I’M ARMBANNED TODAY, FROM FIGHTING
Accies skipper Dougie doesn’t get involved in any scraps now
DOUGIE IMRIE Ten years ago I’d have been in the middle of it. What’s the point?
HAMILTON skipper Dougie Imrie insists the days of him steaming into fights on the pitch are over.
The veteran winger has watched two of his team-mates pay a heavy price for getting involved in off-the-ball incidents in the last fortnight.
Accies parted company with Greek defender Georgios Sarris this week after he lost the plot at Firhill in the 1-0 defeat by Partick Thistle.
And Ioannis Skondras is still awaiting the outcome of an excessive misconduct charge after being cited for his part in a scrap against Ross County.
Imrie admits that in his younger days he would have been right in the thick of the action.
But the 34-year-old has matured now and realises he has to lead by example when wearing the armband.
Boss Marting Canning denied the club had a disciplinary problem earlier in the week and Imrie knows keeping a cool head will be vital in today’s crunch derby with Motherwell.
He said: “Discipline is important. Things are going to happen in games but it’s how you conduct yourself.
“We can’t have players getting involved in stuff needlessly. As you get older you don’t really get involved as much.
“Probably 10 years ago I’d have been right in the middle of it.
“What’s the point? You’re only going to miss games if you pick up needless bookings. You might be in there trying to be the peacemaker but the referee might see it from a different angle.
“From that point of view I don’t really get involved as much. I’m captain as well this year so you have to lead by example.
“Don’t get me wrong, if something happened you could find yourself involved in it. But this season I’ve not really got myself in those situations.
“We have a small squad so we can’t afford to have people getting suspended. The gaffer has stressed that.”
Canning’s men will make the short journey to Fir Park today to take on a Motherwell side who appear to be in freefall without talisman Louis Moult.
Imrie bagged the winner when Accies last won a derby back in 2015 and wants to see out this year on a high by moving to within a point of the Steelmen.
He said: “It is always nice to score the winner in a derby. They are good games to play in and it is a great match to finish with before the winter break.
“They are four points above us so we want to climb back up the table.
“We know it will be tough because they are a good team although they are going through a bit of a sticky patch.
“Motherwell got to a cup final earlier this season so we know it won’t be easy.
“They have been getting plaudits for how they started the season.
“Moult will be a big miss for them but one player doesn’t make a team.
“Losing a player of that calibre of player is a massive blow but they have others who can come in and do a job.
“Form doesn’t really matter going into a derby but we want the bragging rights going into the new year.
“There were two or three players who weren’t at it against Partick Thistle and inevitably we lost.
“So it’s going to take everybody being at their best against Motherwell to pick up the points.”