This day 12 years ago is generally accepted as being the day when fortune turned against Jack Charlton. True, at the previous year's World Cup everyone realised that the Irish team was ageing but hopes were still high that they'd secure a spot at the following year's European Championships having received a kind group draw.

And they were top of the group after five games, but things started coming undone in Vaduz at the foot of the Alps. The groundsman at the tiny stadium (capacity 4,500) was a man called Martin Heeb and after he was finished marking the pitch he took to his other important duties that day with abandon . . .

being goalkeeper for the national side.

Despite being just 5'9" in height, Heeb played like a giant and frustrated the Irish attack with a series of astonishing saves. Incidentally the other players on the pitch that day for Liechtenstein included a mechanic, an architect, a van driver, a postman and a draughtsman. They lost all nine games in the remainder of their programme, conceding 40 goals in the process.

But while the 0-0 stalemate threw Ireland's qualification hopes into jeopardy they had a chance to make up for the disappointment just seven days later when Austria visited Lansdowne Road. In the interim week however the Irish team spent their time "relaxing" in Limerick. This was followed by the managers now legendary decision to stop the bus on the way to Dublin at Harry Ramsden's chip shop, which Charlton owned a stake in, where the players took part in 'Harry's Challenge', a competition involving eating a lot of greasy batter food.

The next day Ireland lost 3-1, only their fourth defeat in 90 home matches under Charlton.

Ireland still managed to finish second in the group, but after losing out in a qualification playoff to Holland, Charlton stepped down at the end of the campaign.