Ian Murray will take charge of Raith Rovers for the 100th time in a competitive fixture in Sunday’s Premiership play-off showdown with Ross County.
If the Stark’s park side can upset the odds and clinch a dream promotion to the top-flight it would certainly be a remarkable way to celebrate the century.
The Kirkcaldy outfit have something of a mountain to climb following Thursday night’s 2-1 defeat in the first-leg in Fife.
However, Sam Stanton’s goal eight minutes from time has restored hope and belief they could pull off one of the biggest results in the club’s history to reach the country’s top division for the first time in 27 years.
It would also be Murray’s most significant achievement in management.
The former Hibernian, Rangers and Scotland defender joined Raith in May 2022 having restored his dugout credentials during nearly four years with Airdrie.
In his second full campaign with the Diamonds in League One, Murray steered them to the Championship play-off final.
But defeat to Morton was followed by an agonising loss to Queen’s Park at the same stage the following year and the ex-St Mirren and Dumbarton boss decided he was ready for a fresh challenge.
It did not all go swimmingly at Raith in the first year.
With predecessor John McGlynn leading Rovers to fifth in the Championship the previous season, they ended the campaign in seventh.
Title challenge
And the bid to retain the Challenge Cup fell at the final hurdle against Hamilton Accies.
However, with new owners breathing fresh life into the club 12 months ago, this season has been a massive success.
An unexpected title challenge to favourites Dundee United dropped off in the final few weeks. But promotion is still a possibility.
Twenty league wins compares very favourably with last season’s 11 and the previous year’s dozen, and the play-offs have been navigated to leave them just one match away from the top-flight.
If, as predicted by most, County end up prevailing on Sunday, there will be obvious disappointment to have got so close to the prize.
But the platform will have been laid for next term.
The likes of Lewis Vaughan, Kevin Dabrowski, Scott Brown, Sam Stanton, Josh Mullin, Callum Smith, Jack Hamilton, Euan Murray and Aidan Connolly are all contracted beyond the summer.
And around 5,700 Rovers fans packing into three sides of Stark’s Park for Thursday’s first-leg against County was an indication that the support is there for the current team.
The chants backing Murray have been noticeable in a wonderful run that has repaired previously-damaged relations in the community.
What would be the reaction if he could lead Raith to the promised land of the Premiership?
