Accies fans’ bus under attack
Three kids on board
Hamilton Accies chief executive Colin Mcgowan has promised “something special” to a group of fans whose bus window was smashed.
There were 16 passengers on board the Hamilton Football Supporters’ Welfare Organisation bus when it left Kilmarnock’s Rugby Park stadium on Saturday, including three children.
Mr Mcgowan said: “We’re going to do something special for those fans because it would have been quite harrowing, quite traumatic.
“I’m sure Kilmarnock, like ourselves, would be appalled at what happened.
“It’s very difficult sometimes. I think every club has unruly fans and it must be quite annoying for the good fans who pay their money.
“It seems that nobody has been hurt and we’ll certainly do something special. We’ll maybe bring them up for lunch or we’ll get the 16 fans a ticket for an away game or something.”
Kilmarnock FC offered a full apology to the supporters and offered free entry to them the next time Hamilton visit Rugby Park.
John Paterson, who runs the bus, said: “We were on the bus, parked adjacent to the turnstiles, and we saw three or four young fans hanging about. One of them said something to one of the guys getting on the bus.
“As the bus drew away we hard a bang and then they crossed the road and were waiting on us as we pulled on to the main drag.
“I was about to say to the driver to stop but before I could the window was smashed. Two of our fans ran off the bus and between them and the police they apprehended two people.
“There is laminate in the windows to stop the impact if they’re smashed so nobody was hurt. It was quite a shock though. There were two wee girls aged about 12 and nine and a boy of 14 on board.
“That’s the first time in a good few years that it has happened. I’ve been running the bus since about 1985/86 and can count on one hand how many times it has happened.
“To an extent it was out the blue but it backfired on them as a couple of guys on the bus are as fast as whippets.”
Supporter Derek Forrest, who was on the bus, said: “It all happened so fast.
“It was a bit scary for my daughter, who is 12, and another wee girl who is nine.”
Accies’ supporter liaison officer Sean Mchugh said: “I’m naturally disappointed to hear that such an incident has taken place, especially when kids are on the bus.
“I’m delighted that Kilmarnock have made an offer of free entry the next time we’re at Rugby Park and I will work with my Kilmarnock counterpart Allen Kyle and relevant authorities to ensure our fans enter and exit Rugby Park safely.”
A Kilmarnock spokesperson said: “We are an open, caring club and we were sorry to hear about this incident.
“As a gesture of goodwill to the fans affected and left shaken our chief executive Kirsten Robertson has offered the passengers free entry to our next meeting with Hamilton at Rugby Park.”
Police Scotland said: “A 15-year-old male youth has been reported to the early and effective intervention coordinator.”
It backfired on them as a couple of guys on the bus are as fast as whippets