Fred Murray
Encyclopedia
Frederick Anthony "Fred" Murray (born 22 May 1982 in Clonmel
, County Tipperary
) is an Irish
footballer currently playing for Luton Town
.
before going abroad. Murray began his career as a trainee at Premier League side Blackburn Rovers
, though he never made a first-team appearance. An initial loan period at Second Division
club Cambridge United
was turned permanent in March 2002, as the U's signed Murray on a free transfer from Blackburn. Murray's three seasons at the club, in which he made over 100 appearances, saw Cambridge relegated to the Third Division
.
He signed a three-year contract for League Two
side Northampton Town
for an undisclosed fee in July 2004, but his tenure at the club was blighted by serious injuries, including an infected Achilles tendon
. In both the 2005–06 and 2006–07 seasons, Murray did not play a single minute of football. He was released in May 2007, but was invited to still train with the club.
After an unsuccessful trial with Leyton Orient
, Murray joined Conference National
side Stafford Rangers
on 28 August 2007, making his debut in a 2–1 defeat at Oxford United
. He then joined Peter Taylor's Stevenage Borough
team on a short-term contract in the January 2008 transfer window, and narrowly missed out on a place in the Conference play-offs. After his release from Stevenage, he trained with League Two side Exeter City
before signing for them, once more on a short-term deal. He left Exeter on 8 May 2009, after just 6 appearances for the club.
At the start of the 2009–10
season, Murray signed for Grays Athletic
along with eight other players. After a change in management at Grays, Murray left the club less than a week after joining them, signing for Luton Town
on a six-month loan deal on 11 August 2009. He made his debut for Luton on the same day, in a 4–1 home victory over Manfield Town
. On 13 January 2010, with his loan deal expired, Murray signed an 18-month contract with Luton.
Murray continued to be a regular fixture at left-back for Luton, though he missed parts of the 2010–11
season due to injury, including Luton's penalty shootout
loss to AFC Wimbledon
in the Conference National play-off final.
On 12 July 2011, he signed a new contract with the club. On 10 November 2011, Murray was deregistered as a Luton player to allow him to focus on recovering from a serious knee injury which had seen him take no part in Luton's 2011–12 season
. The club signed Darlington
defender Greg Taylor
as a replacement.
Clonmel
Clonmel is the county town of South Tipperary in Ireland. It is the largest town in the county. While the borough had a population of 15,482 in 2006, another 17,008 people were in the rural hinterland. The town is noted in Irish history for its resistance to the Cromwellian army which sacked both...
, County Tipperary
County Tipperary
County Tipperary is a county of Ireland. It is located in the province of Munster and is named after the town of Tipperary. The area of the county does not have a single local authority; local government is split between two authorities. In North Tipperary, part of the Mid-West Region, local...
) is an Irish
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
footballer currently playing for Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
.
Career
Murray played his youth football at the renowned Belvedere FCBelvedere FC
Belvedere Football Club is an Irish youth football club based in Fairview, Dublin. Originally founded in 1971, the club plays in the Dublin & District Soccer League...
before going abroad. Murray began his career as a trainee at Premier League side Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
, though he never made a first-team appearance. An initial loan period at Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
club Cambridge United
Cambridge United F.C.
Cambridge United Football Club is a professional football club from Cambridge, England. They are currently playing the 2011-2012 season in the Conference National, the fifth tier of the English league system, where they have competed since 2005 following their relegation from the Football League...
was turned permanent in March 2002, as the U's signed Murray on a free transfer from Blackburn. Murray's three seasons at the club, in which he made over 100 appearances, saw Cambridge relegated to the Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
.
He signed a three-year contract for League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
side Northampton Town
Northampton Town F.C.
Northampton Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Northampton, Northamptonshire. They currently play in Football League Two, the lowest league division, after being relegated from League One on the last day of the 2008–09 season...
for an undisclosed fee in July 2004, but his tenure at the club was blighted by serious injuries, including an infected Achilles tendon
Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon , also known as the calcaneal tendon or the tendo calcaneus, is a tendon of the posterior leg. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius and soleus muscles to the calcaneus bone.- Anatomy :The Achilles is the tendonous extension of 3 muscles in the lower leg:...
