'Have you got any Irish in ya?': Harvey Vale's road to the Ireland national team 

Vale’s emergence at this late stage of the World Cup qualifying cycle, and the inclusion of the uncapped Bosun Lawal who is being tipped for a significant role in the playoff against Czechia on Thursday, isn’t unique.

Harvey Vale during a Republic of Ireland men's training session at the FAI National Training Centre in Abbotstown, Dublin. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

THE way Harvey Vale tells it, you might think his journey into the Republic of Ireland squad had shades of the day Jack Charlton asked John Aldridge to come on board and got Ray Houghton into the bargain.

That was 1986, just weeks after Big Jack had taken on the job. Aldridge had scored twice for Oxford United in a 2-2 first-leg Milk Cup semi-final draw against Aston Villa in Birmingham when Charlton made his approach in the player’s lounge.