Hearts Legend Jimmy Murray Dies

Jimmy Murray, the legendary Hearts player of the 1950s, has died at the age of 82.

Murray signed for Hearts, aged 17, in 1950, making his competitive debut for the Maroons two years later, scoring in a 5-2 win over Stirling Albion. However, with Murray undertaking national service, it would be another three years before he became an established player in Hearts first team.

He was an integral part of the Hearts team that won the league championship in record-breaking fashion in season 1957/58. Tommy Walker’s hugely talented team, arguably the best Hearts side ever, stormed to the title, losing just one game, accumulating a record 62 points – in the days when just two points were awarded for a win – and scoring an astonishing 132 goals, a record that will surely never be broken in top flight football in Scotland. Murray scored 27 of these goals. Nowadays, he would be afforded superstar status.

Murray’s brilliant season was rewarded when he was capped by Scotland, playing against England at Hampden in April 1958 before going to the World Cup finals in Sweden. Murray made history by becoming the first Scotland player to score at a World Cup finals during a 1-1 draw with Yugoslavia.

Murray continued to rack up domestic honours with Hearts and he scored twice in Hearts 5-1 League Cup Final hammering of Partick Thistle to cap a memorable 1958.

Murray also played for his beloved Hearts in the European Cup.

After leaving Hearts in 1961, Murray joined Falkirk before moving to Clyde two years later. He then had a season at Raith Rovers before becoming assistant manager at Falkirk.

The word legend is used all too frequently these days. But Jimmy Murray was a genuine legend, a hero to thousands of Hearts supporters. The Edinburgh Reporter offers its condolences to Jimmy’s family at this sad time. They will know that the great man will always be remembered for what he did for Heart of Midlothian FC.