Stafford’s savouring baby blues ahead of Euro crunch

so that means the hand of histor y is resting on the Blues’ shoulders.

Qarabag will star t the tie as f irm favourites to progress but Linfield are chasing the dream with belief and hunger.

Stafford, who joined the Blues in the summer of 2015, got the ball rolling in last week’s second leg against Sutjeska when he rose to meet a Kirk Millar corner, and f urther goals from Shayne Lavery and Matthew Clarke secured a 5-3 aggregate win.

With the new baby and bir thday celebrations in f ull f low, the centre-back is targeting a ver y special hat-trick.

“It’s been an eventful and ver y enjoyable few days for me and the family,” said Stafford. “Everyone is doing great and we are thrilled to welcome Lyla into the family.

“Life is busy on and off the pitch for me but you’ve got to enjoy the good times. Our European run has created a nice bit of histor y for the club and, while we have a ver y dif f icult test ahead of us, I’m confident

. the boys will give it ever y thing they have.

“We have ver y good players at the football club and they have proved that in Europe. Hopefully we have more big performances lef t in us.”

Linfield have plans to go f ull-time in the coming seasons and that goal could be achieved sooner than expected if the club march into the group stages.

Stafford applauds the club for going down the f ull-time route as he believes the extra bit of training and professionalism could see the Blues shine even brighter on the domestic and European stage.

“Full-time has to be the way for ward,” he adds. “I think Irish League football needs that. The