Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Simon stunned to see old clubs battling it out
WHEN Simon Murray left for another continent, he never envisaged returning to see three of his former clubs battling it out for the same prize.
As Tele Sport reported last night, the 28-year-old Dundonian is plotting a comeback to Scottish football this summer after 18 months in South Africa.
He’s delighted to see both Dundee United and Arbroath on the up and hopes another of his former sides, Dundee, can return to the top flight soon, with the Tangerines clear at the top of the Championship and the Dark Blues and Red Lichties battling it out for a play-off spot.
After a couple of years in the Dundee juniors, Murray burst onto the senior scene at Gayfield were he stole the headlines, scoring 16 goals before new year in League Two.
That prompted a £50,000 move to Tannadice for top-flight United before being loaned back to the Red Lichties.
Murray said: “We were 12 points clear at the top and were a good team but then blew up.
“I scored 16 goals in the first half of the season and signed for United in January but couldn’t keep it up in the second half.
“Looking back, I was just not used to full-time training and I was tired when it got to the games. I was training full-time at United during the week and I was really trying to impress but I wasn’t used to it.
“I ended up running myself into the ground during the week and had nothing left for a Saturday.
“Looking back I still think I did the right thing but the Arbroath manager wasn’t happy at the time. We fell out a bit and didn’t leave things the way I’d want them to be.”
Murray played for Alan Moore at Gayfield before Todd Lumsden took over. He was then replaced by Dick Campbell the season after Murray moved to United.
Since then, Arbroath have moved up and up and are now competing with the Tangerines and Dark Blues in the Championship.
“I think Dick Campbell took over from Todd when the club were fourth bottom of League Two – to see them go up to fourth this season in the Championship has been amazing.
“Dick played alongside my dad and you can see why players want to play for him.