singing, Revenge for Skibereen.

Now Whacker's back in Inchicore, he's living with his mam
And Jack Charlton has been proclaimed an honorary Irishman
Do you remember that German's daughter on the banks of the river Rhine
Well, didn't she show up in Ballyfermot last week and ...

[The Real Laoislad]

20 years ago today