Tigers new man Murray is all about the football

For Worksop Town fans, last Friday’s announcement of Adam Murray’s loan signing was as spectacular as it gets.

For other clubs around the Evo-Stik Northern Premier it was a worrying sign that Tigers intend to have a real crack at promotion this season.

But for the man himself, it was a chance to get back on the pitch to do what he loves.

The 32-year-old midfielder was a major Tigers transfer target for weeks, but the protracted negotiations finally came to a head last week, and he made his debut for Worksop in Saturday’s 6-1 mauling of Stamford.

Speaking to the Guardian this week, Murray was keen to move on from a very public fall out with Stags boss Paul Cox, and concentrate on football.

He said: “There’s been enough speculation, and enough rumours, so there’s been enough said on that front.”

“I’m getting bored of talking about it, so I just want to get on with my career and what will be will be.”

“I’m not in the manager’s plans at Mansfield, which I respect.”

“That’s football, it goes that way sometimes.”

“I’m just concentrating on helping Worksop out on the pitch. Hopefully my experience can help here.”

A former Derby County and Oxford United man, Murray revealed he could have gone to a club at a higher level, and explained why he had moved to Sandy Lane.

“I’ve come to get playing again firstly,” he said.

“I had a couple of options to go to the Conference, but I had to be realistic with myself ­– it was coming up to two months that I hadn’t played competitively and I looked at it and thought that if I went into the Conference I’d be off the pace.”

“Not training properly at the minute it would have killed me.”

“I’m going to stay here until January, I get on with the manager really well, the style of play he likes suits me so we’ll see how the next two months go and take it from there.”

Tigers fans will be hoping, on the strength of his showing on his debut, that Murray stays for the duration of the 2013/14 campaign.

And Murray, who seemed to enjoy his first game as a Tiger as much as the spectators, refused to rule out a longer stay.

“Two months is a long time in football, you never know what’s round the corner. I’ll take every game as it comes here and get my fitness up. If it goes well and I’m enjoying it and I’m still not in the plans there then I wouldn’t hesistate in extending my stay here.”

“I enjoyed Saturday’s game, I haven’t enjoyed a game like that for a long time. The style the manager is putting into fruition here really suits my game, and I really enjoyed it.”

“Hopefully we’ll have a few more like that.”

Murray is no stranger to escaping leagues, after captaining Stags to Conference Premier glory last season.

He also helped both Carlisle United and Oxford United to promotion into the Football League.

From what he’s seen of his new club, he believes there’s a distinct possibility of a promotion finish.

“They’ve got the tools in the bag to do it,” he siad.

“You look at the teams, local non league teams with a good background and a good structure, your Nuneatons, Tamworths and Alfretons – they’ve all gone on to do well.

“And this is one of those clubs just waiting to do well.”

And his initial impression of Tigers boss Mark Shaw, and the style of football he’s promoting at Worksop, is a positive one.

“I didn’t know him from before, I only got speaking to him in the last few weeks.”

“We’re on the same page in terms of football ideas, it’s been a really good journey so far.”