Raith Rovers' Ian Murray: New signing Lewis Stevenson once ignored my career advice

Murray, delighted to have signed legendary Easter Road left-back Stevenson on a two-year contract, has long known the fortitude of a Kirkcaldy-born player who landed the 2006-07 League Cup, 2015-16 Scottish Cup and 2016-17 Scottish Championship during 600 appearances for the Edinburgh outfit between 2005 and this summer.

"I was thrilled to get Lewis signed," Murray, 43, who himself made 271 appearances for the Hibees in two spells between 1999 and 2005 and 2008 and 2012, told the Fife Free Press. "It was an absolute no brainer.

"Obviously I've known Lewis for a long, long time.

"I'm not going to sit here and say we're massive friends or anything like that.

"We just kind of passed each other at Hibs for a couple of years in different eras and stuff.

"But the guy played 600 games for Hibs and won two cup medals which is more than anyone else!

"His longevity and determination are excellent.

"I remember a conversation with Lewis back in 2010ish when he was going to go to St Mirren and sign for them because he wasn't getting a game at Hibs and I told him to go because I thought it was the best move at that point for him.

"But with his very strong mentality he didn't go. He was right to ignore the advice that I gave him because he went on to have a fantastic career for Hibs, played so many games and did so well.

"We saw in Lewis Vaughan's testimonial game (a 5-1 Hibs win over Raith at Stark's Park on March 20) how good Lewis Stevenson is, how professional he is.

"Guys like Lewis and Callum Fordyce (central defender who is also newly arrived on a two-year deal at Raith after leaving Airdrieonians) are the guys that will take the club to the next level.

"They are going to be the guys that instill discipline and standards within the changing room and know what's expected.

"So the club's moving on really well with these two."