Murray told the Sport of the World: "I was at Hibs as a youngster before I signed S form at Tannadice - but I really didn't enjoy the year up there much. Dundee United were the club to be at when you were young because they looked after the young boys well. But I realised that going to Dundee maybe wasn't for me and I thought I'd be better off moving somewhere else."
The stand in skipper continued: "Luckily Hibs wanted me and that was probably the only team I would have left United for. It meant I could stay at home. My friends and my family are Hibs fans, so I came back here. But United held my registration. They had the option of keeping it for a year, which they did. It meant I couldn't play in the first team although I was able to play youth and reserve games."
"I had to sacrifice a year of my career to come here - in first team terms at least. The manager(Alex McLeish) was saying 'You deserve to be here' although I knew I wasn't going to play. Of course, I asked Dundee United to release my registration but they didn't."
Murray, who has been outstanding this season, pinpoints why it never worked out on Tayside. "Technically they were within their rights. It might have been beacuse Tommy McLean was the one I didn't particularly get on with. After he got the sack Paul Sturrock phoned wanting me to go back up to Tannadice. If I had known McLean was going to go I probably would have stayed on there."
"It wasn't Jim McLean -I got on well with him - it was Tommy. It wasn't anything big, it was ust that we didn't really get on. I don't think he rated or liked me and I was the same with him. You can't work with someone you don't like but I'm sure now if I saw him it wouldn't be a problem"
Ian may well bump into happy chap McLean today, as he is a coach with Rangers - our opponents today.
Meanwhile, reports today are suggesting that Bobby Williamson is eyeing up Ayr United striker James Grady.
The 31 year old is the Somerset Park club's top scorer this season with 4 goals, and would relish a return the the SPL. It's thought that St. Johnstone are also trying to sign up the former Dundee hitman.
Grady is out of contract in the summer, but it is thought BW wants to sign him when the transfer window re-opens in January.