Jack Charlton: The man behind our seasons in the sun

ACCORDING TO JACK: Jack Charlton, the former Republic of Ireland manager, who passed away Friday night. He gave Irish sporting fans our best days in the sun. Picture: Brendan Moran, Sportsfile

THERE IS a deeply sad and painful irony in the realisation that, as we experience one of our worst and darkest summers, we must finally bid farewell to the man who helped give us some of our best and brightest.

The pandemic has already prompted a wave of nostalgia for happier times but, for many of us, 1988 and 1990 are what we have in mind when we fall to talking about the good old days: Euro ‘88 and Italia ‘90 stand out not just as milestones in Irish football history but as mega-events which transcended sporting achievement to enfold and enrapture the whole country.