Ten years on: David McMillan relives Dundalk FC’s 2016 European campaign

A decade on since Stephen Kenny’s Dundalk FC side reached the group stages of the UEFA Europa League and made history by becoming the first Irish team to pick up group stage points.

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Looking back a decade later, David McMillan reflects on the goals and the moments that defined the greatest European run in the club's history.

When speaking to the Dundalk Democrat, McMillan said: “Probably the BATE game is just the standout first thing I would think of.

“I happened to be listening to League of Ireland Central with Robbie Benson, and he was talking about. I think they were asking him about his most important goal, or his favourite goal – not necessarily his best goal but the one that is most memorable.

“He mentioned that one, and, funnily, having scored twice in the game myself, it's actually Robbie’s goal- if I watch back the clips, that would bring the biggest smile to my face.

“Or just kind of the moment that sort of secured our place in the group stages, and it’s kind of a euphoric moment that will be difficult to top in life in general. Just the high to know we done it then, at that moment, was just unbelievable.

“I think even the atmosphere in the stadium at that moment and then even in the dressing room afterwards, just the whole thing felt very surreal.

“A real pinnacle achievement, I think, for us at that time as a League of Ireland player to achieve it was really memorable and loads of great things happened before and after that game as a team, and for me personally.

“But I think that single moment when Robbie’s shot hit the back of the net was certainly kind of the eureka moment that we made it.”

Time changes everything

Time has only strengthened McMillan's appreciation of what that squad achieved.

“I don’t know if my perspective has changed; maybe I just realised, probably more as you finish playing and move on to other things in life, just what an amazing kind of moment you lived.

“I wouldn’t say life will never top that moment or anything like that, but it was just so special, and I do appreciate that we definitely recognised it at the time.

“I think my first answer kind of tells you how in the moment we felt and how much we lived it and enjoyed it; looking back, you can tell for good reason because it was such a huge moment.

“I think that we had just such a special team that you were doing it amongst a group that, personally, I got on really so well with.

“Everybody in the squad that, you know, I could call my friends; so many of them I would still call close friends, and that doesn’t always happen.

“I’ve played for many other teams where I would barely be in contact with the people anymore, but that squad was a tight-knit one.

“Obviously, we spent a lot of time together over the years - many players playing so many seasons together, so that obviously helps, but I think it was just a really tight-knit group.

“So, I don’t think my perspective has changed; I think I just appreciate it all the more. What a big achievement it was, and even if it wasn’t a big achievement, everybody was just enjoying life and enjoying the moment.”

Belief

The 37-year-old believes the foundations for 2016 were laid long before that famous BATE victory in Tallaght.

“We had obviously lost to BATE the year before; we lost 2-1 away, we had scored away, and I think probably away goals still counted. So, I think we just needed to win 1-0 at home, and I can remember having not even a half chance in that game, and that was it.

“We never really had a sniff; we didn’t lay a glove on them in the way we would have hoped. But I think that probably gave us hope the following year, when we drew them again, that we could actually beat them at home.

“We knew their record away from home was terrible. Now we had lost 1-0 away, and we had been battered in that game – like really beaten well.

“So, to keep it at 1-0, that was actually really what got us through. It was the performance that night where we played poorly, but we kept it to 1-0 because we knew their away form wasn’t great.

“We knew that we could have done better than we did the year before, so I think our confidence was reasonably high for that game that we could actually cause an upset.

“But I think playing in the previous year helped us feel that we could do something special, but before that, obviously we had to go and beat FH.

“I think confidence just grew in the team, like the longer you were together and the more European results we’d had – like we had won away at Hajduk Split in 2014, I think.

“We just started to believe that we aren’t going to be overawed on this stage and to go to FH – I remember being disappointed that we only drew at home, I think.

“We went away, and they really put us under the pump for 20-odd minutes, and it was a real struggle, but we came through that and won.

“I think that is probably overlooked as a very, very good result, and that gave us confidence that we knew we could go away, struggle for a while but still rally and come through it.

“It was definitely just momentum building, I think, from BATE 2015 to winning that first game against FH.

“We probably could have got tougher draws as well, so all of that kind of just fed into more and more confidence as well as the team generally.

“We had won league titles at that stage, and confidence was growing the whole time, but going into that game at home to BATE, I definitely felt from previous experiences that we could win the game, and all that combination helped.”

BATE Borisov

The Templeogueman scored twice as Lilywhites defeated the Belarusian outfit, but insists another goal is remembered most fondly.

“From talking about BATE already, it tells you what a big moment that game was, and what a memory it is. What do I remember most about it? Eh, the result, I suppose. I have a pretty poor memory, I would say, generally, but I would say that my memory of that night is pretty vivid.

“I just remember the stadium literally erupting, really, I can remember family being there, I can remember the joy after the game. I remember Martin O’Neill coming in after the game to speak to us and congratulate us; he was obviously Ireland manager at the time.

“It was just crazy; after the game it was just mental, it wasn't a normal atmosphere. As I said earlier, it was like a euphoric moment. Obviously, personally, I got two goals. So, the headed goal, in particular the first goal, was one that is probably one of my favourite goals.

