STEPHEN WARD BELIEVES facing England will be the ideal preparation for Ireland’s crunch qualifier against Scotland.

And the Burnley defender doesn’t expect any repeat of the horrific trouble which marred England’s last visit to Dublin in 1995.

Ward was just nine-years-old when rioting by some visiting fans forced the match to be abandoned with just 27 minutes played and Ireland leading 1-0.

“When you’re a young kid, it was a strange night,” Ward recalled on Wednesday.

I remember watching it at home with my mum and my dad was working. It was a weird night. I didn’t really understand it at the time, I was quite young.

“Looking back it was a night that people want to forget. I think it’s going to be a lot different this time. I think football has moved on. I’m sure we’ve moved on here in the country.

“Hopefully it will be a good game of football with a good atmosphere, a nice derby atmosphere, but obviously a peaceful one this time.”

England’s visit comes just six days before Ireland host Scotland in a Euro 2016 qualifier they can ill-afford to lose.

Ward believes a friendly against another of the ‘home nations’ will be the perfect way to tune up.

It’s a massive game, obviously. It’s a local derby really and we’ll want to get one over on them and perform for our fans.

“It’s the ideal game to play leading up to the Scotland game because it’s going to be pretty similar, a similar sort of atmosphere, and probably an English type of game of football.

“It’s going to be a big occasion and a great game.”

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