THE DRAW FOR next year’s European Championships has yet to be made but already Irish fans are planning their summer in France.
Martin O’Neill’s side qualified for Euro 2016 thanks to a play-off victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina last month and ever since, supporters have been counting the pennies ahead of a good old road trip.
The green army took over Poznan three years ago with Uefa awarding the Football Association of Ireland a special award in recognition of the Irish fans’ contribution during the tournament.
And you would expect it to be a similar story this time around with one fan already preparing well in advance.
We may be six months out from kick-off but Liam Kelly has already shown his colours, displaying this banner which you’ll no doubt see a lot more of.
The tri-colour flag has a picture of Shane Long celebrating his goal against Germany with the words: ‘The best thing to come out of Tipp since a pint bottle of Bulmers’.
It’s a fine effort so early in the piece.
But Irish fans on the road have history of producing classics. In Poland, the ‘Angela Merkel thinks we’re at work’ was picked up around Europe .
Liam has set the bar high but we’re sure there will be plenty more contenders which will spring up between now and June and then throughout the tournament.
The best fans in the world, bar none.