Jamie Murphy scored the first competitive goal of Steven Gerrard’s managerial career, and looked as though he would play a key role in taking the club he supported as a boy to the next level in the hope of one-day winning the Scottish Premiership title.
After scoring five goals and providing seven assists in a successful 19-game loan spell, the Scotland international had looked to be the sort of forward that could provide the numbers and intelligence that Rangers needed to break down stuffy defences, offering a guile and creativity that nobody in the squad – other than Ryan Kent – could offer.
A cruel injury suffered during an early league cup game on Kilmarnock’s plastic pitch all but ended his career in Light Blue. He only made two further appearances following knee surgery with a loan move to Burton Albion doing enough to tempt Hibernian into signing him – first on loan, then permanently.
Speaking to The Athletic, Murphy recalls his delight in signing for the club he loves and the pressure that comes with playing in front of such a demanding fan base:
“It was the club I grew up dreaming of playing for, even more so my dad. He was a season-ticket holder before I started playing. At the time it was just perfect, a chance to go and play.
“People down in England find it hard to understand. I was prepared for it, because I grew up here. All the big teams are scrutinised every day, that’s what it’s like playing at Rangers and Celtic.
“There’s a big sign up at the training ground at Rangers: You are only as good as your last pass. It’s one of the truths. One week you can be amazing, the next week you’re terrible. Trying to explain it to players down south, they don’t really understand. At Brighton, we were pretty much left alone.
“That’s the thing about football, you can plan ahead and dream about things happening. I had a really good first six months and then, just getting ready for the new season, the bad injury hits.”
Murphy suffered a similar fate to that of Graham Dorrans in that we had signed senior professionals with proven experience at the highest level only to see them cut down by serious injuries just as they were hitting their stride – there’s no doubt that Gerrard’s side was weaker in his first season by their absence.
He may have lost a yard of pace following so long out of the game but his ability on the ball means that he will be a threat in the Scottish Premiership against most teams, being confident using both feet is a skill that all budding wingers should master and one that gives Murphy the edge against most defenders.
For all that he got to live out his dream by running out in front of a packed Ibrox and would have been delighted to see the team he supports lift the title last season, he will no doubt look back with a hint of sadness at what might have been and the role he could have played in our success but for that awful pitch at Kilmarnock.