“It’s not one that you would look at be like, 'That’s a world-class strike from 30 yards, ' but for me it was, I feel, a clever striker's goal, clever movement, and helped by an amazing cross from Daryl Horgan.

“The to just peel away and get my head on it and put it in, I’m going to say it was close to halftime and that helped the confidence.

“We were confident going into the game, but that sort of just rubber-stamped it that we have these now. We scored; we have them on the ropes – get the job over the line.

“So, for me, that goal is a big memory, but as I said, Robbie Benson’s goal would probably top my own just for being the moment that it was like - we’ve done this; we’re there.”

Peak form

McMillan finished as the Lilywhites leading scorer in Europe that season, and he traces that run back to a difficult conversation with Stephen Kenny before the campaign began.

“I have probably answered that with the first goal, but going back to it, I have probably told this story a lot, and people might have heard it too many times.

“But I think Ciarán Kilduff, we had maybe lost to Cork the game before the summer break and Europe was looming. We were away in Spain for a week, so we sort of all were training together.

"In that week we were concentrating, I think we had two league games before Europe started, but a lot of focus was on formation stuff related to Europe and getting ready for those games.

“I had a discussion with Stephen (Kenny), and we were going through the Cork game, and he wasn’t particularly pleased with my performance.

“Obviously any player is very single-minded in moments like that, so I wasn’t happy that he was picking me out, well not necessarily picking me out, but wasn’t too pleased with how I was doing.

“That conversation probably just drove me on to try and do better and be better. It is probably one of Stephen’s strengths is that he is able to get the best out of you.

“I knew then that I was going to lose my place going into the league games before Europe, and Ciarán Kilduff was due to play. I think we ended up going away to Derry, and Ciarán was sick with the flu or something, so he missed the match.

“Obviously, he was due to start, but with him out, I played, scored a hat-trick, and followed it up with a hat-trick in the next league game against Longford.

“So, it led into the European matches when I was in amazing form. It was just crazy to go on such an amazing run of goalscoring form going into that European campaign.

“I think I scored at home to FH, maybe two away to FH, and then the BATE goals, so it was just a run that was crazy.

“To try and pick out a favourite, as I said, I think the BATE one is probably my favourite for what it meant in the game and just the style of goal that it was.

“It is also probably the meaning behind it is that it stands out more than probably others, but it is probably my favourite one.”

Band of brothers

McMillan credits the squad's strength and Stephen Kenny's belief for allowing Dundalk to compete with much bigger clubs.

“I think two things really. One, we were a very good team, like we were strong in every position. We had a reasonably small squad, but the players who weren’t starting were as good as the players who were, so when they came in, it didn’t really knock us back.

“I think if I remember correctly Robbie Benson didn't start the away game in FH, but he came on maybe swapping with John Mountney or something I can’t remember who exactly.

“You were putting like-for-like players, taking really good players off and putting really good players in, and I think that was the same across the board.

“Whoever, whether it was myself and Ciaran Kilduff, or Robbie Benson, Ronan Finn, Patrick McEleney, like – you couldn’t start all of them, but they are all unbelievable players.

“So, I think that strength and depth, the level that we were at, one – gave us a good chance of competing against good teams, and then confidence.

“Like as I mentioned, building, being able to beat FH away then go through, to beat a team like BATE who were competing in Champions League group stages regularly at that point.

“Like competing against teams like Barcelona at home, nearly beating Barcelona at home like a year before we played them, this was a really, really good team.

“So, when we went to play the other teams in the groups, we knew that BATE were no worse than these other teams and that confidence just grew and grew.

“I suppose you can credit a lot of things to that; Stephen obviously puts a lot of belief in you and makes you feel a million dollars, that you’re confident.

“He encourages you, motivates you when you need motivating, so all of those aspects combined at the right time to get the right results.”

Group stage

Although Dundalk became the first Irish club to win a Europa League group match against Maccabi Tel Aviv, McMillan admits another European night stands out more.

“Funny that probably the qualifying games stand out to me more than the group stage matches, maybe because I didn’t score in the group stages. Or maybe that just getting there was the big thing and then being able to enjoy the rest of it.

“But it was great, obviously Shamrock Rovers had got to the group stages before us, and they hadn’t picked up a point, if I remember correctly.

“So, I think the game in Alkmaar probably stands out for me more than the Maccabi one, even though we won against Maccabi.

“I think the way the Alkmaar game went, to be playing at that stadium against a Dutch premier division side, with names that were familiar.

“Like Ron Vlaar, who had played for Aston Villa in the Premier League, (Wout) Weghorst, who was still competing in the World Cup for Holland, was playing against us.

“When you see the names now, he has gone on to play for Man United. For example, we were playing against an exceptional team, and we managed to come away with a 1-1 draw.

“So that game really stands out, probably more, and that was obviously the first point, so that stands out to me more than the Maccabi one.

“Maybe the Maccabi game for me personally, I know Ciaran (Kilduff) scored the goal, so I was off the pitch at the time, but it was a magnificent win, and we started the group so well.

“But for me the Alkmaar game stands out more; Ciaran’s goal stands out really strongly in my memory for being the last kind of minute; it was an equaliser as well.

