Euan Murray's message to Hartlepool United after defender makes Raith Rovers return

Murray returned to his native Scotland recently after completing a move back to Raith – a club he left four years ago having made close to 100 appearances across a two-year spell.

The 29-year-old had been earmarked, potentially, as a key player for Hartlepool this season in their quest to earn promotion back to the Football League.

The defender, who endured a difficult time with the club during his first six months, was brought back into the first team picture under John Askey where he was able to change the narrative somewhat on his time with the club with a number of notable performances during the final months of the campaign.

Murray picked up a season-ending injury in the defeat to Newport County which Askey felt was a major blow to the club’s survival hopes as they would eventually slip back into the National League.

But despite returning for pre-season duty, as players were put through their initial fitness tests, Murray has since been away from the group as he targeted a return to Scotland in order to be closer with his family.

Murray still had one year remaining on his deal at the Suit Direct Stadium, after arriving from Kilmarnock last summer, but felt it was the right time to return nearer to home amid plenty of interest north of the border.

"It took a bit of time to get over the line but now that I’m back I’m thrilled to get started,” Murray told Raith TV.

“I think it’s been fairly well documented there were another couple of options in the background but, after having a conversation with the club, and obviously my spell here previously, it became a no-brainer for me.

"I’m at a stage in my life where it was best for me to come back home with the family.

“I have to be thankful to Hartlepool because they were really understanding with me, they were good with me.

"Then I had a lot of chats with John Potter, I spoke to the gaffer as well, and got a feel for what the club were looking to do and for me it was just too good an opportunity to turn down by coming back here.”

Murray added: “It’s important for people to understand, it's such a short career we have.

"At times you have to make decisions which you know might not be the most popular, but you’ve got a 15 year career-span. If opportunities come up for you to go and do better for yourself and your family, or to try and enhance your game and step up levels, then, at times, you cannot say no.

“As a professional I’ve been someone who has not been afraid to make big decisions that aren’t easy decisions.

"But if ever I’ve felt there has been an opportunity for me to enhance my career then I’ve gone with it, whether that be here [or elsewhere].

"Even leaving Kilmarnock [for Hartlepool] wasn’t an easy decision for me to leave the club where I stay around the corner from. But, ultimately, I felt at that moment in time it was the best thing for me and it’s the same with me coming back here.”

Hartlepool wasted little time in finding a replacement for Murray with the club confirming the arrival of former West Ham United youngster Emmanuel Onariase from Dagenham & Redbridge.

But Pools boss Askey has revealed how he had intended to keep Murray this season whilst sharing his understanding behind his decision to leave.

"With Euan, at the end of the season he asked if I wanted him to stay and I said I did,” Askey revealed to BBC Radio Tees.

"But he only had a year left on his contract and, when he’d got offers in Scotland, it was better for him to move on.

"You don’t want players who are unsettled, so for both parties it was agreed that it was the best thing.

“When you’ve got the option of carrying on doing what you’re doing closer to home then you’re going to want to do that.”

Murray made 36 appearances in total for Hartlepool but admits it was initially a tough period for him to acclimatise to the Football League having had to deal with an injury throughout pre-season 12 months ago.

"Down south I think it's just unbelievably physical compared to up here,” said Murray.

"I actually think there’s a lot more technically gifted players up here than is given credit for, but down there it’s as if every player you play against is minimum 6ft 1in and rapid, so it’s a different intensity.

“It took me a while to get used to it. It was fairly well documented that I missed pre-season and that set me back a good while.

"I feel I put myself out there every Saturday when I shouldn’t have. I should have probably taken a spell away and got myself up to real match sharpness, but the type of person I am I want to play if I can run, basically.

"But once I got to grips with it, and once I came to terms with my fitness levels and got myself in the gym and bulked up a bit more, then I felt like I finished the season as strongly as I’ve played for the past number of years.”