Paul Gascoigne, Spurs and a dream Derry City goal against Man United

The Limerick man’s introduction to life at the Brandywell Stadium involved a thrilling match-up against one of England’s finest players as the enigmatic Paul Gascoigne stole the show when Tottenham Hotspur defeated the Candy Stripes 3-0 in a friendly on Friday, August 3rd 1990.

‘Gazza’ had just returned from Italia ‘90 where England had crashed out of the World Cup semi-finals after a penalty shoot-out against West Germany when the talented midfielder was reduced to tears in Turin after picking up a booking which would’ve ruled him out of the final. It became one of the defining images of the tournament.

His performances in an England shirt that summer had catapulted the Geordie genius to superstardom as he became a household name and at 23 years of age, he had the world at his feet. Incidentally that World Cup proved to be the last in a turbulent career!

Fast forward four weeks and Gascoigne was strutting his stuff on the Brandywell pitch, greeting fans and playing a pivotal role in goals for Paul Stewart and Gary Linekar.

The former Newcastle United, Lazio and Rangers ace was at the peak of his powers and for Derry City forward, Hanrahan who walked side by side with Gazza onto the Lone Moor Road venue that day, he was by some distance the best player he’s shared a pitch with.

’Undoubtedly the star of the Friday night show was ‘Gazza’,” read the ‘Journal’ report. ‘The midfielder’s mazy runs regularly penetrated the City defence; his feinting, twisting and vision earned him regular applause which was highlighted when he departed from the fray after 65 minutes accompanied by Linekar and Justin Edinburgh.’

And ex-Manchester United winger, Hanrahan, who went on to win two League Cup winners’ medals with Derry City during his two year spell on Foyleside, still holds fond memories of that encounter with Terry Venables’ side.

“He was by far the best player I have ever shared a football pitch with,” said Hanrahan. “He was just back from the World Cup and arguably among the top three or four players in the world.

“I had two seasons with Manchester United and from an ability prospective, I never felt I had less ability. The only person I walked off a football field and said; ‘I’m not worthy’ was Paul Gascoigne.

“He was comfortably three or four levels above everybody that I ever played against. And I had played with Brian Robson and Paul McGrath and all those guys at United. There was just something really special about him as a footballer.”

It would be difficult to better a debut against a full strength Tottenham side but Hanrahan must have felt his luck was in when Manchester United were next up for the legendary Jim McLaughlin’s Candy Stripes in the second high profile friendly fixture in the space of five days!

And as fate would have it, Hanrahan, who had fallen out with United boss, Sir Alex Ferguson, before walking out of his career at Old Trafford three years earlier, managed to score his first Derry City goal against the Red Devils in front of almost 10,000 spectators at Brandywell on Wednesday, August 8th 1990.

Hanrahan admits he took special satisfaction from his 91st minute equaliser which cancelled out Mark Robbins’ first half goal.

Fergie’s multi-million pound squad failed to live up to expectations despite arriving as recently crowned FA Cup winners but United old boy, Hanrahan, who had watched the cup final at Wembley that May, cherished the opportunity to test himself against the club he felt didn’t give him a fair crack.

“I signed for Derry in 1990 and two of the first games I played were against Spurs and Manchester United. Spurs beat us 3-0 but for the second game against United, Fergie had come over.

"I had a row with Fergie before that and had walked out of the club. We drew 1-1 with them and I scored the equaliser. It was my first goal for Derry,” he smiled.

“They had just won the FA Cup. Ironically I had been at the cup final supporting them but that was my first meeting with Fergie after walking out in ‘87.

“I used to room with ‘Sparky’ (Mark) Hughes and a Scottish lad called Graeme Hogg from Aberdeen. Those were good times. We were living with an English family who had an Irishman, a Scotsman and a Welshman,” he laughed.

“So in my first couple of Derry games I played against Spurs and Man United which was a pretty decent start at a new club.”

Derry’s treble winners of the previous season were somewhat in transition when Hanrahan joined from his native Limerick City. His final appearance for Limerick was against Derry in what he describes as the worst defeat in his senior career.

