Hibs striker aims to ignite Easter Road dream by ending 28 year heartache

Kieron Bowie made is his first start of the season for Scotland under-21s against Spain on Friday. Cr: SNS Group. | SNS Group

Hibs striker Kieron Bowie believes he and his team-mates have shown they’ve got what it takes to take Scotland’s under-21 side to their first European Championships in 28 years after their impressive performance in the narrow 2-1 defeat to Spain on Friday.

The 21-year-old striker made his first start of the campaign at a misty Tynecastle, playing a lone striking role against a star studded Spanish side that just edged past Scot Gemmill’s side thanks to second-half strikes from Dean Huijsen and Mateo Joseph, despite Dire Mebude levelling for the hosts on the hour mark.

While they were forced to concede possession for the majority of the game against their Spanish counterparts, the young Scots were largely comfortable for the first hour of the game until Huijsen’s header broke the deadlock and, while the spirited defeat yielded no points, Scotland’s new generation are beginning to show the promise that could see them finally end their Euros exile almost three decades on from their last appearance in 1996.

Kieron Bowie (20) celebrates after scoring his first Hibs goal against Dundee (Photo by Simon Wootton / SNS Group) | SNS Group

“They’re a top side Spain, aren’t they?” said Bowie. “We just tried to nullify their threats and we haven’t been able to do that in the end unfortunately. It was 0-0 at half-time and we were in a good place but then they scored two goals that are preventable, but they’ve got quality. We knew it was going to be tough going into the game, they are the best side in the group by a distance, them and Belgium are the two teams you look out for. We set up more defensively and that worked to an extent, it was just a few lapses in concentration. We almost got a result but it wasn’t to be in the end.”

Spain’s victory may have placed them seven points clear of Scotland and all but dashed the squad’s hopes of finishing top of their Euro 2025 qualification section, however, Gemmill’s side remain second in the table - level with Belgium - and are firmly in the mix for qualification as one of the three best runners-up or via a play-off. With three massive games remaining in the group, Bowie explained why he and his team-mates are confident they can finish the job and get the nation to Slovakia next summer despite Friday’s loss.

“All the lads in the dressing room know we have a chance of qualifying and it’s just about winning these next three games to qualify. It has been a while since we have qualified, so it just shows the quality we have in the group.”

Moving back to his native Scotland in the summer, Bowie first rose to prominence as a 16-year-old with Raith Rovers, where he scored five league goals to help the club win promotion to the Scottish Championship in the 19/20 season. However, it was a loan spell with English third tier side Northampton Town that convinced Hibees hierarchy to move for the Kirkcaldy born striker. Notching 14 goals across two separate spells with the Cobblers, he was offered the chance to switch London for Edinburgh this summer and Hibs head coach David Gray believes he has the potential required to become Scotland’s next starting striker.

“His ultimate aim is to become Scotland’s number 9,” said Gray last month upon Bowie’s arrival. “I’ve spoken to him about that. Hibs can hopefully give him the platform to push on and achieve that. I think it shows that he’s an ambitious player. He’s someone who understands that it takes a lot of hard work to get there. He knows there is no God-given right of anyone to make it to that level. Having spoken to him, he’s very grounded on that.

“So it starts with him understanding that he’ll have to work hard to reach those heights. He knows that’s the minimum when he signs for me, anyway. But the fact that he’s got the ambition to want to go and do that, I admire that. Because he knows what it will take.”

Kieron Bowie made his Hibs debut against Celtic last month, coming off the bench in a 2-0 loss at Easter Road. | SNS Group

The young forward has made a positive first impression too, with Bowie already off the mark for his new side despite playing just 70 minutes of football since his arrival. After gaining some much needed match fitness in Friday’s game against Spain, Bowie is now targeting more minutes for the under-21s against Malta next week in order to strengthen his case for a starting berth ahead of Hibs’ return to action against St. Johnstone next weekend.

“It has been good, but obviously I’ve not started a game yet for Hibs,” said the 6ft striker. “I’m trying to build my fitness. So it was good to get a start tonight, even though it was just 55 minutes it is still better than coming off the bench. It is good to get a start and build my match fitness up. I’ll be in a better place having played a few more matches, hopefully at the end of this week. We played Malta last October and won 2-1. It was the last 10 minutes we scored though, so they won’t roll over and allow us to batter them.

“But the last time we had a lot of chances and the game should have been put to bed a lot earlier. So hopefully we can go into this game with a different mind set and come away with the three points and I can push for my spot (at Hibs).”