Club career: Endured 17 barren years at Anfield, apart from winning six league titles, two FA Cups, three League Cups and the European Cup (when Liverpool beat Roma in 1984). After 362 appearances for the club he joined Southend, in 1994, where he was appointed manager a year later. Ended his playing career in November 1996, after failing to fully recover from a knee operation.

International career: Followed his father, Ronnie Snr (who won two caps in the midSixties), into the senior team in 1981, when he came on as a sub for Gerry Daly in the 2-1 win over Czechoslovakia at Lansdowne Road. Went on to win 53 caps, his last coming in 1995 when he captained Ireland in a European championship game against Austria in Dublin.

Highlight: There were more than a few, but how about the 1988 European Championships? Hanover. Ireland v the Soviet Union. Thirtyeighth minute. Throw-in to Ireland. Whelan's standing at the edge of the box. Mick McCarthy launches it. Whelan bicycle-kicks. Cue George Hamilton: "["]Ooooh, Ronnieeee WheeeEEEeelaaan." Eight-point-three on the Richter scale. Every pub in Ireland reported structural damage. Aaah, happy days.

Where is he now? In July of this year he was appointed manager of Greek club Panionios, where he's known as "The Irish" by the fans. (This is true). Two of his earliest signings were Garry Haylock (from Portadown) and Mark Robins (the former Manchester United striker) and the pair helped the Athens club qualify for the first round of the European Cup Winners' Cup, by beating Finnish side Haka in the preliminary round. Last Thursday they beat Apollon Limassol 3-2 in the first leg of the first round - rumour has it that if they knock their Cypriot neighbours out in the second leg Whelan will be made an honorary Greek.