Stan bids to restore old spirit

FLEXING our tabloid muscles, we might have led this one off with a screaming headline: ‘Top Irish Soccer Star In Two In A Bed Morning Romp.’

Being a responsible newspaper, however, we'll just stick to the facts: Mick Byrne is back and Damien Duff is happy to see him.

If the build-up to the friendly with Sweden has thus far been largely about the infusion of new blood, yesterday there was a touch of the rare old times around the Irish team's Portmarnock hotel base, with the surprise return of Mick Byrne physio, Mr Fix-it and Minister for Morale under Jack Charlton and Mick McCarthy playing a prominent role.