Unlike the earnest Eoin Hand, who made it his business to head out to Paris when Ireland needed the out-of-sorts Dutch to get a result in France in similar circumstances back in 1981, Jack wasn't going all the way to Bulgaria (or Romania, whoever the hell Scotland were playing). .
No, Jack settled down in Shropshire to watch the game. After half an hour the game was 0-0, with the Scots surviving an early flurry.
Then the phone rang. It was former England footballer and BBC Radio Five Live commentator Jimmy Armfield.
JA - CONGRATULATIONS, JACK!
JC - What for?
JA - For qualifying for the European championships...
JC - (Confused)... No, no, it’s only 0-0, it’s on the telly, I’m watching it and there’s only about a half an hour gone.
JA - No, that's recorded. Scotland won 1-0
