Raith Rovers hero Danny Lennon transformed into cartoon character to mark 30th anniversary of goal v Bayern Munich
Current Airdrieonians manager Danny Lennon has been turned into cartoon character to mark the 30th anniversary of his goal for Raith Rovers away to Bayern Munich back in October 1995.
His 43rd-minute free-kick in Munich’s Olympic Stadium put the Fifers 1-0 ahead in their UEFA Cup round-two second-leg tie against the German giants, before going down 2-1 to second-half goals from Jurgen Klinsmann and Markus Babbel, and it’s now been reimagined by artist Keith Wallace to coincide with the launch of a new book about the Kirkcaldy club’s European campaign of three decades ago.
Wallace has built up an online following humorously documenting Scottish football in cartoon format, posting as Fitbatweets on social media, and he’s turned his attention to the West Lothian-born 56-year-old’s magic moment in Germany to coincide with author Steven Lawther’s We Led in Munich: The Unlikely Adventures of Raith Rovers in Europe coming out next Monday.
Lawther, 55, a season ticket-holder at Stark’s Park since 1983, said: “It was such a magical moment for every Rovers fan who was lucky enough to be there, and Keith has done an amazing job of representing the funny side of it.
“There was a strange mix of celebration and laughter when the goal went in. I don’t think we could quite believe that we had taken the lead.
“It is great that Danny’s goal has now been captured for fans to enjoy all over again.”
Lawther’s book, out via West Sussex-based Pitch Publishing and priced £18.99, will be available online and from stores including the club shop at Stark’s Park.
Waterstones in Kirkcaldy High Street is playing host to a launch event on Thursday, October 16, from 7pm, and it will feature Lawther, brought up in Glenrothes but based in Edinburgh since 1995, talking to former midfielder Lennon, at Raith from 1993 to 1999 before moving on to clubs including Ayr United, Ross County, Partick Thistle and Cowdenbeath. Tickets are available free of charge from the shop.
Raith’s cup knockout in Germany followed a 2-0 first-leg loss at Edinburgh’s Easter Road Stadium two weeks previously; a 3-2 aggregate victory against Icelandic outfit Iþrottabandalag Akraness the month before, losing 1-0 away after a 3-1 win at home; and seeing off the Faroe Islands’ Gotu Itrottarfelag by 6-2 on aggregate in that August’s preliminary round, drawing 2-2 on the road after winning by 4-0 at home in Fife.
Manager Franz Beckenbauer’s Munich went on to win the cup, beating France’s Bordeaux 5-1 on aggregate in a two-legged final in May 1996, winning 2-0 at home and 3-1 away, with Mehmet Scholl and Thomas Helmer on target in the former leg and Emil Kostadinov, Scholl and Klinsmann in the latter and Daniel Dutuel getting one back for the Frenchmen.
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