Kinloch still treasures shot at glory

AS COOL now as he was 47 years ago when confronted with the pivotal moment in his career, former Hibs player Bobby Kinloch modestly summarises the dramatic late penalty which humbled Barcelona 3-2 at Easter Road by saying: "I had nothing to lose and everything to gain."

Kinloch had not even expected to take the 85th-minute penalty, and only a nerve-ridden plea from regular taker Sammy Baird thrust him from the role of bystander to central figure in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup quarter-final tie on 22 February, 1961.

Kinloch had sought refuge in the centre circle while the Barca players harangued and jostled the German referee Johannes Malka, their fury having boiled over when the official pointed to the spot after Jonny McLeod was scythed down in the box.

As the minutes ticked by and the terrified referee, assisted by pitchside police officers, tried to restore order, Kinloch sat on top of the match ball within his safe haven of the centre circle. The surreal scene took another twist when Baird sidled up to him and begged him to take responsibility for the spot-kick.

"I was just sitting there, watching how fast the referee could run, when I heard a voice saying 'Hey Bobby, you take it'.

"All of a sudden I was up there, a relatively unknown player, needing to slot the penalty to beat Barcelona. I had no idea what the other players thought of me taking such an important penalty or what the crowd made of it all.

"I was in an enviable position I suppose. Because 13 minutes had elapsed between the kick being awarded and actually taken, nobody in the whole ground expected me to score.

"My only concern was to make sure it hit the back of the net, and thankfully it did."

Kinloch might have expected a pat on the back from the Hibs chairman after sealing a 3-2 win and a 7-6 aggregate victory, but with the away-goals rule not yet in existence he claims that Harry Swan had been rubbing his hands with glee at the prospect of a money-spinning decider back in the Nou Camp. "When we came off the park we were absolutely delirious," he said. "We were in the bath, singing and celebrating, when Harry Swan came in and slated me for costing the club another trip to Barcelona."

Swan would get his wish of a lucrative third European tie when the Easter Road team drew home and away with Roma in the semi-finals, but it was to end in a crushing 6-0 midsummer defeat for a hopelessly ill-prepared side who were in the middle of their pre-season.

The rout in Rome was an anti-climax to a fine European campaign, but the memory of Hibs' triumph over Barcelona and Kinloch's contribution is indelible.

"It was a massive, massive result for Hibs and it helped raised the profile of the club," said Kinloch, who left Easter Road the following year to go part-time with Morton.

Barcelona will visit the capital next month to meet Hibs once again and Kinloch, now 73, was back at Easter Road yesterday to promote the pre-season friendly at Murrayfield on 24 July.

He is an admirer of the Spanish game and he believes that Hibs' top goalscorer Steven Fletcher – linked in recent months with Real Madrid – has the potential to flourish if given the privilege of a move to La Liga. "He may shine in a fairly average team, but if he was in a team surrounded by significantly better players then he might just do well. I think he's a very good player and still very young," said Kinloch, who still attends every Hibs home game and lives in the city two doors away from Easter Road legend Lawrie Reilly. Kinloch himself got a taste of football abroad before and after Hibs, playing for the Combined Services team in Malaya during his stint in the RAF, then playing in the North American league with Toronto – a move that led him down a different career path.

"The money was really bad, so you needed a second job, and I joined the police handgun team as a crack shot," he said. "I ended up in a gunfight with a Detroit gangster and won, and when I went home that night my wife had written my resignation and cut out an advert for a job in IT."

Kinloch's days as a sharp shooter may be over, but he will always treasure the moment his most accurate shot of all electrified Easter Road.

• Tickets for Hibs v Barcelona, at Murrayfield on 24 July, are on sale at the Hibernian FC ticket office or from www.scottishrugby.org, priced from 25.

IN NUMBERS

85

Minute Hibs were awarded penalty against Barcelona, with score on night at 2-2 and aggregate score poised at 6-6

11

Barcelona players referee Johannes Malka found himself shoved and surrounded by

13

Minutes before the kick could be taken by Bobby Kinloch

11

Barcelona players who chased referee after goal was scored

7

Minutes before game could be restarted again

11

Barcelona players who chased Malka all the way to his Easter Road dressing room at full-time