Hibs hero stunned by move to sack him over phone as ex-Hearts star keen to soothe Jambos pain at rival

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Former Hibs star Ian Murray has launched a scathing attack on the Raith Rovers board for the manner in which he was sacked and the lack of respect that was shown to him by the club’s hierarchy.

Last month, the 43-year-old became the first managerial casualty of the season when he was sacked after a 1-0 defeat away to Airdrieonians on the opening day.

The move sent shockwaves around Scottish football and came just months after Murray’s team had narrowly missed out on automatic promotion behind eventual Championship winners Dundee United.

CEO Andrew Barrowman said it wasn't a knee-jerk reaction to one defeat, but a measured response to a long-running downturn in form that left them convinced Murray was no longer the man to take them forward.

But Murray has since hit back at his former employers and told the Scottish Football Podcast: "I wasn’t expecting it. It was a less than three-minute phone conversation. I was told they wanted to go in a different direction. They felt that they had regressed in recent months and they were going to terminate my contract. And that was the end of the conversation.

"The first thought for most people was there was something else behind it, which then starts questioning my integrity at times because people like to talk and make some things up that they don’t know about. But there was nothing. I told him that I didn’t agree with the decision, 100 per cent. And I didn’t expect that decision to be made.

"I wasn't going to sit here and beg for my job. I felt I had enough credit in the bank to at least have had a conversation before a decision was made where we could maybe sit down around a table, shake hands even and walk away. But to do it over the phone I felt wasn’t right. You obviously try and evaluate the reasons that they gave, which still don’t make any sense to me."

Raith Rovers are now managed by ex-Barnsley boss Neill Collins and currently sit bottom of the Championship with just three points from their opening five league matches.

Ex-Hearts star keen to erase Hampden pain

Motherwell star Andy Halliday is keen to get another crack at success at Hampden after some painful moments at both Hearts and Rangers in the past.

The three-time Scottish Cup runners-up has been a regular for Stuart Kettwell’s side throughout the season after arriving on season-long loan deal from Tynecastle.

His Motherwell team play host to Dundee United as they bid to reach Hampden for the first time since the 2017/18 season.

Halliday told Glasgow World: “I try to forget about a lot of my Hampden memories, to be honest with you! I’ll have a wee joke about it, but I certainly have some fond memories there as well.

“The unfortunate thing about football is that you remember the bad ones more than the good ones, so you want to put them right any time you get another opportunity. We’re under no illusions that it’s not easy to win these cups. It’s difficult, especially for a club like Motherwell, 1991 was the last time they won the Scottish Cup.

“They got themselves to a couple of cup finals over the last decade or so, so I think we have a massive opportunity ahead of us, and the most important thing for us as players is preparing properly. It’s an old football cliché, but the fact of the matter is you need to give your best. I feel that if we give our best and we get what the fans have given us over the last few weeks, then I’m confident.”

Halliday has backed the Fir Park faithful to play a key role in the quarter-final tie and has urged as many fans as possible to turn up and generate an atmosphere.

He added: “It’s a massive occasion for us, it’s a massive occasion for the club. It’s been six years since the last time they’ve been to Hampden for a cup visit, so we obviously know what’s at stake.

“I think you see in the last few weeks, especially at home, we’ve built on a decent bit of form to start the season. I don’t want to rally people to come to the ground, I think the fans are doing that themselves anyway. But I heard the story on Tuesday that there are people chapping round doors with QR codes, getting fans to scan tickets to have the place full and bouncing, but that’s music the boys’ ears.

“We were already speaking about that in the changing room, because the more bodies that can turn up for us the better. I felt as if we really fed off them in the last two home games. They were that 12th man for us, and if we want to get back to Hampden for the first time in six or seven years, we’re going to need them.

“We know we need to start well, which I think we have done in the last two home games, but Dundee United were on their own high as well, before the weekend they were seven or eight games unbeaten. We’re under no illusions that it’s going to be a difficult game, but it’s certainly one we’re looking forward to.”