Simon Murray

Playing career Early career Murray began his professional career with Montrose. He made his only appearance for the first team as a substitute against Queen's Park at Hampden in May 2011. After a loan spell at Dundee-based junior club Downfield, Murray joined another junior club, Tayport, in February 2012.

After leaving Tayport, Murray spent almost a year living in Australia. On his return to Scotland, he briefly played junior football for Dundee Violet before signing for Arbroath in May 2014. After scoring 18 goals in 28 matches for Arbroath, Murray was signed by Dundee United for a £50,000 fee in January 2015.

Dundee United Murray made his debut for Dundee United against Aberdeen in August 2015. He scored his first goal six days later, in his first away game for United, the second goal in a 2–0 win at Motherwell. Murray scored seven goals for United in the 2015–16 season, as they were relegated to the Scottish Championship.

Murray scored a hat-trick for United in their first home game of the 2016–17 season in a 6–1 win over Cowdenbeath in the group stages of the League Cup. He scored 18 goals in all competitions for United in 2016–17. Murray was sent off for two bookable offences in the first leg, but the second yellow card (and therefore the red) was appealed.

Hibernian Soon after the play-off final defeat, Murray signed for Hibernian. On 24 October 2017, Murray scored the only goal in the Edinburgh Derby which saw Hibernian win 1–0 against Heart of Midlothian.

Dundee (loan) On 31 January 2018, Murray moved to Dundee on loan for the remainder of the 2017–18 season.

Bidvest Wits Hibernian sold Murray to South African club Bidvest Wits for an undisclosed fee in July 2018. Murray suffered an injury to his anterior cruciate ligament in 2019, which prevented him from playing for several months.

Queen's Park After returning to Scotland, Murray joined League Two club Queen's Park in September 2020. He scored six goals in eleven appearances in his first season with the club as they were promoted as divisional champions.

On 10 September 2021, Murray was awarded with the Scottish League One Player of the Month for August 2021, having scored four goals in five games in the league for that month. He was then unavailable for much of the next six months with injury and the team struggled to win matches in his absence, drawing half of the 36 fixtures to finish in fourth place and reach the Scottish Championship play-offs. On 15 May 2022, fit-again Murray scored the winning goal from the penalty spot during extra time in the second leg of the play-off final to defeat Airdrieonians (who had finished runners-up in the regular season, 21 points ahead of Queen's Park); this secured back-to-back promotions for the Spiders, meaning they would compete in the second tier of Scottish football for the first time in nearly forty years.

On 16 June 2022, Murray signed a new one-year contract extension with Queen's Park. On 7 January 2023, Murray would net 4 goals in a single game against Cove Rangers in a 0–6 away win which would open up a 4-point gap at the top of the Scottish Championship.

Ross County Murray signed for Scottish Premiership club Ross County on 31 January 2023 for an undisclosed fee. The same day, he would make his debut for the Staggies as a substitute in a league draw at home draw against his former club Hibernian. Murray would score a key goal as well as netting in the penalty shoot-out to help County come back against Partick Thistle in the Premiership play-off final to keep them in the top flight.

Murray would get the 2023–24 season started in style with a hat-trick away from home against Stranraer in the Scottish League Cup group stage. Murray scored 23 goals in 46 appearances for the Staggies in a standout season, including 2 goals in the Premiership play-off final against Raith Rovers to help keep County in the top tier.

Return to Dundee On 10 July 2024, Murray returned to his boyhood club Dundee for an undisclosed fee on a three-year deal. Murray made his second debut for the club on 16 July as a substitute in an away win over another one of his former clubs, Arbroath, in the Scottish League Cup. He opened his scoring account for the Dark Blues the following week, netting a brace in a win over Annan Athletic. He followed that up with a 30 minute hat-trick in a 6–0 demolishing of Inverness Caledonian Thistle. Murray scored his first league goal for the Dee on 24 August, netting a late equaliser away to his former club Hibernian. On 20 January 2025, Murray scored the only goal in a Scottish Cup win over Dundee United to give his boyhood team their first Dundee derby win since 2017. Murray continued his derby success on 16 March, scoring a late penalty in Dundee's first win over United at Tannadice in over 20 years on the day after his birthday.

In April 2025, Murray was named as one of four nominees for the 2024–25 PFA Scotland Players' Player of the Year, alongside Celtic's Callum McGregor, Nicolas Kühn and Daizen Maeda. He was also awarded as the Scottish Premiership Player of the Month for April 2025 on the back of a key stretch of goals, having scored 8 goals in 8 league games. The following month, Murray was nominated for the Footballer of the Year award by the Scottish Football Writers' Association. At the end of the season, Murray also won the club's Andrew De Vries Player of the Year award and Players' Player of the Year award.

On 20 September 2025, Murray opened his account for the 2025–26 league season in a home win over Livingston. Murray's influence lessened in the second stint of his second season, in part due to playing on a partially torn ACL, but still finished as Dundee's top scorer with 9 goals in all competitions. On 15 August 2026, Murray suffered a significant ACL injury in a Scottish League Cup match against Aberdeen which would almost certainly rule him out for the entire 2026–27 season.

Career statistics

Honours Dundee United Scottish Challenge Cup: 2016–17

Queen's Park Scottish League Two: 2020–21

Individual Scottish League One Player of the Month: August 2021 Scottish Premiership Player of the Month: April 2025 PFA Scotland Players' Player of the Year nominee: 2024–25 SFWA Footballer of the Year nominee: 2024–25 Andrew De Vries Player of the Year winner: 2024–25 Dundee Players' Player of the Year winner: 2024–25