Tommy Martin: Jack was a quasi-religious figure at the height of it ... reshaping the national destiny to his will

GUARD OF HONOUR: Security personnel stand alongside Republic of Ireland manager Jack Charlton at the Stadio La Favorita, Palermo in 1990. Picture: INPHO/Billy Stickland

When I think of the Jack Charlton years, I think of things happening that weren’t supposed to happen.

I think of the Saturday night of the 1990 World Cup quarter-final against Italy and the 20-minute mass our parish priest said so that he and his flock could get home for the match.