I know how to beat the English: Neill

"I think we surprised a lot of people that night," said Neill, who was also player-manager of Hull City at the time. "Not many gave us a chance but we had a good team. Just look at the back four that night - Pat Rice and Sammy Nelson from Arsenal, Allan Hunter from Ipswich and me.

"The truth is, of course, that we had one of the world's great goalkeepers in Pat Jennings. He kept us in it for the first 30 minutes. We owed him a lot. We usually did."

Although England dominated possession they created few chances. They paid the price after 33 minutes when Wolves' Danny Hegan took a corner and Brighton's Willie Irvine headed the ball down to the feet of Neill, playing his 50th international.

"The way I remember it, I picked up the ball in my own half, dribbled past five defenders and sent a screamer past Peter Shilton from 30 yards!" smiled Neill. "Time plays tricks, doesn't it? Actually I scored from two yards - but it was a volley with my left foot. I thought 'Oh no! It's going to be on my left'. I only used my left to stand on.

"It was a memorable night for us. Significant wins of that sort were few and far between. In the dressing room afterwards the only regret among the lads was the absence of George Best. He'd gone on one of his periodic walkabouts and missed the match."

The Manchester United winger was considered one of the world's outstanding players but his international career from 1964-78 brought him just 37 Irish caps and nine goals.

Best and Jennings [119 caps] were considered the finest Irish players in the English game, though there were many others like Danny Blanchflower, Billy Bingham, Peter McParland, Jimmy Nicholl, Mal Donaghy, Norman Whiteside, Gerry Armstrong and Martin O'Neill. "I was fortunate to play with people like George, Pat Jennings, Danny Blanchflower and

Jimmy McIlroy," said Neill. "When I started in the Irish side in 1961 they used to call me Tiger. 'When you get the ball, Tiger, give it to us that can play', they used to tell me."

Today there are far fewer Irish players of that quality in the English game. "Fewer opportunities for them because of the foreign players at the big clubs," explained Neill. "But there are other factors. I've spent much of the last five years in Northern Ireland looking after my father and I watched a lot of junior football in that time. There are lots of good young players and the enthusiasm is undiminished.

"But I feel that the people running football in Northern Ireland are not providing a structure for them to develop properly. I'm very proud of my Ulster heritage. But it's a small province and it can produce very insular thinking."

Neill, who left Bangor to sign for Arsenal as a 17-year-old wing-half, spent four years as the playermanager of Northern Ireland. "I did everything except wash the kit and drive the team bus," he said.

He relinquished the post when he joined Spurs as manager in September 1974 but his most successful period came when he rejoined Arsenal in 1976. With Don Howe as coach, he took Arsenal to three FA Cup finals and the final of the Cup Winners' Cup.

"When I was at Arsenal I used to send Alf Ramsey our fixtures at the start of each season," he said. "Alf would write back and tell me which games he'd like to watch. This was a great help to me because at the end of each match he'd come into my office. He'd have a couple of Scotches - he always called me Terence - and then he'd help me sort out the problems I had with my team."

Neill, 62 and working as a worldwide football consultant, believes Sven-Goran Eriksson is blessed with many of the qualities that made Ramsey a World Cup winner.

"I couldn't understand the furore that followed the match against Holland," he said. "Coaches try new things in friendly matches. The Northern Ireland manager Lawrie Sanchez lost 1-0 at home to Canada on the same night. The only results that count are competitive results and whatever else you might think about Sven his competitive record is outstanding.

"I think he's got a very good team. But Alf had a very good team in 1972 and we won. So we might have a chance at Old Trafford. Never write off the Irish."