Raith Rovers boss Ian Murray recalls "really, really cruel" past play-off final defeat for Airdrieonians against Queen's Park

Rovers, who have ended second in the Championship this term after a fine 2023-24 campaign, would take on Rhys McCabe’s North Lanarkshire outfit – who have won four and drawn one of five of the sides’ league and cup meetings this season – in the play-offs last four should Airdrie beat Partick Thistle in an upcoming two-legged quarter-final.

But Murray reckons that wretched recent record for Raith against McCabe’s team could mean nothing, given what happened in season 2021-22 when his then Airdrie troops heartbreakingly lost the Scottish Championship final to Queen’s Park 3-2 on aggregate after extra-time, having been undefeated over 90 minutes against the Spiders in no fewer than eight league and cup meetings that season.

Murray told the Fife Free Press: "I felt we were absolutely ready to go up that season, so not doing so was a bitter blow.

"That loss to Queen’s Park was really, really cruel. But I also believe that if you get there enough times then you get your rewards and that's what happened to Airdrie the season after that.

"When you go into the play-offs, experience is vital in football. It's all about the club believing, having patience and keeping your powder dry.

"It would be tough against Airdrie, they're a good side. I'm not going to hide away from that.

"I like them, I think they've got good players. The manager's done really well.

"For them to be where they are in their first season in the Championship is fantastic for them.

"But when it comes down to it I would back our boys against anybody else, 100%.

"I'm desperate to take Raith to the Premiership.

“It would be the highest achievement or pinnacle of my career so far with a team.

"Perversely we would loved to have done it as champions, by winning the league, but it doesn't really matter how you get there if you get there, it would be fantastic."

Murray is hoping it is third time lucky for him in play-off competitions, with his time in charge of Airdrie also having seen the Diamonds lose the 2020-21 Championship final 4-0 on aggregate to Greenock Morton.

"There's absolutely no doubt about it, we'll be trying our best to win these play-offs, like I was at Airdrie.

"I'm always trying to think of the bigger picture. In the first season at Airdrie when we got to the play-off final, we probably weren't ready as a club to be honest.

"We weren't quite in that position that I felt we could go into the Championship and give ourselves a chance.

"Covid had kicked in, the squad was really low, it was a really strange time for everybody.

"We weren't a particularly great side but we managed to dig it out somehow and get to the final, although we were well beaten in the end."

When asked if he felt the current Scottish Premiership play-offs format is too heavily weighted in favour of the top flight side, Murray added: "It probably is. I don't really see what else you could do to make it any more favourable for the Premier League team.

"There's probably a couple of things you could do to make it a bit more balanced.

"For a Championship team to beat a Premier League team over one game's really, really difficult.

" To beat them over two is even harder.

"Maybe a one off neutral game would possibly give us a better chance, I don't know.

"It's tough to call but I think the stats are pretty conclusive that not many Championship teams manage to do it, and they are good sides as well.”

Raith play their penultimate Scottish Championship game of the season tomorrow (Saturday) at Greenock Morton with a 3pm kick-off, before ending the 2023-24 league campaign at home to Arbroath on Friday, May 3, kick-off 7.45pm.