When Chris Hughton says you never know what to expect from England, he speaks from joyful experience.

In June 1988, on a sunlit day in Stuttgart, the slightly built full-back from Forest Gate in East London wrote his name with 12 others into Irish football folklore.

A looping early header by his near-namesake, Ray Houghton, beyond Peter Shilton earned the Republic a famous victory under the command of an England World Cup winner.

Hughton, reflecting on one of his finest moments in the emerald green of his mother's nation, said: "It was the first time Ireland had qualified for a major Championship and to play against England in that first game and to beat them is something an awful lot of people in Ireland have never forgotten.

"It was a massive result for us. We ended up not going through. We drew with Russia and then we lost to Holland.

"But it was seen very much as a success, particularly the result against England.

"We had a very good team and Jack Charlton did a great job. We had a lot of good players."

The Argus: They included Paul McGrath, Ronnie Whelan, John Aldridge, Frank Stapleton - John Byrne was only good enough to be an unused substitute.

Bobby Robson's England went out too, losing all three of their matches.

An England team containing Sansom and Adams, Robson, Waddle and Barnes, Beardsley and Lineker, Hoddle on the bench.

What price Roy Hodgson's boys brigade improving on the nation's dismal record in the 2016 European Championships, beginning in France on Friday?

England have only reached the semi-finals once, in 1996 on home soil. That tournament under Terry Venables also marked their solitary victory in the knockout stages - on penalties against Spain.

This damning stat should be corrected in France, with four teams finishing next-to-last in their group still qualifying for the last 16. Hughton is cautiously optimistic.

Albion's manager told The Argus: "Everybody has an opinion and Roy has a very tough job. He has gone with a young, energetic squad.

"It's tough on the two players he has left out, Drinkwater (below) and Townsend. There's no doubt they have done enough to be in the squad and there are arguably some players in the squad who are in not such good form.

The Argus: "But Roy also has to get the balance of players that have been in his squads before and have done well for him.

"It's a good squad. Unfortunately with England, I always think you just don't know what you are going to get.

"There is no doubt they are capable of winning the group they are in and of doing well but you just never know.

"The likes of Spain, Italy and Germany have done it before, so most people tend to be a bit more confident about them."

England face Russia and Slovakia either side of colliding with Wales, the type of fixture evoking chilling echoes of the damage inflicted by Hughton and his colleagues.

He said: "In some ways that game is better for Wales than for England. It's completely different, like a local derby. It has more meaning and those type of games tend to balance up a little bit more.

"But the question mark for me will be about Wales qualifying. I certainly don't see England not qualifying. I'm very confident that, which ever way they do it, they will qualify and I really hope Wales do as well."

What of the Republic in their group of death? "I wouldn't necessarily say that on paper the present day team is as good as the '88 team," Hughton observed. "Certainly what they do have is more experience than us. Ireland have qualified for World Cups since then and I think that experience will stand them in good stead.

The Argus: "They've got a very good manager in Martin O'Neill (above) , who I think will get the best out of them.

"Italy, Belgium and Sweden is a tough group, but it's not just necessarily the first two through.

"Belgium on their day can be as good as anybody with the quality they've got. Sweden are vastly experienced and Italy would be the favourites, because of their experience.

"But you can never write off the Irish team and none of those three will have an easy game against them."

Hughton does not see beyond the customary suspects when contemplating who will lift the Henri Delaunay Cup in Paris on July 10.

He said: "There are some big nations, France, Italy, Germany Spain, that have a history of winning it.

"I don't see England winning it. Doing well will hopefully lead on to doing even better in the 2018 World Cup.

"Even though Germany haven't been impressive lately they are always strong when it comes to these tournaments.

"France are at home. Benzema is a big miss for them but they still arguably have the best squad, a lot of quality players, so I'd probably go for France, Germany or Spain."

In a wide-open competition, there are sure to be one or two surprises along the way, of the kind Hughton contributed to in Germany all those years ago.