Hibs defender Ian Murray happy to snub other offers to stay at Easter Road

IAN Murray last night revealed he had rejected offers to move away from Hibs to sign a new two-year deal. The 28-year-old, who left Easter Road for Rangers on a Bosman free transfer in 2005, has agreed to stay with the club he supported as a boy until at least 2012 and has predicted bright times ahead under manager John Hughes.

• Hibs defender Ian Murray says he turned down offers from elsewhere to commit his future to the club

The versatile defender, whose previous deal was due to expire in the summer, had opened talks on a new agreement at the turn of the year when he was free to speak with other clubs.

However, he admitted he always wanted to remain in Edinburgh and was relieved to see those negotiations come to a swift conclusion yesterday.

He said: "It's good to get it all sorted out fairly early on in the year. To get that one tied up was good for all of us. There were a few offers from other places but, realistically, I just wanted to sign here again. These things do take time, they are not going to happen over night. Christmas was a busy period in terms of games and so we had to wait, but it was fine."

After two-and-a-half years away from the club with first Rangers and then Norwich City, during which time his career was afflicted by a bout of reactive arthritis, Murray returned to Hibs on a short-term deal in January 2007 when he was signed by former team-mate Mixu Paatelainen. The defender then penned an agreement for a further two years.

Since returning to Easter Road Murray has successfully won over those fans he angered when he originally left for Ibrox. Deployed most regularly at left-back, he has also proved an accomplished centre-back or even central midfielder when called upon in those positions.

He has been a pivotal member of a defence which, until Sunday, was the second meanest in the SPL behind Rangers and has undoubtedly been one of the most consistent performers in a side riding high in third place and still on the coat-tails of Celtic – they are five points behind the Glasgow side – ahead of tomorrow's game in hand against St Johnstone.

Murray has been impressed with the quality of signings brought to the club in recent times, with the likes of Anthony Stokes, Liam Miller and Graeme Smith all improving the side significantly, and the boyhood Hibs fan believes the club is on an upward spiral.

He added: "It's a good squad. We've got decent depth and quality, and there are also going to be faces added in the next couple of transfer windows, I'm sure.

"We have decent quality and decent cover in every position now and, with one or two more faces added in the summer and possibly next winter, at the moment things are looking good."

Murray and his team-mates were left disappointed by Sunday's 3-0 drubbing from Rangers, with Kris Boyd's dubious penalty and a late Kenny Miller strike adding gloss to the league leaders' victory.

However, the Easter Road vice-captain insists there will be no panic over their bid to seal third place, a prize he now believes would be the only satisfying way to end an impressive first season under Hughes.

He commented: "To go from sixth last season to third would be fantastic and if we don't finish in the European spots now it would be an absolute disappointment for us, there's no question of that. We are definitely aiming for third now. Fourth, we could just about live with, but we would not be happy. It seems that every time we lose a game or draw a game people start panicking about third place.

"But we are five points behind Celtic with a game in hand, which is a fantastic achievement and hopefully we can hang on to them."

Meanwhile, Hughes revealed yesterday that Kevin McBride is out of this week's two crucial SPL matches away to St Johnstone and then Motherwell after the midfield anchorman limped off against Rangers at Ibrox on Sunday just seven minutes after coming on as substitute.

The former Falkirk player crumpled in a heap with no-one near him which allowed Kevin Thomson to take possession and set up Miller for the third goal in the Ibrox side's victory.

McBride was due to have a scan yesterday on what is thought to be a groin injury but Hughes is expecting the player to miss both tomorrow and Saturday's games.

"Kevin turned, slipped and seems to have opened up his groin," he said. "He's usually a quick healer but I'd say he's definitely out of the next two matches."