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That cup win at Ibrox was fantastic, but it still wasn’t my best moment at Accies...

Historic victory against Rangers still so memorable for Lambie but promotions remain his top achievemen­ts

- Andy Mcgilvray

John Lambie says Hamilton’s famous Scottish Cup win over Rangers at Ibrox 30 years ago was one of his best moments in football – but earning promotion twice beats it.

Lambie (75) says the triumph on January 31, 1987, was ‘unbelievab­le’ given the gulf in quality. But he recalls his side being extremely discipline­d as Adrian Sprott stunned the Glasgow giants.

The former Falkirk and St Johnstone defender was manager at Accies from 1984-88, winning the First Division title in 1985-86 and 1987-88 before leaving for Partick Thistle. And he had a second stint during season 1989-90, again leaving for Firhill.

Lambie says everybody was on such a high following the Ibrox win that they let infamous fan Ian ‘Fergie’ Russell on the team bus back to Hamilton, which was an unusually well-behaved occasion for the late superfan. He said: “I remember that Gerry Collins missed a sitter that day, from two yards with about two minutes to go, and that would have put us 2-0 up.

“That was a right good result, considerin­g the team they had out, guys like Terry Butcher, Graham Roberts and Chris Woods. We beat a very good team that day, one that was worth millions and was full of internatio­nalists – it was unbelievab­le that we won. “To get a result like that your goalkeeper needs to be right on his game and Dave Mckellar certainly was for us that day. “We were very discipline­d on the day, and Kevin Mckee had Terry Butcher in his

With such a distinguis­hed career in football, it’s perhaps unsurprisi­ng that Lambie doesn’t feel the win over Graeme Souness’s Rangers was his greatest achievemen­t at Hamilton.

He said: “I have a lot of memories in football, some ups and downs, but I’ve been quite lucky.

“Beating Rangers isn’t my favourite memory from my time at Hamilton though, I would say you have to look at it over the years.

“I refused the Hamilton Accies job three or four times but Jan Stepek called me up and asked me to help out and I ended up staying.

“When I went to Hamilton in 1984 it was a shambles and needed to be cleared out from top to bottom. Where we were, what happened and getting into the Premier League twice was an amazing achievemen­t. It’s what you do over the years that counts.

“I count clearing the place out and winning promotion twice as better achievemen­ts than beating Rangers.

“Jan Stepek was a superb chairman. I remember going to his house and asking him for £60,000 so I could sign a player. He asked me to stand up, like an idiot I did, and he kicked me in the a*** – but I got the £60,000 and signed Mark Fulton from Hibs.

“I sold John Brown, Graham Mitchell and Albert Craig, and brought in £400,000 to 500,000, which for a club like Hamilton at the time was phenomenal.

“There were good times. The old Accies was a nightmare but they gave me a start in life and I appreciate it.”

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 ??  ?? Celebratio­ns Adrian Sprott (above) is lifted by fans outside Ibrox, Lambie celebrates his goal in the dugout (right) and the former boss today (below)
Celebratio­ns Adrian Sprott (above) is lifted by fans outside Ibrox, Lambie celebrates his goal in the dugout (right) and the former boss today (below)
 ??  ?? Show-stopper Adrian Sprott slots the ball past Chris Woods to hush the Ibrox crowd in January 1987
Show-stopper Adrian Sprott slots the ball past Chris Woods to hush the Ibrox crowd in January 1987

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