This annual Korean Tournament started in 1971. Originally, the participating national and club teams were mainly invited from Asia. The R’s represented Great Britain in June 1988 and the other fifteen teams were made up of Olympic, national and club sides from:-

Mexico, Zambia, Italy, Czechoslovakia, Turkey, Peru, Yugoslavia, USA, USSR, Nigeria, Iraq, Argentina, Hungary and two from the host country. These were split into four groups and Rangers faced the Olympic sides of USA, USSR and Nigeria.

David Seaman was on ‘England alert’ and stayed behind. With Nicky Johns on holiday, a young Israeli keeper, Bonni Ginsberg was invited by Jim Smith. The other players who went along with a view to signing were:-

Lee Docherty, a young midfielder with Linfield, Gary Brooke the former Tottenham and Norwich striker who was currently with the Dutch side Groningen and lastly, the former R’s player, Dean Neal. The full squad were: Roberts, Ginsberg, Neill, Fereday, Dawes, Dennis, Fleming, Parker, Law, Maguire, Docherty, Maddix, Ferdinand, Brooke, Neal and Pizanti. Alan McDonald didn’t travel as his wife was expecting a baby. Jim Smith wrote in the fans newspaper the ‘Bush Ranger’…”So it’s off to Korea on June 14 for a week – ten days if we are successful and reach the knock-out stage of the competition. Then its back to training on July 19 and tour games in Sweden and Holland.”

The R’s then played the Soviet Union in Kwangju and around 15,000 attended this one. They soon demonstrated their superior fitness and strength in extreme humidity. In the same interview, Gavin Maguire said that he lost about 5lb per training session and 12lb in a match. The Soviets apparently deserved their 3-0 victory but their last goal was a tad fortunate. Brian Law’s attempt to clear the ball hit one of the opposition and rebounded 30 yards past Ginsberg. Gavin Maguire was kicked in the face and had to go to hospital to receive eight stitches above his right eye.