Raith Rovers: Can manager Ian Murray lead Kirkcaldy side to title glory in same year as his boyhood heroes Arsenal?

And Raith boss Ian Murray – doing a marvellous job as his Stark’s Park side steam along at the top of Scotland’s second tier – has revealed that he has also long been a fan of the Gunners, currently going for their first English title since the 2003-04 campaign when a superstar side including Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, Cesc Fabregas, Dennis Bergkamp and Sol Campbell became the first English champions to go an entire 38-game league season unbeaten.

But the Rovers manager revealed to the Fife Free Press that his affiliation to Arsenal – currently bossed by Mikel Arteta - began as a result of another famous Gunners title win 15 years earlier, when second half goals by Alan Smith and then Michael Thomas – in injury time – clinched a 2-0 victory over Liverpool at Anfield which sensationally sealed the old first division for George Graham’s men on goals scored at the expense of Kenny Dalglish’s Reds.

"I was a boyhood Arsenal fan," Murray, 42, told the Fife Free Press. "But it's a funny one. I remember the 1988-89 season where they won the league at Anfield. That was how it came about.

"I had no affiliation towards Arsenal, certainly my family didn't, until I started supporting them.

"And that was one of the very, very peak games back then that was on terrestrial TV on a Friday night.

"Obviously Arsenal managed to win the league and that was me hooked on them.

"I think I had all the Arsenal strips when I was a boy. It was always a treat for me to get a football top.

"When I played in a friendly match for Hibs against Barcelona in 2008 - Barca won 6-0 with goals by Eidur Gudjohnsen (2), Lionel Messi, Pedro, Bojan Krkic and Yaya Toure - the strip I wanted was Thierry Henry and I managed to get it so I was quite happy.

"I kind of went away from it (supporting Arsenal) a wee bit in the last 10, 15 years but then my eldest (son Lewis) came along and we actually headed down to Villa Park recently to watch Aston Villa v Arsenal.”

Murray – who as a player made 270 appearances for Hibernian in two spells over a total of 10 years – earned a testimonial at Easter Road in 2011 which saw his Hibs side – including the aforementioned Arsenal greats Vieira and Pires who made guest appearances – draw 5-5 with Hibs Legends.

"I was very fortunate and very privileged to get a testimonial,” Murray said.

"It was great of Vieira and Pires turning out for that game.

"Obviously we gave a little bit of money to the charity that Vieira was the ambassador for and had set up.

"I think it shows more the togetherness in football more than anything else.

"These guys, Pires and Vieira, didn't have to do that, they really didn't.

"For the money that they got, they could have raised that by doing their own dinner, auction or whatever they wanted.

"The fact that they came to Edinburgh, spent time with myself, played in the game, is testament to these guys.

"It was fantastic that the organisers managed to pull in a couple of big names like them.”

Unusually, the testimonial saw main man Murray have an early penalty – awarded after Steven Tweed’s foul on Garry O’Connor – saved by Hibs Legends goalkeeper Ally Brown.

Murray recalled: "I don't think Ally read the script. He wanted to have his wee moment of fun and that's fine.

"It was one of those things that probably added to the fun of the day.

"I didn't say much to him after he saved the penalty and it's fine.”

Raith, currently five points clear of Dundee United at the top of the Scottish Championship having accumulated 39 points from 16 matches, continue their league campaign tonight (Friday) with a home game against Ayr United which kicks off at 7.45pm.

EPL leaders Arsenal, who at time of writing have 39 points from 17 games and are one point ahead of Liverpool and Aston Villa, visit Liverpool tomorrow (Saturday) with kick-off at 5.30pm.