Special night ahead for Rovers boss - and Spurs fan - Murray

Shamrock Rovers captain Dan Murray will lead his side out against Tottenham tonight - the team he has always supported.

Cambridge-born Murray, 29, has been a Spurs fan since he was a child, but does not expect any favours from his idols when the first whistle blows in tonight‘s Europa League encounter.

Murray started his career at Peterborough, but after only a handful of appearances in three years he moved to Cork City before joining the Hoops in 2010.

And while the Shamrock skipper may not get to many Spurs games these days, he remains loyal to his childhood heroes.

He said: “I wouldn’t say I’m a die-hard supporter, but whenever I’m asked if I follow a football team it would be Spurs.

“My family always followed Tottenham and it went from there really – that was the team everyone supported in my family. I was always a fan and if I had to name one (player I liked) I’d have to say Gary Lineker.”

Despite his affiliation, Murray knows his side are in for a tough ride.

He does, however, believe their qualifying win over Partizan Belgrade will stand them in good stead at White Hart Lane.

“Winning out in Belgrade has given us more confidence away from home because of the teams we have played,” he said.

“We have set up to stop teams playing rather than going out to beat them so we have a better knowledge of the game when it comes to stopping teams and hitting them on the counter attack.

“It (the game against Tottenham) will be a great test. You don’t get these chances very often. Obviously we are a bit wary of it because they have international players but we are looking forward to it.”

With the underdog tag still very much attached to the Irish champions many expect Tottenham to win comfortably no matter what team Harry Redknapp names.

Murray, though, feels Shamrock can upset the odds.

“The objective is to do ourselves justice,” he said. “We can’t come out and say ‘draw or keep the score down’ which is probably what most people think. We want to play to the best of our ability and see where it takes us.

“I don’t see why not (we can’t get a result). All of us have to play 100% and Spurs probably have to have an off-day but it is possible.”