When he asked he said all the lads were going to be there so I said that was fine, I'd be involved, but I'd have to check my diary first. When I did it turned out I was already doing some jobs that weekend so I had to put Jason off until I cleared that. I haven't been talking to him since but he's been talking to my son, John, and they sort of arranged it. I've already cancelled everything else for those days and I'm coming over for it.

And I don't see the lads very much nowadays. I bump into them now and again and obviously one or two phone me up now and again. I see John Aldridge on the odd occasion. I see Ray Houghton on the odd occasion. But I live in Newcastle and they live all over England but if I'm doing a dinner or something in an area close to them, a couple will always turn up just to say hello. But it will be nice to come over, and if all the lads turn up it's something I'll really look forward to. It's for charity as well which adds to the enjoyment for everyone.

As regards Irish football now, well I don't talk about football publicly. I keep an eye on things in Ireland though, of course I do. I'm Irish and I've got an Irish passport. I had 10 years that I enjoyed every minute of and I follow them all the time but I've stayed away from making comment on the teams and on the games because that wouldn't be fair to the people that are running it now.

But if I was to say anything, it's that I think Steven [Staunton] will do fine. He is a very nice lad, he's always been a thinker about the game and I honestly think he'll be ok. He's obviously got Bobby Robson beside him and if he listens to Bob he'll be ok. Bobby is one of the most knowledgeable people in English football, or anywhere else for that matter. He's been there, worked all over Europe, seen it all. He knows the players, managers, he knows everybody. And Steven will be ok. But as I said all of that has got nothing to do with me anymore.

I've always got memories of the Republic of Ireland though, when it did have something to do with me.

Every time I walk into an Irish pub or I'm on a train, people all come up to me with their own memories of games or of incidents and they share them with me. So I never have to go searching through the past because people tell me their own version of things. I don't have to remind myself of anything, because people keep reminding me.

It clearly means a lot to people but that never entered my head, how much things meant. It's only when people ask me questions about it, it just never occurred prior to that.

I'm just delighted to get on well with the Irish people to this day. I've got a house over in Mayo and I love going there and when I walk down the street people just say, "Hello Jack, you're very welcome again". They all love me over there and I really enjoy coming back to Ireland.

Jack Charlton will manage a celebrity team which will take on a selection of Irish legends in a charity match at Lansdowne Road on May 23