Scotland should be doing more to honour the Murray tennis legacy

A shaft  of sunlight penetrates the glowering cloud, striking a golden form and immediately bringing brightness to the present and invoking fond memories of the past.

It is the summer of 2026 in Dunblane. The golden object is a postbox, thus painted after Sir Andy Murray’s victory in the men’s singles tennis championship at the London Olympics in 2012.

It is now a favourite photo-stop for tourists and for local children who find it the most expedient way to contact Santa at the appropriate time of year.

Dunblane remembers its local hero in heart, soul, mural and museum display. It is, however, to be reminded that Murray is not formally honoured in his homeland beyond his home town.

Dunblane has many aspects of the village, the size of a small town and the right to proclaim itself a city by dint of having a cathedral. It has gladly taken on the burden of remembering Andy and Jamie, who were both world No1 in their respective disciplines of singles and doubles in tennis.

Entering the town, a sign proclaims it as the home of the brothers. The golden postal box is a reminder of past glories, Dunblane Museum has a display of the Murrays’ memorabilia with accompanying photographs and there is a mural on the side of Dunblane Sports Club that proclaims the greatness of Sir Andy Warrior.

Jamie and Andy Murray celebrate their Great Britain Davis Cup success of 2015

The postbox is the work of the Royal Mail, the museum display is curated by volunteers and was donated by the Murray family, and the mural was provided by an American television company. There is no formal celebration of the deeds of the brothers anywhere else in Scotland.

The debate about the Murray legacy has centred around opportunities to play tennis in Scotland and the subsequent dearth of a new generation of elite talent. This is all worthy of debate, even controversy. However, it is surely baffling that the country’s greatest sportsperson has no statue, no huge arena named after him and no place in the country’s leading museums.

There were plans for a Murray museum in the project at Park of Keir, near Dunblane. The plans for a housing and sports development, however, were scrapped in 2024.

It means the only collection of Murray items resides in Dunblane Museum. It is just beyond the postbox and sits opposite the wonderful cathedral. Welcoming staff point interested visitors to a display at the back of the ground floor. The light from a nearby window illuminates a display case of shirts, sweat bands and curiosities from two remarkable careers.

‘We are a popular museum, particularly in the summer with foreign tourists,’ one volunteer said. ‘They visit the cathedral and come over here and many comment on the Murray display.’

A closer inspection of the case reveals that many of the items date from 2016. It was a very good year, the best in the Murray vintage.

Double Olympic champion Andy Murray poses next to his gold postbox in Dunblane

It is the summer of 2016. Andy Murray is cruising to his second Wimbledon title. His second Wimbledon title. It is almost absurd. But it is merely an affirmation of his form in his annus mirabilis, as we say in the salons of Possil.

By the end of the year, Murray can take a breath and look back on a campaign that runs as follows: Australian Open finalist, French Open finalist, Wimbledon winner. He lost in the quarter-finals of the US Open but was certainly diminished by his efforts in winning a second Olympic gold in the men’s singles at Rio. His second Olympic gold, so he has more golds than he has postboxes. He also won the ATP World Tour championships, sealing his place as world No.1.

In the era of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, the lad from Dunblane had scaled the summit. He became the first man to win a grand slam, the tour finals, Olympic singles gold, a Masters 1000 title and the world No.1 ranking in the same season. He won nine titles in his campaign. He won championships on clay, grass and hard court.

His brother was doing all right, too. Jamie also became world No.1 that year and won the Australian Open and US Open in the men’s doubles. This was all a year after the brothers had won the Davis Cup for Dunblane. The Murrays won every point for Team GB in that campaign, save a solitary singles victory from Jamie Ward.

Such was their form in 2016 it is only a slight surprise that they did not lift the WWE tag team intercontinental title.

It was the best of times. The worst of times was to follow for Andy as injury was to dog him and surgery became an unreliable remedy. He went on to win titles, he went on to create spectacular moments, particularly at the Paris Olympics and in the 2023 Australian Open when he defeated Thanis Kokkinakis in five sets after being two sets down. This match lasted five hours and 45 minutes. People have been given long service awards for services of shorter duration.

Jamie and Andy Murray combined to play doubles at Wimbledon in 2024

But it is 2016 that shines on as the 10th anniversary of that Wimbledon title approaches. It was not just a day in the sun for the brothers. But a veritable season of persistent brightness.

It is the summer of 2026 and I walk from the museum, up a hill, across the road and come to Dunblane Sports Club. The mural of a combative Murray soaks up a watery sun. The courts resound to the thwack of tennis balls. Members waiting for their court to come free welcome me into the club.

The most obvious point of interest is the boards denoting past champions. Shirley and Roy Erskine, the recently departed grandmother and grandfather of the Murray boys, feature prominently on the champions’ list. 

Their daughter, Judy, is on the squash roll of honour under her maiden and married name. ‘I’m sure her brother, Niall, is on the squash list of champions too,’ says the member peering at the board.

But what of the famous brothers? Both have acknowledged their debt to the club and maintained their links to the place where they learned how to play the game that brought them fame and fortune and an immense sense of satisfaction.

‘There is a quaich somewhere of one of the boys winning a mixed doubles tournament with their mum,’ said the member. ‘I think it was when they were quite young.’ 

It would have been a formidable pairing whatever its make-up. Both brothers were outstanding juniors and Judy, of course, was a former national champion.

Watching on, almost certainly, was Roy Erskine. The family congregated around the club when the boys were young. It remains a vibrant hub for the community.

The mural celebrating Andy Murray outside his old tennis club in Dunblane

The lads’ journey to the top was accompanied by a veritable forest of newsprint. Much of it was collected by Roy Erskine. It runs to 55 volumes. Thankfully this cache has been preserved but somewhat sadly it has left Scotland and is now housed in the Wimbledon archives. 

The collection, donated by the family, will be on show during this year’s championships.

It would be wonderful to believe a home could be found for a Murray museum or, at least, in a section of the fine museums that exist throughout Scotland. Sport is undervalued as a culture in this nation and the myopia towards Murray is a glaring symptom of this truth.

But there is good news regarding a Murray statue. One has been commissioned and is scheduled to be unveiled next year. In the grounds of Wimbledon.

It is a fitting tribute but surely it is not parochial to ask why the Murray story is not strongly proclaimed north of the border. Dunblane has sustained the flame but the rest of the country needs to carry the touch.