“I had played for Limerick the season before and the in last match I recall playing against Derry in the Brandywell and suffering the worst defeat I ever had as a footballer at senior level. They beat us 7-1. I remember that night Felix Healy wouldn’t give us the ball,” added Hanrahan, who played under both McLaughlin and Roy Coyle.

“That year I joined we weren’t playing particularly well in the league but as far as I recall we got to the quarter-finals of the FAI Cup and were beat at home by Ashtown Villa.

"It was an enormous upset. In fact most of the big clubs at that stage had been beaten in the FAI Cup and we were the firm favourites to win the bloody thing but were knocked out by this team.

"I have to say, whether I was playing for Derry or playing against Derry, going to Brandywell there was always a terrific atmosphere. There was always a crowd. I couldn’t wait to get up there.”

An FAI Cup winner with UCD in 1984 and named PFAI Young Player of the Year, Hanrahan went onto complete the full set of domestic honours, winning the League Cup twice with Derry and then clinching the 1994/95 Premier Division title with Dundalk.

That title winning season came at the expense of his former club, Derry who were defeated at St Mel’s in Athlone to lose out on the final day. A memory still etched in the mind of Hanrahan.

“We finished about sixth or seventh in that first season I was there. We didn’t have a great season but we finished second the following year to a very good Shelbourne team.

“I had some really good days in the Derry shirt and some days when I certainly did some justice to it but I would be honest in saying there were some days when I was being picked on reputation alone.

“It was a good experience,” he adds, “There was a great passion for football in Derry. When I was there we were in the midst of the Troubles. I think the team itself probably reflected the people it represented.

“Winning the League Cup twice was good but we probably under achieved in those two seasons, relative to the talent that was in the team.”

Towards the end of Hanrahan’s second season at Derry there was an ongoing transfer saga with Shelbourne and Dundalk turning his head with a move to Oriel Park eventually winning out. And in fairness, the pacey winger never looked back!

“I went to Dundalk for five or six seasons. I eventually managed to win the league medal with Dundalk in 94/94.

The league was won on the last day. Derry finished second and had they scored one more goal against Athlone they wouldn’t have won the league. I think Stuarty Gauld missed a penalty.

"Our game finished about five minutes before the Derry game. We had beaten Galway and stayed on the pitch and the tannoy had the RTE radio coverage of the game from St. Mel’s Park.

“It’s the first time I recall a bunch of footballers on their knees actually saying prayers. We were praying Derry wouldn’t score and once the final whistle blew we had won the league. It was unbelievable.

“My brother Peter had won the league with Dundalk prior to that so I at least matched him in winning a league medal. I had won the FAI Cup with UCD, a League Cup with Derry and so it was the only medal missing.”

The 56 years-old, who now works for a financial planning firm in Dublin, felt like Derry fans never got to see his best form thanks to a poor injury record with his constant travelling up and down from the capital ultimately taking its toll.

“I was quick enough in my day,” he said. “Unfortunately as I got a bit older, and I’m sure a lot of Derry supporters will remember this, when I arrived on the pitch they used to call me ‘Joe Hamstrings’,” he laughs.

“In some respect they were probably right. Unfortunately one of the problems was I was getting that bit older and travelling up from Dublin probably wasn’t the best way to prepare.

“The people up there, even though they gave me plenty of slagging, I must say they were always very cordial and good fun. I like the Derry wit.

“I remember playing a game one Saturday and then staying in Derry. We went out like you do when you’re a young fella. I was talking to this young Derry girl - my kids love ‘Derry Girls’ by the way - and I keep reminding them I played for Derry for two seasons.

“She said to me she was from Shantallow. I asked one of the boys: ‘This girl is from Shantallow, What’s that like?’ And they joked, ‘Put it this way, Joe, when you go to Shantallow they frisk you to see if you have a gun and if you don’t, they give you one. I loved that Derry wit.

“Funny enough I haven’t been in Derry itself since I last played there. I promised my children I would bring them to a number of places in the League of Ireland I played in.

“I’ve never brought them to Old Trafford so one of these days hopefully I get them over there too.

“And the Derry fans will be glad to know I’m actually down to have surgery on an Achilles tendon problem in a few months time, would you believe . About time, eh?”