Raith Rovers defender Euan Murray has a sizable commute to Stark’s Park from his Ayrshire home.
That doesn’t stop him from leaving the house with a spring in his step, even if it is early in the morning, well before most others have stirred.
It helps that Raith are flying at the moment but, even besides that, Murray says his second spell at the club is living up to what was sold to him at the outset.
The 29-year-old’s message is consistent with others at the club after taking 24 points from the first 33 available to them.
There is now a belief at Raith that they can keep up this momentum but with a sobering realisation that there is a long way to go.
Euan Murray praises Potter and manager
“When you sign somewhere like what was on option with Raith, it’s always a bit of a gamble,” said Murray.
“But you look at the people you’re speaking to and a big part of me coming here was the conversations I had with John Potter and the manager.
“They pretty much outlined the way things were going to be.
“Sometimes, you hear that at football clubs and then you get there and it’s not quite what you’re told it might be.
“But, in fairness, it’s been everything I hoped it would be and it helps when performances on the pitch are going well.
“The biggest compliment I can give the club is that I need to leave my house at 6.30 in the morning to get to training every day.
“And I do it happily and with a bit of a spring in my step to get into the club. I look forward to going in every day.
“It’s really good to see how far the club have come since I was here the last time.
“That’s what you want in football, you want to go somewhere where the club has got an ambition to go and achieve stuff.
“So, I’m enjoying it just now but I’m also wary of us getting too far ahead of ourselves.
“There were a few things I weighed up in the summer about coming to Raith but I trusted John Potter and the gaffer a lot and I liked what they had to say and the vision for the club and wee touches.”
Raith set for Queen’s Park test
Next up for Rovers is a trip to Hampden to take on a Queen’s Park side that are on an eight-game winless streak but proved a tough nut to crack after going down to 10 men at Stark’s Park earlier in the season.
Jamie Gullan and Jack Hamilton will be available for selection once again as Raith look to add to their run of six matches unbeaten.
“[Queen’s Park] got a last-minute equaliser against Ayr last weekend, and that sort of stuff always lifts you,” said Murray.
“It’s really up to us to go and try to stamp our game plan and our authority on the game, rather than letting Queen’s Park enjoy the game.”
Conversation