Former Hibs and Ranger player fired for “falling short of expectations” in the first-ever shocking SPFL managerial dismissal.
After Raith Rovers’ opening-day Championship loss to Airdrieonians, manager Ian Murray was fired. The removal of Murray from his role at Rovers was confirmed by the club in a statement released on Sunday afternoon, which came as a surprise to many at Stark’s Park. Raith advanced to the Premiership play-offs last season, losing to Ross County in the final after coming second in the league behind Dundee United, but they had already suffered a 1-0 loss to the Diamonds less than twenty-four hours earlier.
In a statement, Raith said: “Ian Murray, the first team manager, has left Raith Rovers Football Club.” Ian has been with the club since May 2022, and the board would like to thank him for his contributions.
Though they placed second in the previous season, their performances and results have not lived up to the expectations since the beginning of the year. As a result, the board has chosen to end the manager’s employment. The selection procedure for a new management has started. John Potter and Colin Cameron will assume first team responsibilities in the meantime until a replacement is named. Under a local consortium, Rovers hope to win the league title this year. They have signed high-profile players, including as Paul Hanlon and Lewis Stevenson, who were previously with Hibs. They were heavily praised for their attacking style of football the previous season and nearly defeated United to win the championship.
Murray, 43, took over at Stark’s Park two years ago after moving from Airdrieonians. Murray was once a defensive midfielder for the Rangers and Hibs. In his first season in charge, he led the team to the Scottish Cup quarterfinals and seventh place in the league, and they finished second last season. Murray oversaw 105 games, guiding them to a 44 percent victory rate.
