Tommy McLean didn’t waste any time in getting the cheque book out when he was appointed the Motherwell manager. Derek Murray was his first signing as the club spent £5,000 on the Dundee United left back in 1984, this was the first of many transfers between the clubs over the next decade as Tommy’s brother Jim McLean was in charge at Tannadice, many of the players who had fallen out of favour in Tayside often landed in Lanarkshire.

Derek was essentially back up to Maurice Malpas at United and couldn’t force his way into the first team on a regular basis so he jumped at the chance of first team football when the opportunity presented itself.

At Motherwell, Murray had joined not long after the club had suffered relegation. Derek would become a consistent performer and he played a key role in a side that would win the 1984/85 First Division bouncing back to the Premier League on the first attempt.

In July 1988, he headed to his native Fife where he joined Raith Rovers before retiring professionally in 1991. Derek reverted to Junior football and became assistant manager at Oakley United before leaving the football scene altogether.

Name:	Derek Murray
Height:	5′ 8″
Weight:	10st 8lbs
Date of Birth:	26th November 1960
Place of Birth:	Dunfermline
Position:	Left Back
Nationality:	Scottish

Football Career:

Dundee United	1980	1984
Motherwell	1984	1988
Raith Rovers	1988	1991

Well Career:

	Apps	Goals
League:	95	5
Scottish Cup:	–	–
League Cup:	–	–
Other:	–	–
Total:	95	5