HIS foremost achievement in maroon was scoring THAT goal. One which could arguably be defined as Hearts' most celebrated in European competition to date.

In the life of Iain Ferguson, there are few moments cherished more than the UEFA Cup slaying of Bayern Munich on a chilly February evening in 1989. Mind you, he has more than his fair share of enduring European nights from which to choose.

As Valdas Ivanauskas and the class of 2006 prepare to step up to the mark against Siroki Brijeg tomorrow night, a portion of the Hearts support still retain a hankering for their first Champions League encounter to be hosted in the tight and intimidating confines of Tynecastle Stadium instead of wide-open Murrayfield.

This, rightly, has been prompted by the disruptive affect that the club's spiritual home has previously had on unsuspecting opponents from abroad. Like German dignitaries who turned up 17 years ago believing it was their divine right to progress to the UEFA Cup semi-finals.

Hearts had made it to the quarters that season past St Patrick's Athletic, Austria Vienna and Velez Mostar. As winter petered out in early 1989, Klaus Augenthaler, Olaf Thon et al arrived in Edinburgh as overwhelming favourites, unaware of the hostile atmosphere that is Tynecastle's hallmark.

"Bayern arrived to train at Tynecastle a couple of nights before the game and asked where the real ground was. They thought that was the training ground," recalled Ferguson, whose searing right-footed drive secured Hearts an improbable but thoroughly justified 1-0 lead to take to Munich for the second leg.

Admirable diffidence prohibits Ferguson from passing off such a decisive strike as anything other than another arrow across the bow of an established European giant but no-one can deny him the right to add Bayern's name to the extensive list of foreign sides he impaired in his heyday.

"I don't mean to sound blasé about it, but I'd played in the UEFA Cup final with Dundee United a couple of years before that, when we'd beaten Barcelona and Borussia Moenchengladbach," says Ferguson. "I also scored for Rangers against Inter Milan when I was there.

"Against Bayern, I could comprehend the level of achievement for Hearts because, fortunately, I'd been through similar things with my other clubs. It was a great night. When people ask you what you did in your football career, that will always stand out."

It certainly does when compared to his current occupation.

These days Ferguson is self-employed as a market trader selling football shirts and has recently opened a shop in Hamilton to add to the stall he runs at the Forge Indoor Market in Glasgow's east end.

It's an existence far removed from that which endorsed him as a cult hero in Gorgie but he expects nothing more. Aged 35, Ferguson ended his playing career in 1997 at Dundee, having enjoyed illustrious spells with their city neighbours United as well as Hearts and Motherwell.

"I went to Spain and didn't really intend coming back," he says. "My wife, my daughter and I went to live in Marbella and I was working at the outdoor markets there with the football tops.

"I'd looked into it, I was getting the shirts at decent prices and there was no-one else doing it across there. It was a decent way of life and we're actually contemplating going back.

"I've got the stall at the Forge although I spend most of my time at the new shop just now. We'll see how that goes for a year. I would never complain about what I made out of football and what I didn't make compared to today's players.

"We had a decent standard of living, we weren't making the outlandish sums of money that the boys make now but good luck to them.

"I got transferred for quite a lot of money in my time and I only saw a fraction of that. The Bosman ruling came too late for me, but I enjoy working for a living and I enjoy what I'm doing now to a certain extent.

"I'd rather be playing golf right enough but money's never been my ruler. If I'm fortunate enough to make any, I spend it. I realise that's the best way because you never know what life can throw at you. Nicky Walker [former Hearts and Rangers goalkeeper] is a good friend of mine and his brother's funeral took place on Monday. He'd had an illness and died at the age of 39. Davie Cooper was also my mate, as was Brian Whittaker when I was at Hearts. Both of them no longer here. You can only worry about money so much."

In any case, what value could be placed on scoring the winning goal against Bayern Munich? As Tosh McKinlay rolled his free-kick sideways for Ferguson to lash past the German goalkeeper Raimond Aumann all those years ago, half of Europe would have thrown money hand over fist to swap places with the Hearts No.8.

"You couldn't buy the experiences I've had playing football," he says. "The Bayern Munich night will live with me forever, it keeps getting dragged up on telly from time to time and I wouldn't swap it for the world. I know plenty of businessmen who are financially very well off and would give their eye teeth to be able to score that goal for Hearts against Bayern. I can say I've actually done it, and money can't buy that."

A strike against Siroki Brijeg won't be such a priceless commodity for Roman Bednar or Edgaras Jankauskas, however the potential it could hold may be sufficient to start the pound signs rolling in Vladimir Romanov's eyes. Hearts are prevented from playing the violin-driven Champions League theme tune or displaying the competition's starry logo whilst they are still at the competition's qualifying stage, but that will matter little to the 25,000 Jambos expected at Murrayfield.

They are already dreaming of greater heights and starry nights in Europe's premier tournament, and Romanov has projected his ambitions beyond the group stage as his fearless manner envelopes all within his club. As did Alex MacDonald's back in the day.

"The great thing with the Hearts team I played in was that Alex had created a fantastic team spirit within the whole place," continues Ferguson. "He had the team bonding down to a tee. The Hearts fans were fantastic with me too, even though I was signed to replace John Robertson when he went to Newcastle.

"When wee Robbo came back to Tynecastle I was sitting top scorer in the Premier League and Alex pulled me aside and told me John was coming back. He told me I'd done fantastic for him but that he'd try to move me on as quickly as he could.

"Robbo's second debut was against Rangers at Tynecastle and he lasted about an hour. Then I came on for him and scored and we went on to win 2-0. That was another great game I'll remember, but the Bayern one was the pinnacle. Any time I'm in Edinburgh the Hearts fans always come up and tell me how much they'll remember that game, which was the biggest night they'd had in Europe for years.

"Against Bayern, they were all household names but we wanted to test myself against them and it was great to beat them. I felt we were unlucky to lose 2-0 in the second leg and go out.

"It's good to see Hearts progressing and, if the owner is going to push more money into the club, then they'll have a right good side. I'd certainly go to watch them if they were playing somebody like Bayern Munich."

Eliminate Siroki Brijeg and negotiate a big name in the next qualifying round and they just might, for Bayern are one of the clubs lying in wait in the Champions League's group phase. Were such a tie to transpire, what would Hearts give to be able to call upon the right foot of Iain Ferguson?

Taken from the Scotsman