Murray in no hurry to leave Livingston

Jan 29 2009 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

HIS holiday was booked and his bags were packed as he looked to put a long season of injury problems behind him.

After battling back from a double hernia he had the offer of a three-year contract on the table and assurances from his manager he would be an integral part of the team in the new season.

But on the day Murray Davidson was supposed to put pen to paper on his new deal Livingston were bought over by an Italian consortium and boss Mark Proctor was sacked.

The decision threw a spanner in the young midfielder's summer plans as he had to scrap a planned trip to Crete but it was a decision he had no hesitation in making.

He said: “I had to cancel my holiday as the day I came in to sign the deal Mark got the sack which threw it up in the air. I was meant to be going with my girlfriend but she understood why we had to cancel.

“Then the new owners came in and it was a bit of a worry as they didn’t know much about me or if I was any good.

“But I came in and spoke to them and they were good enough to offer me a two-year deal on the back of what other people in the club told them.

“From there the ball was in my court to do the best I could and I knew this was always going to be a big season for me after my injuries last season.

“It’s been a good season and since the new manager came in we’ve all had a lift. that’s nothing against the last manager as he had his own techniques but they took a wee bit of getting used to.

“Now Paul Hegarty has come in and things are more traditional with training in the mornings and there’s a good atmosphere around the place.”

Davidson made his top-team debut last season under Proctor but his campaign was stop-start due to injury and the youngster being sent off in his first two appearances.

“I had a double hernia operation in December and it took me a little while to recover from that,” he admitted.

“I got on really well with Mark Proctor and Curtis Fleming and I was gutted when they left the club.

“I was told I would be a big player under them this season but when he left the club I wondered what would happen. But I knew it would be up to me to get a full pre-season under my belt and, fortunately, I did that and showed enough to get a chance and everything has been good since then.”

Davidson’s marauding runs from midfield have yielded three goals but he admits to being disappointed not to have more.

He continued: “I am disappointed not to have scored more goals as I’ve had chances but it’s not through a lack of trying.

“I’ve hit the woodwork a few times and that’s been a combination of bad luck and wasteful finishing. I’m working on it every day and, hopefully, when I get one they’ll start going in more regularly.”

SPL scouts have been circling around Almondvale all season and the club had to beat off interest from one top-flight club last August as they tried to poach the 20-year-old.

And he admits to having been aware of interest in him.

“I knew through my agent there was interest in me in the last transfer window but I’d rather leave that to him to deal with and let me concentrate on playing for Livingston,” insisted Davidson.

“I believe there were a few enquiries and a bid came in on the last day of the window from an SPL club but that is as far as it went. I was told that it had come in and been rejected and I was happy with that.

“Playing games is the most important thing for me and I’m in no rush to leave.

“But it is a compliment to hear there is interest in me from other clubs but all I want to do is establish myself here and get games under my belt.”

A run of just three points from the last 12 would normally be enough to dent any side’s promotion ambitions but this season has been especially tight. And Davidson reckons there is still every chance the Lions could still win the race to the SPL.

“The league is still very tight and all season it has been. I don’t think any team is going to go on a run of seven or eight league wins on the trot.

“A couple of defeats can send anyone flying down the table but a couple of wins can put you right back in contention. The point we gained on Saturday keeps our momentum going a bit but it would have been nice to have gotten a win.

“We have a home game this weekend against Ross County whom we have already taken six points off this season.

“If we can apply ourselves properly then I reckon there’s no reason we can’t win.”

Robert Snodgrass and Graham Dorrans both earned Scotland under 21 honours whilst at Almondvale and Leigh Griffiths’ is currently in the under-19 set-up.

International recognition for Davidson would be reward for the superb season he has been having and he admits to hoping he can catch under-21 boss Billy Stark’s eye and earn his first national team cap.