STARMAKERS
FAME ACADEMY EX-BOSS HAILS BABES Reid: Euro heroes Accies in league of their own at rearing quality kids
BILLY REID doesn’t need to see progress in Europe as proof of Hamilton’s five-star youth academy.
He’s watched it proved time and again in the production line of boys who became men thanks to Accies’ willingness to give them a chance to shine.
The Lanarkshire club are rightly basking in the success of their Under-19s side beating Basel in the UEFA Youth league in midweek. But Reid insists their biggest source of pride will come from watching these kids graduate to the first team. Just as James McCarthy, James McArthur and Brian Easton did under his management at Hamilton before moving to the English top flight.
And just as Stephen Hendrie thrived under his successor Alex Neil to earn his golden ticket to West Ham. Now No.2 BY EUAN McLEAN at Swansea, Reid said: “It’s brilliant to hear of any Scottish club doing well in Europe at any level. We need boosts like that.
“But the most important thing for Accies is plenty of these young players progress to the first team – that is always the main goal for them.
“The club has always brought through players. There has been a fair bit of finance invested in the youth system.
“This UEFA Youth League result suggests they continue to do that and hopefully it keeps paying off by producing players for the first team. A European run can only be good for these kids’ experience too.”
A second clash with Danish side Midtjylland will add even more valuable experience.
But the good work being led by youth academy chief George Cairns has been 15 years in the making since owner Ronnie MacDonald took over in 2003.
Reid said: “Ronnie and (previous boss) Allan Maitland put the blocks in place so in 2005 when I arrived they already had the system up and running.
“We soon went full-time and used some of these young players to help us win the Championship. In all 34 young players made their first-team debut during my eight years at Hamilton. I take pride in that.
“Three got big moves to England and history shows the current crop can do the same.”