Born in Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, and a product of the Scottish Highland Football League, Murray made his debut at his local Highland League club Fraserburgh aged just 16, where he played for the first-team for four years while working full-time in a local fish processing factory. Impressive on-field performances lead to interest from Aberdeen, Rangers and Liverpool. After scoring in a trial game for Liverpool's reserves, Graeme Souness was shortly sacked as first-team manager and therefore any chance of signing a deal faded.
