article: The year, of course, was 1996. With England's European Championship campaign ending in penalty defeat, it was tournament debutants the Czech Republic who claimed a place in the hearts of a nation. From 66-1 outsiders at the start to almost upsetting Germany in the final, the Czechs had come so close to completing the perfect underdog story. And it all began at Bamber Bridge. "I was mowing the pitch when I was called in to take a call from a nearby hotel," remembers Russ Rigby, former groundsman, secretary and kitman at the non-league side, who are in FA Cup action this weekend against Kettering Town. "It was the hotel's manager and he just asked if we would be interested in playing the Czech Republic in a warm-up game for the European Championship." Rigby recalled he almost dropped the phone in surprise. After all, it is not every day that a team that has never played higher than the sixth tier of English football gets presented with the opportunity to play an international side. Needless to say the offer was quickly accepted, but why exactly did a team containing emerging talents like Pavel Nedved, Karel Poborsky and Patrik Berger sound out a non-league side from the north west of England for a friendly? "They were playing Germany in their opening game of Euro '96 at Old Trafford a few days later, so they were based close by," adds Rigby. "Preston North End had been approached initially but didn't want the game for some reason or another, so they passed on my number." Dusan Uhrin, the Czech Republic manager, travelled to the Lancashire village to check out the facilities and complete the formalities of arranging the friendly. "We'd had the pitch relaid. It wasn't perfect but it was all right," says Rigby. "The Czech manager didn't speak any English so we had to go through an interpreter, but he was happy with the surface. "He warned us, though, that he didn't want a physical game, otherwise he'd take his players off if it got out of hand." Back in the Czech Republic, there was plenty of interest in the game. The country's national team was playing in a major tournament for the first time since Czechoslovakia split in 1993 into two independent countries, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. As a result, television cameras descended on Bamber Bridge's modest 2,200 capacity ground - then called Irongate but renamed Sir Tom Finney Stadium in 2014. "The game was being broadcast live and all the newspapers were in touch," continues Rigby. "The Czech Republic team was sponsored by one of their local breweries too. One of the stands wasn't really a stand, just a shed really, and this brewery got in touch to say they would bring a bar over. "So a temporary stand was built which included a bar that served their beers. I still have some of the fancy glasses they brought over." The game itself was sold out. Bunting lined the streets while a brass band played as Bamber Bridge's opponents arrived. For a
summary: Britpop was big, Spice Mania ruled Britannia and football came home.