Ian Murray sacked by Raith Rovers two months from play-off final

Raith Rovers have surprisingly sacked manager Ian Murray just one game into the new Scottish Championship season and two months after he guided the club to the play-off final.

Rovers say that despite last season’s second-place finish, “results and performances since the turn of the year have fallen short of expectations” and the search for his successor “has begun”.

Colin Cameron and John Potter have taken interim charge until the new manager is appointed.

The Kirkcaldy side began the new Championship campaign with a 1-0 defeat by Airdrieonians on Saturday having failed to progress from their League Cup group this summer.

Rovers missed out on promotion in May when they overcame Partick Thistle in the play-off semi-finals before a 6-1 aggregate defeat by Ross County.

Confirming his dismissal, Rovers’ statement added: “The board expresses its gratitude to Ian for his contributions since joining the club.”

Former Hibs and Rangers player Murray, 43, left Airdrie to take the reins at Stark’s Park two years ago, with Rovers finishing seventh and reaching the Scottish Cup quarter-finals in his first season in charge.

Of his 105 games in charge, he won 47 – a win percentage of 44%.

Rovers were taken over by a local consortium last summer, with two of the six-strong group arriving from Kelty Hearts.