. In both the 2005–06 and 2006–07 seasons, Murray did not play a single minute of football. He was released in May 2007, but was invited to still train with the club.
After an unsuccessful trial with Leyton Orient
Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
, Murray joined Conference National
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
side Stafford Rangers
Stafford Rangers F.C.
Stafford Rangers Football Club is a semi-professional English football team from Stafford which plays in the Northern Premier League Premier Division.The team wear black and white stripes with black shorts...
on 28 August 2007, making his debut in a 2–1 defeat at Oxford United
Oxford United F.C.
Oxford United Football Club is an English association football club based in Oxford, Oxfordshire. The club play in League Two, following promotion from the Conference National in May 2010. The club had been a non-League side since their relegation from the Football League in the 2005–06 season. The...
. He then joined Peter Taylor's Stevenage Borough
Stevenage Borough F.C.
Stevenage Football Club is an English football club based in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. The club currently participate in League One, the third tier of English football, having won promotion from League Two in the 2010–11 season...
team on a short-term contract in the January 2008 transfer window, and narrowly missed out on a place in the Conference play-offs. After his release from Stevenage, he trained with League Two side Exeter City
Exeter City F.C.
Exeter City Football Club is an English football club, based in Exeter, which is owned by its fans through the Exeter City Supporters Trust.The club was a member of the Football League from 1920 to 2003...
before signing for them, once more on a short-term deal. He left Exeter on 8 May 2009, after just 6 appearances for the club.
At the start of the 2009–10
2009–10 in English football
The 2009–10 season was the 130th season of competitive football in England.The season began on 8 August 2009 for the Championship, League One and League Two and 15 August 2009 for the Premier League...
season, Murray signed for Grays Athletic
Grays Athletic F.C.
Grays Athletic Football Club is an English football club currently based in Corringham, Essex after leaving the New Recreation Ground in Grays at the end of the 2009–10 season...
along with eight other players. After a change in management at Grays, Murray left the club less than a week after joining them, signing for Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
on a six-month loan deal on 11 August 2009. He made his debut for Luton on the same day, in a 4–1 home victory over Manfield Town
Mansfield Town F.C.
Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910...
. On 13 January 2010, with his loan deal expired, Murray signed an 18-month contract with Luton.
Murray continued to be a regular fixture at left-back for Luton, though he missed parts of the 2010–11
2010–11 Luton Town F.C. season
The 2010–11 season was the 125th season in the history of Luton Town Football Club.The club finished the season in 3rd place, 21 points behind runaway league winners Crawley Town and 6 points behind second placed AFC Wimbledon. This meant Luton would contest promotion to The Football League...
season due to injury, including Luton's penalty shootout
Penalty shootout
The shootout is a method of determining a winner in sports matches that would have otherwise been drawn or tied. The rules for penalty shootouts vary between sports and even different competitions; however, the usual form is similar to penalty shots in that a single player takes one shot on goal...
loss to AFC Wimbledon
AFC Wimbledon
AFC Wimbledon is a professional English football club that traces its origins to Wimbledon in the London Borough of Merton. Based at Kingsmeadow, Kingston upon Thames, the club are members of Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football....
in the Conference National play-off final.
On 12 July 2011, he signed a new contract with the club. On 10 November 2011, Murray was deregistered as a Luton player to allow him to focus on recovering from a serious knee injury which had seen him take no part in Luton's 2011–12 season
2011–12 Luton Town F.C. season
The 2011–12 season is the 126th season in the history of Luton Town Football Club. Their third-place finish and subsequent penalty shoot-out loss to AFC Wimbledon in the Conference National play-off final in 2010–11 means they will be competing in non-league football for the third consecutive...
. The club signed Darlington
Darlington F.C.
Darlington Football Club is a professional association football club based in Darlington, County Durham, currently playing in the Conference National. The club was founded in 1883, and originally played its games at Feethams, before moving to the Darlington Arena in 2003...
defender Greg Taylor
Greg Taylor (footballer)
Gregory 'Greg' Vaughan Taylor is an English footballer who plays at left-back for Conference National club Luton Town, on loan from Darlington...
as a replacement.