Raith Rovers: Ahead of his second home debut this Saturday, Euan Murray reckons it won't take him long to get used to playing on artificial Stark's Park surface again

Murray, who turned out a total of 38 times for Killie as the Ayrshire side finished top of Scotland’s second tier two seasons ago, then signed for English outfit Hartlepool United – playing 36 times last term – before joining Ian Murray’s Stark's Park outfit on a two-year deal this summer.

The 29-year-old centre back, who previously served Raith between 2017 and 2019, told RaithTV: "Like anyone it’s not ideal playing on astro as such.

"I did feel it was easier on the body down the road (in England last season) with playing on grass, but there’s that many stadiums in Scotland that have got astro and you can completely understand why in terms of revenue and whatever.

"It shouldn’t be any problem. It will maybe take me a month or so to get back to the way the ball bounces on it or just basic things like that.

"But other than that it will be all good.”

Murray made his second debut for Rovers as they fought back from 2-0 down to earn a 2-2 draw at Partick Thistle in Saturday’s 2023-24 Championship opener.

And he is optimistic about the team’s prospects for the season ahead, with Rovers under newly installed owners who completed a takeover of the club this summer.

Murray said: “There’s obviously new owners in charge here that mean business and want to achieve success.

"At the stage I’m at in my career I feel that those kind of ambitions align.

"You come here and it’s great to have the sentiment and catching up with folk and whatever, but I’m certainly not here to mess about really.

"I want to come here and achieve good things with this football club.

"If I go out and perform to the levels that I should then I’m sure the fans will be fine with me.

"I think we’re going to need their backing, I think that’s clear. We need them to come out in their numbers, particularly in this league where your home form is so crucial.”