The call up (1963–1969) Dundalk's first involvement in European football was the 1963–64 European Cup, as the 1962–63 League Champions, drawing Swiss champions FC Zurich in the preliminary round. Their first match was the home-leg, played in Dalymount Park in Dublin on 11 September 1963, because Oriel Park did not have floodlights. Following a chastening 3–0 defeat, they travelled to Switzerland for the return leg more in hope than expectation. A first away win for any Irish club in a European tie followed, inspired by forward Jimmy Hasty. In the match they took a two-goal lead, with Hasty then hitting the crossbar as they looked to level the tie. A late goal for the home side settled the contest but gave Dundalk a 2–1 victory on the night. After having to play the Zurich tie in Dalymount, the installation of floodlighting in Oriel Park ahead of the visit of Vasas SC of Hungary four years later, and the narrow 1–0 defeat that followed, left the town "justifiably proud" at their club's achievement. The following season saw a number of European firsts for Dundalk - they entered the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup for the first time, and won both their first European match in Oriel Park and their first European tie by defeating DOS Utrecht. They then met Glasgow Rangers in the following round and were well beaten, with crowd trouble in Oriel Park and around the town caused by the visiting Rangers fans marring the tie. The match had taken place in the midst of the violence surrounding the Civil Rights marches taking place in Northern Ireland at the time. A 14–0 aggregate thrashing at the hands of Liverpool in the Fairs Cup a year later, at a time when the club was struggling financially because of sizeable capital debts, remains their biggest defeat in European competition. Safe European home (1976–1982) When Dundalk won the League in 1975–76 under Jim McLaughlin, it brought European football back to the town for the first time since 1969. In the following season's European Cup they met PSV Eindhoven, and were deemed unlucky to only draw the first leg in Oriel Park. That match started an unbeaten run in Europe in Oriel Park of eight matches over the following five seasons. In the following season's Cup Winners' Cup they defeated Hajduk Split at home, but an argument over players' expenses before the journey to Yugoslavia