Episode 3314: Tá An Cathaoirleach Marbh

In September 1976 a 25 man squad of UCD freshers football players (and a few second year bangers) went on tour to the People’s Republic of China – they were the first west-European sports team to play in Communist China.

They weren’t just creating history, they would also witness history, as a few days into their trip Chairman Mao died, plunging the nation into mourning and putting their trip into disarray.

Today we welcome two players from that trip into studio, John McGrath and Martin Moran.

Ken also looks at a documentary the BBC recently re-released, which followed the West Brom team of 1978 on their tour through China, a trip in which they claimed to be the first European team to play there. And Ken regales Branno with tales of his drinking days in Shanghai, back in the winter of 2001.

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On today’s football show Ken chats to QPR and Ireland’s soundest man, Jimmy Dunne!https://t.co/mFBaZk6JYe pic.twitter.com/9xIpceASwb

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