Brady’s warning from history

“I CAN’T get sent off this time but we can still win 2-0,” says Liam Brady with a laugh.

Ireland’s assistant manager is looking ahead to tonight’s big game and recalling the last occasion when Ireland and Bulgaria met in a competitive match.

That was the European Championship qualifier at Lansdowne Road on Wednesday, October 14, 1987, a game which the home side won with goals from Manchester United duo Paul McGrath and Kevin Moran. It was also a red-letter — or, rather, red card — occasion for Brady, whose late sending off, after reacting to a foul by Sadkov, shadowed what was widely agreed had been his very best performance of the Charlton era.