“So, both of those games have amazing memories, but I think being the first game, and away, and getting a point. I think if I remember correctly, Man United went away in the Europa League to play Feyenoord on the same night and lost.

“It always kind of stood out to me that we went away to Holland and got a point, and Man United went away to Holland on the same night and lost. It just goes to show the result that we got and how big it was.”

Irish football

McMillan believes the European run changed careers and helped reshape perceptions of Irish football.

“No doubt it changed my career just in terms of moving from Dundalk on to Scotland a couple of years later that anybody looking at that profile would see this guy has competed.

“They could watch games where you have competed against teams that they know, and they know, they know the standard that was at. That’s the same, even more so for the likes of Daryl Horgan and Andy Boyle, who went on and moved that season.

“That teams were looking at this like, is this guy good enough, and then like well if he can do it against Zenit St. Petersburg, he is definitely good enough.

“They might see Daryl performing against Shamrock Rovers or St. Pats and think, well, what’s that level really like. But when you go and perform against Zenit and AZ Alkmaar, then I think that helps any player raise your profile.

“I think the League of Ireland got a lot of coverage that time; it reminded me a little of now with Pico (Lopes) playing for Cape Verde; it is bringing attention on the league.

“All those things help if you have players competing at higher levels all the time. It helps raise the profile of it, particularly for, say, foreign players who might have no idea on anything about the league.

“If they are seeing a team like us compete in the Europa League, it should attract players, likely now with the Conference League and Shamrock Rovers competing more regularly in it and Shels, that all helps the profile for the league.

“Not only bring fans in but also be able to attract players and bring investment to the League of Ireland.”

The draw

One memory that still makes McMillan smile came immediately after qualification, when the Europa League draw left some players wanting more.

“One I can think of is just we had qualified for the groups, and we were waiting for the draw to be done, and we were down in a hotel in Arklow.

“I can’t remember the exact name, Arklow Bay Hotel or something, because we were playing Wexford the next day.

“I think we stayed overnight, so it was either the day of the game or the night before the game, probably the day of the game because the draws are normally in the morning.

“Everybody was huddled in someone’s room watching the draw. I mentioned Man United were playing Feyenoord, so they would have been in the draw and other teams, I suppose, that we would have been hoping to play.

“The draw was done, and I remember, like, this almost like a little sense of disappointment amongst the group because we hadn’t got a real huge name.

“We got Zenit, AZ Alkmaar, and Maccabi Tel Aviv – all great teams but not Man United or big Italian or Spanish teams.

“When I look back now, I think of how ridiculous that was that we would be somehow disappointed with that draw when you look at how the games went, the results that we got, and how close we were to actually being able to get out of that group.

“I remember after the draw speaking to Stephen Kenny, and he was sort of asking me, were lads disappointed?

“I said maybe a little bit. I didn’t want to tell him anybody was, so I said maybe a little bit, and immediately he sort of made me think otherwise and said that’s ridiculous.

“Like we can get out of that group, the belief was straight away, his conscious belief was let's get out of this group. It just made me stop and think and say, you know, why not? We have achieved this far, maybe we can get out of this group.

“I think that kind of summed up the mentality of him and what he instilled in the group that we shouldn't have been looking at it as, oh, we didn’t get to play a superstar team of a Man United or something. We should be looking at this as let's go get out of this group and get into the knockouts.

“It’s probably not my favourite story, but it's a story people maybe won't know and one that sums up a lot to do with that group and the mentality, and how it was driven to not just settle for getting there to the groups, but let's go as far as we can.

“After the start we had in the group, we gave ourselves a great opportunity; unfortunately, we fell short, but it's a good story.”

One chance

If McMillan could revisit one chapter of the campaign, he would choose the Champions League qualifier against Legia Warsaw.

“If I could relive a moment for the positives, then it would be the BATE game, but I think if I was to relive a moment to have another crack at it then it would certainly be the Legia (Warsaw) games to try and qualify for the Champions League.

“I think in reality in hindsight that was achievable for our team. We obviously drew away from home in the end, and they were down to 10 men.

“We missed Ciarán Kilduff that night. He picked up an injury in training that week. I think had he been there, it would have given us a better opportunity.

“The home game, though, is probably to lose 2-0. I remember a penalty against Andy Boyle for a handball that was just a ridiculous decision, and I think that really killed the tie for us.

“We went close to getting a second over there, but in the end we fell short. That’s a game if I had again; I think we really could have got through that round, and what an achievement it could have been.

“I should probably mention the away game there as another memory because it was spectacular – the displays, the noise in that stadium was like nothing I have ever seen before.

“There was a couple of games that came close: Karpaty Lviv in Ukraine for St. Pats was an amazing atmosphere; the game in Hajduk Split was an amazing atmosphere.

“But that Legia one, I think, tops them all. I think they knew how big the game was for them to qualify for the Champions League.

“It was just crazy the noise, as I said- the displays; that was a spine-tingling game to be involved in, and to go ahead and give ourselves a real chance, even after a bad home result, to nearly go through.

“It’s a moment I would love to relive. Those two games to relive and try and go at it again.”