FOOTBALL usually loves a rags-to-riches story, the plucky part-timer who comes good and hits the big time. Simon Murray is that man, with his move to Hibernian in the summer coming just five years on from a spell with Juniors Downfield in his native Dundee, followed by a handful of moves.
However, the 25-year-old has met plenty of doubters along his meandering route to Easter Road. He has spent his career trying to shake them off and will attempt to again in Wednesday’s Edinburgh derby against Hearts, knowing that he came up with the perfect riposte when he netted his third-minute decider the last time the rivals faced each other in October.
“It’s easy for people just to say ‘no, I don’t fancy him’, because I’ve come from Arbroath and Montrose,” he said. “But I know where I am and I know what I can do, so I don’t really bother what people think. Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion.
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“The ideal answer is to score in three minutes in a derby. At the end of the day, my job is to score goals and if I’m scoring goals then nobody can complain.
“You’ll always get one or two people, but I’ve been told at every team I’ve gone to that I wouldn’t do well. When I was at Junior level and took the step up to Arbroath, I was wanting to play every week because I had been in the Juniors, but people said ‘if you go there you’ll be on the bench sometimes’.
“Every step’s a step too far in some people’s eyes, and when that day comes then fine. But I’m trying to do it for myself and that’s the way it is. It’s just nice to prove people wrong.”
Murray never won a Dundee derby with United and never lost an Angus battle against Montrose when he was with Arbroath. With Hibs bidding to stretch their unbeaten run against their Gorgie foes to nine games this week, the all-action marksman is hopeful the fixture brings out the best in him again.
“Scoring the winner the last time was probably the best feeling I have had in football,” he said. “The Edinburgh derby is a big derby and to start it off like that was even better.
“I like the bigger games, I think everyone does. It gives you that little extra bit of energy and I like playing at night as well. I like to play with a lot of energy. There is a lot of adrenaline and I am a kind of non-stop person and that seems to help in derbies.”
Murray’s enthusiasm and desire was matched throughout the Hibs team in October’s 1-0 triumph and their pre-eminence in the city was raised by frustrated Hearts supporters at their club’s AGM last week. Tynecastle head coach Craig Levein, buoyed by their historic 4-0 hammering of Celtic, promised his team would bite back, and counterpart Neil Lennon said he would anticipate nothing less.
“You expect derbies to be physical and the raw atmosphere brings that out in players,” said the veteran of Old Firm clashes as player and manager. “It’s an important facet of the game, to put a marker down. Our players will be ready for that. I expect it to be physical.”
It is also likely to be noisy, with the new, expanded main stand coming into its own in roaring Hearts on to their shock success against Celtic. Lennon, a figure of hate for many down Gorgie way, where he was once attacked by a supporter pitch-side, hopes to revel in the atmosphere.
“The extra 4000 there will just add to my popularity!” he joked. “It was always one of my favourite stadiums to go to as a player or manager so the improvements should make it even better.”