Ireland travelled to Lisbon in hope 30 years ago and suffered a heavy defeat that brought an end to the golden years The coup de g râce for the Jack Charlton era came on a football field in England as a 2-0 defeat to the Netherlands in a one-leg play-off for Euro '96 ended in defeat. But the most damaging blow to his time as manager came in Lisbon 30 years ago, a 3-0 capitulation to Portugal, one of the worst nights from those starry times.