Recalling when Jurgen Klinsmann and Co rocked up at home of Hibs

Easter Road has been used as a neutral ground on many occasions over the years, but perhaps none as notable as that famous European night 25 years ago today when two of the most unlikely opponents went head-to-head at the home of Hibs.
Bayern Munich's Jurgen Klinsmann (right) wins the ball ahead of Raith's Shaun Dennis in the UEFA Cup 2nd round first leg tie at Easter Road on October 17, 1995.Bayern Munich's Jurgen Klinsmann (right) wins the ball ahead of Raith's Shaun Dennis in the UEFA Cup 2nd round first leg tie at Easter Road on October 17, 1995.
Bayern Munich's Jurgen Klinsmann (right) wins the ball ahead of Raith's Shaun Dennis in the UEFA Cup 2nd round first leg tie at Easter Road on October 17, 1995.

When Raith Rovers shocked Scottish football to its core in defeating Celtic on penalties in the Coca-Cola Cup final on November 27, 1994 it seemed like the provincial Kirkcaldy club had reached the pinnacle of its existence. Nothing could top it.

Then came the UEFA Cup the following year.

The draw for the preliminary round handed Jimmy Nicholl's side a tie against minnows Gotu Itrottarfelag of the Faroe Islands. A glamour tie it was not, but to a club playing in a European competition for the first time in its history, the notion of leaving UK shores to play a competitive match was a complete novelty.

Raith's Jim McInally (left) battles for the ball with Dietmar HamannRaith's Jim McInally (left) battles for the ball with Dietmar Hamann
Raith's Jim McInally (left) battles for the ball with Dietmar Hamann
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A 6-2 aggregate victory sent the Kirkcaldy outfit into the first round proper and an encounter with Icelandic champions Akranes. This would have been a real test for any Scottish club against a side with several internationalists in their ranks, but, helped by a double from former Hibee Danny Lennon in a 3-1 first leg win at Stark's Park, Raith made it through to round two after escaping with a backs-to-the-wall 1-0 defeat in the away leg.

Rovers had already exceeded expectations to reach the UEFA Cup second round, outlasting Motherwell, knocked out by Finnish side MyPa-47, as Scotland's last survivors in the competition, where some of Europe's biggest names potentially lay in wait.

Excitement of draw and Easter Road switch explained

In the days before smartphones and instant social media updates, fans were left to scramble for a radio signal on the afternoon the draw was made.

Oliver Kahn of Bayern Munich in action during the second round of the UEFA Cup against Raith on October 17, 1995. Pic: Mike Cooper/ALLSPORTOliver Kahn of Bayern Munich in action during the second round of the UEFA Cup against Raith on October 17, 1995. Pic: Mike Cooper/ALLSPORT
Oliver Kahn of Bayern Munich in action during the second round of the UEFA Cup against Raith on October 17, 1995. Pic: Mike Cooper/ALLSPORT

Milan? Barcelona? Lazio? There were numerous dream possibilities. Then the news broke. Bayern Munich. A football comic book story was coming true. Raith Rovers were going to the Olympiastadion, or perhaps more remarkably, Bayern were coming to Kirkcaldy. Only that never transpired.

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While the more sentimental Rovers fans hoped to bring the mighty Germans to the tight and testing confines of the Stark's Park terraces, the sensible decision was made to transfer the match to Easter Road, ensuring a bumper crowd for the biggest night in Rovers' history.

So many illustrious names

It also meant some of the biggest names in football, the likes of Jurgen Klinsmann, Oliver Kahn, Jean-Pierre Papin and Dietmar Hamann would be taking to the hallowed Leith turf, along with Rovers band of humble heroes that included future Hibees Shaun Dennis, Stevie Crawford and Tony Rougier, as well as Colin Cameron, who transferred to Hearts a year later. In the dug-outs, Nicholl would pit his wits against Otto Rehhagel, the coach who would go on to lead Greece to Euro 2004 success.

Klinsmann, though, was the star attraction. A World Cup winner, Ballon D'or runner-up, and one of the game's deadliest finishers. While Rovers fans poured through to Edinburgh on that October 17 night in their thousands, there was no doubt a large presence of Hibs and Hearts fans among the 12,818 spectators keen to set eyes on a team of superstars.

Just watching the Germans go through their warm-up routine was enough to leave those inside the ground awestruck. In the stand, Bayern vice-presidents Franz Beckenbauer and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge took their seats. Footballing royalty was in town.

How the game panned out

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Once the game started, Klinsmann made his mark instantly. A precision move was followed by the deftest of lobs that dropped over Scott Thomson and into the net for a sixth-minute lead. It would have been no embarrassment had Rovers caved in at this point but they showed remarkable determination to hold on until the interval against such a well-oiled footballing machine.

As the match wore on, Raith were growing in belief, snarling into challenges, pressing their opponents into conceding possession and playing at a level that ought to have been beyond them.

Bayern now knew they were in a game and were it not for a stunning intervention from another Bundesliga icon, Rovers would have been level as goalkeeper Kahn made a world class reflex save from Cameron's close range header.

Bayern took heed of the warning, stepped up a gear and ensured they took a two-goal lead back to Munich with another slick move that ended with a simple Klinsmann finish from close range in front of the Famous Five Stand.

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The game finished 2-0 to the illustrious visitors but far from being disgraced, Rovers had done themselves and Scottish football proud. Two weeks later in the return leg, they would send shockwaves across Europe by taking the lead in the Olympiastadion through a deflected Lennon free-kick before succumbing to a 2-1 defeat on the night for a 4-1 aggregate defeat.

The fairytale was over but, still, the Fifers did not leave Munich empty-handed. The iconic image of the half-time scoreboard which read, FC Bayern 0 Raith Rovers FC 1, had been captured for Rovers fans to reminisce over for all eternity.

Going their separate ways

Bayern went on to win the UEFA Cup that year, knocking out Lokomotiv Moscow, Benfica, Nottingham Forest and Barcelona en route to beating Bordeaux in the final. Another claim to fame for the Lang Toun side is that of all those sides beaten over two legs, only Barca avoided a worse aggregate defeat than the men from Kirkcaldy.

Rovers went on to enjoy another momentous day at Easter Road in 2014 as a side managed by Grant Murray, who would go on to become a coach at Hibs, lifted the Ramsdens Cup following a 1-0 win over Rangers after extra-time.

But the night when Klinsmann lit up Leith will always be remembered.

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