Raith Rovers’ heroic Coca-Cola Cup success over Celtic during the 1994/95 season saw them qualify for the Uefa Cup qualifiers.
Jimmy Nicholl’s men had eased past Gotu Itrottarfelag – or as Rob MacLean called them during the Sportscene highlights “the Faroese team with a very long name” – in the preliminary round.
As Scotland’s only representatives left in the competition, their first-ever match in official European competition came at Stark’s Park versus Akranes on September 12, 1995.
With a lot of difficult-looking sides in the mix, the player-manager wanted “the Icelandic team or Leeds” – preferring to either have a chance to progress or “to go out with a bang”.
Rovers fan and A View From The Terrace panellist Shaughan McGuigan, who attended the first leg at home to “Icelandic team” Akranes as a 17-year-old, also remembered thinking the tie was winnable.
Decent pedigree
“We probably would have been pumped by everyone else,” he added.
It came after a difficult start to the season for Raith, directly after back-to-back defeats to Celtic in the league and cup, followed by a thrashing at Ibrox.
The Kirkcaldy side, backed by a boisterous crowd of nearing 6,000, may have won the tie 3-1 but the score masks how uncomfortable the game was.
While the Icelandic national team was not as successful as it has been in the recent past Akranes were champions and boasted seven internationalists.
Two of those players were on loan from Feyenoord while Siggi Johnson had previous experience at Arsenal and Sheffield Wednesday.
‘They ran rings round us’
Another fear factor was provided when fellow Icelandic outfit KR Reykjavik gave Everton a scare in the preliminary round.
“They ran rings round us,” recalled McGuigan.
“Rovers had a good team that year, we were a decent Premier League team – but they looked a cut above most teams we played that season.
“It was one of our toughest games of the season.”
Danny Lennon scored a double either side of Akranes’ equaliser just before half-time.
With the away goal in the bag, the second leg was looking dangerous – a third goal from Barry Wilson lifted the tension somewhat.
Joy… but relief
“As much as we were all going daft I remember there quite a feeling of relief as well.
“There was a huge part of the game where it felt like we were going to be on the losing side. It was joyous, but relief as well.
“It was weird, I thought the third goal would probably be enough and I did think it might knock the stuffing out of them.”
Shaughan decided not to travel to the Faroe Islands for the return leg, gambling instead on what the next trip would be.
Despite turning the radio off with Akranes 1-0 up and the match seemingly only going one way, that decision was more than vindicated.
Raith Rovers (4-4-1-1): Scott Thomson; Steve McAnespie, David Sinclair, Shaun Dennis, Julian Broddle; Barry Wilson (Ronnie Coyle), Danny Lennon, Davie Kirkwood, Tony Rougier (Jason Dair); Colin Cameron; Stevie Crawford (Ally Graham).
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