MURRAY: We'll show who's got the heart

PARTICK THISTLE skipper Grant Murray has no fears about lining up against his old club Hearts in the Scottish Cup on Saturday.

Murray, a member of the Tynecastle squad that beat Rangers 2-1 in the 1998 final, admits the first game under Dick Campbell and Jimmy Bone carries some extra bite given the opposition.

While Hearts are attempting to claim the mantle of the third force in Scottish football and Thistle battle against the drop into the Second Division, Murray sees no reason to be overawed by the visit of John Robertson's side.

He said: "Everybody has to prove themselves all over again to the new manager and the fact that the first game is against Hearts in the Scottish Cup at Firhill puts a little bit of sparkle into it for myself.

"I think we will get a really good turn-out for that one and you just never know what can happen in football."

Murray reasoned: "It is a good first game to have because there isn't all that much pressure on us, but we'll prepare for it the way we do for any other game.

"It is a one-off and it is just 11 against 11 when we get out on the park. Hearts are a big club, no doubt about that, and they have done well over the last few seasons, but there is no reason why we won't be going out and giving it our best shot."

WHILE Saturday's cup tie is a welcome breather from the weekly pressure of the league campaign, Murray has echoed Campbell's sentiments by maintaining the real business starts with next weekend's tie against Queen of the South.

"I haven't worked under Dick or Jimmy before, but they come across as very enthusiastic and they are vastly experienced in the game - which could be important for us, especially just now," he explained.

"Hopefully, that can stand us in good stead as we try to make sure that we stay in this division and avoid relegation.

"We are all definitely confident we can do that because it is still in our own hands and I don't think there's any reason why we can't get ourselves back on track. Once you get yourself on a winning run, it is amazing how much confidence can seep through the team.

"You can see what happened when St Johnstone notched that run of six games or so without defeat - it took them right up the table again and that's what we have to do. "All that can start off with just a couple of decent results. Over the last couple of weeks we have had good performances against Falkirk and St Mirren, who are way above us in the table.

"And that's the kind of form we have to try and maintain between now and the end of the season," Murray continued.

"I know it is an old clichŽ in football, but we really do just have to take it one game at a time and not look any further than that.

"We don't want to bog ourselves down worrying about what might happen, because we believe we can do it and now we need to prove that by picking up points wherever we are playing.

"We obviously knew that there would be someone coming in as soon as possible, and the board made it well known quite early on they were after Dick.

"John Lambie was always going to be a temporary measure, but with Dick and Jimmy Bone coming in hopefully we can enjoy a bit of stability and try to start picking up points.

"As soon as the gaffer came in, he and Jimmy spoke to the players and took us for training. I think that everyone can look upon this as an opportunity to start afresh and look forward."

The next few weeks will give Campbell and Bone the chance to appraise the playing staff and it remains to be seen what reinforcements they decide to introduce to Firhill.

MURRAY, however, is keen to show that there is potential in the current batch.

"Everybody is desperate to get into things and I'm sure that once the gaffer has a look at the squad he'll decide whether or not he needs some new blood to come in.

"But just now we are just looking forward to the next few weeks and to continue the way we have been playing recently," he said.

"It is so disappointing that we are in this position just now because last season we were in the Premier League and now we are fighting to avoid the Second Division.

"We know that we have underachieved and we know that we are capable of much better."

Taken from eveningtimes.co.uk