Where are they now? No 24: Gerry Daly

Club career: The Cabra-born midfielder joined Manchester United from Bohemians in 1973 (£20,000), establishing himself in the…

Club career: The Cabra-born midfielder joined Manchester United from Bohemians in 1973 (£20,000), establishing himself in the first team within a year. Experienced relegation in his first full season, but was a regular in the team that won the Second Division title in 1974-5. Was on the losing side in the 1976 FA Cup final (when United lost to Southampton), and left for Derby County midway through the next season in a £175,000 deal that made him Ireland's most expensive player at the time. Over the next 11 years he had spells with the New England Tea Men (the North American league team then managed by Noel Cantwell), Coventry City, Leicester City (loan spell), Birmingham, Shrewsbury, Stoke, and his final club, Doncaster Rovers (where Joe Kinnear was the assistant manager). Retired from playing when he was 36, in 1988.

International career: Won the first of his 48 caps against Poland in 1973, bowing out 13 years later in a 0-0 draw against Scotland at Lansdowne Road. His 13 international goals make him the highest scoring Irish midfielder of all time - his first came from a penalty against England at Wembley in 1976 (finished 1-1). He also scored against England in the 1978 European Championship qualifier at Lansdowne Road (another 1-1 draw) and scored the first goal of Jack Charlton's reign, equalising from a penalty against Uruguay in Dublin (April 1986). Where is he now? After ending his playing career, Daly became manager of non-league Telford Town (1989-94), but an old back injury has left him unable to work since then. Now 44, he lives in the Derbyshire village of Oakwood with his wife, Sheila (a matrimonial lawyer), and their two children.

Mary Hannigan

Mary Hannigan

Mary Hannigan is a sports writer with The Irish Times