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'Expect it to be hostile for McGeady and McCarthy in Scotland' - Ray Houghton

One of the major subplots leading into Friday's all important Euro 2016 qualifier between Ireland...



'Expect it to be hostile f...
Soccer

'Expect it to be hostile for McGeady and McCarthy in Scotland' - Ray Houghton

One of the major subplots leading into Friday's all important Euro 2016 qualifier between Ireland and Scotland is the reception Scottish-born Ireland internationals Aiden McGeady and James McCarthy will get at Celtic Park.

The scrutiny has increased because of comments by former Scotland international Gordon McQueen who has called for the duo to get a "horrible reception" for picking Ireland over their nation of birth.

Of course, McGeady and McCarthy are not the first Glaswegians to line out for Ireland.

It is an experience shared by former Boys in Green with Donegal roots  in Ray Houghton and Owen Coyle, so tonight Off The Ball asked both lads about the way they were received.

"As for what's going to happen to James and Aiden on Friday, expect it to be hostile because I did in 1987 when I played there at Hampden. I expected it to be hostile and I got a lot of stick. And you know what? It spurred me on," said Houghton, who said that the Scottish FA had showed no interest in him.

He also detailed how galvanising the experience was for him in that 1987 match and the experience of his family in the crowd.

"The other thing that people have got to understand is that when the boys make those decisions, whether they're talking about Aiden or James now who I know well on a personal level, people are very hypocritical because if you look through the Scotland team, there are a number of players there who were born in England," said Glaswegian Coyle, who is proud of being Scottish but also felt it was natural to play for Ireland, having spent childhood holidays in Donegal. 

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