Hughesie for... er, Ireland?

22 November 2000

Lee Hughes has been targetted for an international call-up by Northern Ireland despite being English through and through and being born in Smethwick. However, the NI bigwigs, desperate to find players who can qualify for the Irish side, have started to dig deep into the roots of his family tree to see if one of the branches has a bud that might blossom into an International career [That's enough gardening analogies, thanks - Ed]

Apparently, one of Hughes's grandmothers had an Irish relative - or at least, someone who once drank a pint or two of Guiness - which may be enough to qualify him to play for them under the rules. What his team mates in the dressing room would make of one of his tattoos - a bulldog wearing an England shirt - is another matter...

Previous Stories:

  21 November 2000:  McInnes out for the season

  15 November 2000:  Alternative Huddersfield Report

  15 November 2000:  Shareholders approve Rights Issue

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