Euan Murray Stepping up

After two seasons chasing promotion to the Championship, Euan Murray arrives there with a move to Dunfermline.

Playing at the highest level is Euan Murray’s declared goal. Despite making three SPL appearances with Motherwell in season 2013-2014, he has played most of his football in the lower leagues in both Scotland and England. None of his previous clubs Clyde, Stenhousemuir, Southport and Barrow and held quite the attraction for the Rutherglen born defender. He fully expected to be back at Raith Rovers for a second season there so he was really pleased to discover Dunfermline’s interest in signing him.

Euan explained:-

“I was still under contract, so at the end of the season I probably thought I would be back at Raith, but straight away there was a bit of interest from a few clubs. Dunfermline was one of them and it’s a massive club, so when the bid was accepted and the opportunity came about, I was delighted.”

Along with Kevin Nesbit, Euan crosses the Fife divide to become a Pars player, he continued:-

“Kevin and I have been popular with the Raith fans! That’s football, it was always going to happen. One thing I would say is Raith were good for me and Kevin and me and Kevin were good for Raith. So, it worked out, and for myself Raith got a fee, which was good business for both sides.”

In the end John McGlynn and Paul Smith past on Raith’s good wishes to the player who had featured 47 times in the Kirkcaldy side’s push for promotion through the play offs last season. Euan said:-

“It was fine. I said thanks to all the lads because there was a great bunch at Raith. It was the same with Paul Smith and the gaffer. I had a couple of phone calls to the both of them and thanked them.

“They were brilliant for me, as was Barry Smith at Raith, they really helped me kick on. It’s not as if I left on bad terms with the staff, I moved on with their blessings - I thanked them and they thanked me.”

Admitting that the opportunity to make that step up was too good for him to turn down Euan continued:-

“It’s one of these things, when you get a chance to go and play at a higher level you have to take it. It’s a short career but I still consider myself as young and I’ve come here hoping to develop and further myself.

“People on social media have been talking about there not being any loyalty in football any more, but you need to look after your family and that’s what I was doing. It’s 20 minutes shorter for me to get to Dunfermline and there’s probably more Glasgow boys here than there were at Raith, so it’s ideal.”

“I spoke to the gaffer for probably over an hour and once you get speaking to him he makes you feel like straight away you want to come.

“It was mainly centre-half we were talking about but, from seeing me and with the way my career has gone, he knows I can play pretty much anywhere across the back four - and if needed step into midfield.

“He said it was probably going to be a younger team and he was looking for legs and people to get us up the park and press the life out of the team

“So, as a footballer, it’s always good if you can play where you’re most comfortable, but as long as I’m playing and contributing something to the team I’m happy to go and do a job anywhere.”

It has not been a long summer for Euan and Kevin because of the play-offs and a break so short for them that they have not had time to get bored and miss it. Euan closed:-

“When you’re back in amongst the lads and having a laugh and back out on the training park, it makes it worthwhile. It’s a new challenge and something I’m looking forward to.

“First and foremost it’s about getting in a good pre-season, getting the legs going again, and then trying to establish myself in the team. Then, hopefully as a team we can go and kick on and I can individually kick on as well.”

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