Jim Boyce, who was president of the Irish Football Association at the time, told Radio 5 Live on Thursday that the idea was "pie in the sky".

He said: "We were asked to meet civil servants when the idea cropped up - I've been involved in football in Northern Ireland for approximately 70 years and it has done more to bringing the communities together in this province than politicians have ever done.

"It would have killed local football and the people who put so much work into local football at the time, and the spectators of local football clubs, they just have obviously no interest in this whatsoever.

"I think it was quite honestly a publicity stunt. As was proved, as I said at the time when this was discussed that Wimbledon were in the Premier League. Yes, to many people who weren't local football fans of course it would have been nice to see Manchester United, Liverpool and Spurs possibly coming to Northern Ireland.

"But what [would] happen in a few years time if they weren't in the Premier League, as happened. To me, honestly, it was a total pie in the sky and I'm glad Mo Mowlam put a stop to it as there were people trying to create publicity."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67832071