I was telling badderman the other day about my favourite ever signing. I signed this 18 year old freebie called Nicky Byrne during my first season of management on 97/98. He was more than excellent for my Rotherham United in Division 3, but after 18 months I left for Extremadura in the Segunda División.

To be honest, at this point in time, he wasn’t my favourite signing, however, as the years progressed, I noticed he was playing for Ireland, and then that they’d won the 2002 World Cup. Turns out Byrne was the captain, and had scored the winning goal. Four years later, Ireland won the World Cup again, and Byrne had once more been the man to lift the trophy during the celebrations.

Now, I know I wasn’t in charge during his best years, but knowing that I was the guy that gave him his big break in professional football at the beginning of the game makes him my favourite ever signing.

Turns out this double World Cup winning captain by the age of 26 gave up football in real life at the age of just 18, having been released from Leeds United as a youngster. Apparently he went on to join some boy band called Westlife, or something…

Thought I recognised the name!

That’s fantastic.