Raith Rovers manager Ian Murray is pleased with how his side are quietly going about their business.
A lot was made over the summer about improvements off-field, which may have lost some of their shine had players not lived up to their side of the bargain.
Instead, Rovers are unbeaten at the top of the Championship after five matches played, though that will now bring its own pressure.
Next up is Murray’s former team Airdrie, newly promoted after coming up through last season’s Championship play-offs.
Rather than seeing the match as an opportunity to stay top of the league, the Rovers boss eyes it as an opportunity to open up a 10-point gap on the Diamonds.
Raith Rovers players have ‘backed it up’
“We’ve gone about our business really quietly,” said Murray.
“We’ve not overhyped it, we’ve not over-talked it, we’ve just tried to improve the club and improve ourselves.
“But then we had to back it up by performing on the park and, so far, the boys have done that.”
Rovers will welcome back Scott McGill to the squad after he missed out last week with an illness.
Goalkeeper Robbie Thomson, meanwhile, has started some light training after picking up a thigh injury and is around a couple of weeks away from his return.
Ian Murray on return to Airdrie
“We’ve got a few bumps and bruises from the weekend, but nothing of major concern at the moment,” added Murray
“The boys are fine, when you’re winning games the injuries tend to clear up a wee bit.”
Murray is aware of the significance of his return to Airdrie, who offered him a return to management back in 2018.
Pre-match at the Excelsior Stadium will be a different experience, said the Rovers manager, but once the referee blows his whistle, it will be like any other game.
‘We want to win, it’s as simple as that’
“I’ve got a tremendous amount of gratitude towards Airdrie and the guys who run the club because they gave me an opportunity to get back in Scottish football when it had been a while,” said Murray.
“And a lot of people wouldn’t give me that opportunity, so I’m always going to be indebted to Airdrie in some way.
“We go there against a really decent Airdrie side, who have done brilliantly well to get promoted.
“Their start to the season has been fairly solid as well.
“But we will go there to win the game, it’s as simple as that. We see it as an opportunity to go 10 points clear of them.”
