Hamer signs and Smith looks set as JFH’S squad building goes on
BURTON Albion have completed the signing of defender Tom Hamer from Oldham Athletic – and were also set to sign Bristol City winger Jonny Smith as the Mail went to press.
Twwnty-one-year-old Hamer, who can play at right-back or centrehalf, played under assistant manager Dino Maamria when he managed Oldham last season.
Hamer has joined the Brewers on a two-and-half-year deal for an undisclosed fee – quite a significant statement of intent from manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and chairman Ben Robinson, although the club specified that the undisclosed fee was “small.”
“He’s a right-back only 21 years old and is a big prospect,” said Hasselbaink. “He’s already played over 80 games in the League, some in League Two and some in League One.
“He has big potential and is a good one for the future but he can come in and affect our squad straight away.”
Hamer is keen to make the step up and test himself, having had a taste of third-tier football in his first halfseason at first-team level with Oldham.
“I’m buzzing to finally get it over the line and I can’t wait to get going,” he told the club website.
“I spoke to the manager. Obviously, we know the position we’re in and I’ve come here to try and help get us out of that. I can play rightback, centre-half or wing-back, I’m quite a versatile defender. I’m quick, good in the air, can put a tackle in that’s me.”
Maamria obviously rates Hamer. In October, 2019, he said: “Players like Tom Hamer inspire me to come in every day and make sure that I raise the standard of every corner of the football club.”
Hamer arrives having been with Oldham for all of his career. He
joined their academy in 2015 and made his first-team debut in January 2018, in an EFL Trophy game against Leicester City Under-23s.
He made his League One debut for the club in April of that year, before he had signed his first full professional contract – but a twoyear deal quickly followed.
He has played mostly as a rightback but, at 6ft 2in, is also comfortable as a centre-half and that may be where the Brewers initially use him. Hamer also has a reputation as a long throw specialist - an attacking weapon the Brewers have rarely had in their armoury.
He made 105 appearances for Oldham, scoring six goals, and was made captain for his 100th appearance.
But he had fallen down the pecking order a little under new manager Harry Kewell, with both Dylan Fage and Nicky Adams being preferred at right-back.
Smith emerged as the latest name to be linked with Burton yesterday and things moved quickly after that.
The 23-year-old Bristol City winger was also set to sign a permanent deal and, again, it is as the result of a Maamria connection.
The fourth of five loans Smith has undertaken was with Oldham. He was already there when Maamria arrived and spoke highly of the Tunisian coach’s “infectious enthusiasm.”
This season, he was on a seasonlong loan with Swindon Town but that was cut short yesterday.
Smith scored in Swindon’s 4-2 win over Burton in September.
One player heavily linked with Burton who will not be joining is leftback Dion Donohue.
The free agent, who began the season with Swindon, has signed a deal until the end of the season with Barrow in League Two.
Hasselbaink is understood to have included Donohue on what is probably a long list of possibles and was prepared to overlook a series of offfield problems which had seen him in court on two occasions, pleading guilty to assault in 2012 in Caernarfon and to assault, affray and grievous bodily harm at Nottingham a year ago.
His second spell with Swindon was described as his “last chance in football” by then manager Richie Wellens but he is talented and clubs continue to give him a chance.
Even before Donohue’s deal with Barrow was announced, Burton were being linked with another leftback, Preston North End’s Josh Earl.
In loan spells last season, the 22-year-old played against Albion for both Bolton Wanderers and Ipswich Town within the space of six weeks.
He has played 43 games for Preston, including seven this season and it is being speculated that a loan move to the end of the season is in the offing.
Hasselbaink’s activity has certainly attracted speculation and, as of last night, another player who was looking likely to arrive on loan was Terry Taylor, the Wales Under-21 international from Wolves, who had a loan with Grimsby Town earlier in the season.
■ Burton have rearranged their away game against Blackpool, which was due to be played today but was called off in midweek as a result of Covid-19 problems in the Brewers’ squad.
The game will now be played on Tuesday, February 9 (7pm).