Rice: Our kids are inspired by Templeton
BY ALAN MARSHALL
BRIAN RICE wants David Templeton to inspire Hamilton’s rising stars.
Templeton returned to the club in January from Burton Albion and penned a new two-year deal in April.
Rice remembers when the tricky winger, 31, was an up-andcoming youngster making his name at Stenhousemuir before joining Hearts in 2007.
And he knows Templeton will be a leader to the crop of exciting young players coming through.
He said: “David is one of the oldest players in the squad and it’s not too long ago I remember him being a kid playing football.
“He now has to lead by example and he does that with his performances. The other players look up to him.
“Mickel Miller came to me last season and said it was great having David back, watching him in training and how he goes about his business. It inspired Mickel.
“So I want David to inspire the younger ones and to lead by example. I know what I can and can’t get out of David and when he is on his game he is a gamechanger for us.
“He will be a very important for me, not just on the pitch but off it as well. He’s an important member of the squad, a senior member.”
Rice knows Templeton could have waited to see what offers came in and praised him for his desire to get a contract signed early after football was put on hold.
The Accies boss added: “It says a lot about David he wanted to get the deal done here. He could have waited and maybe had other offers but he was committed to us and we were committed to him.”