The only four Derry players to ever play in the San Siro, one of the most famous stadiums in the history of European football, will this week take part in the 40th anniversary celebrations marking the famous tie.

Andy Stevenson, John Duffy, Dougie Wood and Joe Healy were part of the Athlone Town team that took part in a UEFA Cup tie against the might of AC Milan, and in commemoration, a group of fans have now come together to organise a gala dinner which will be held in The Sheraton Hotel, Athlone this Friday.

Finding themselves up against such a European powerhouse in Milan was quite a feat for the club, an achievement even more spectacular when you consider they had only gained membership to the League of Ireland in 1969, just six years previously.

The club had already won two Premier Division titles, but for the club and supporters alike, this was an occasion that largely surpassed those feats.

Stevenson was one of players that took to the field in front of the 10,000 Athlone supporters that packed into the St Mel’s ground on October 22nd 1975 for the first leg, as the clubs first European adventure continued.

The team managed by Amby Fogarty had overcome Norweigan side Valerengen in the first round with relative ease, and now faced a different challenge altogether.

Lining up for the ‘Rossoneri’ that night were the likes of goalkeeper Enrico Albertosi, who had already appeared in a World Cup, and the skilful midfielder Romeo Benetti, just two players who were part of an impressive squad that featured none other than Giovanni Trapattoni on their coaching staff.

But against all odds and expectations, Stevenson, along with Duffy, Wood and Healy played their part in one of the most famous nights in the clubs history, as Athlone heroically held their opponents to a 0-0 draw.

It was a result that could have been even more extraordinary had the unfortunate John Minnock not had a penalty saved by Albertosi.

But despite that, it remains a night that Stevenson still has fond memories of.

‘I don’t think John missed a penalty before that penalty. No one made a big deal of it however because it was an experience in its own playing AC Milan, and then going to Italy and playing at the San Siro. 0-0 was a great result and everyone was happy. The four players from Derry all played their part.’

A draw against such superior opponents filled the Athlone Town team and their supporters with confidence ahead of the second leg a fortnight later, even if it did mean a trip into the unknown.

The team’s own St Mel’s ground was quite a contrast to the monumental home owned by Milan, the San Siro, and for Stephenson and his team mates, it was an experience they would never forget.

‘We stayed in a five star hotel in Milan called Leonardo Da Vinci and one of the nights Omar Sharif was there playing Whist.

‘Mick O’Brien, our goalkeeper, was a character and Mick went over to him and told him who we were and asked for a photo and it was no other.

‘It was something unique at that time because not many Irish teams got through to play in Europe.

‘Athlone won the league twice but people in Athlone still talk about the Milan game more. Gong into the stadium took your breath away.

‘There were between 70,000-80,000 people at the match and it was one of those crispy cold September evenings.

‘All the supporters had these red and black cushions to sit on because the seat were that cold.

‘They reckoned that because we were a small team we kicked them off the pitch at St. Mel’s, so there was a wee bit of needle there.

‘We were just amateurs and we trained three nights in the Showgrounds. The only time we went to Athlone was when we had a match.’

But if playing in front an intimidating atmosphere affected the Athlone team, it didn’t show as they held their own for 70 minutes of the second leg, before succumbing to a 3-0 defeat late on as they exited the competition with their heads held high.

‘We had contained them in the first half but in the second half a boy scored with a rocket from 30 yards, straight into the top corner.

‘It was a great goal. After that they scored a penalty to make it 2-0 and our heads dropped then and they beat us 3-0.

‘It was a pity but even at that, we did alright against a really classy team. It was quite an experience.‘

It was a career high for the well travelled Stevenson, whose only regret was that he never got to don the famous red and white stripes of his hometown club.

‘It was at the top of my experiences. I wanted to play for Derry City. I had done when I was 17, but that was only for about five matches before I got a job in Germany. When I came back, Derry were still going but then there was no more Derry after 1972 and they didn’t start up again until 1985.

‘A man called Eddie Nash played for Derry, a real legend, and a close friend of Bertie Peacock. Bertie came down to the factory and signed me. I was up there about two years with Coleraine before I played for Sligo for two or three years before I went to Athlone then finished up for Finn Harps.

‘But I would rather have been playing for Derry. I just loved football at that time.’

Photo shows Andy Stevenson (back row, second from left), Dougie Wood (back row, second from right), John Duffy (front row, extreme left) and Joe Healy (front row, second from right) in the Athlone team which held Italian giants AC Milan to a 0-0 draw.

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