‘We have fantastic kids at this football club’

Youth will be the future of Hamilton Accies, as far as Allan Maitland is concerned.

Reegan Mimnaugh and Lewis Smith were amongst those who broke into the first team last season, and a 2-0 preseason friendly win over Stirling Albion on Monday saw Ronan Hughes start, while Ross Cunningham, Andy Winter and Shaun Want climbed off the bench.

That’s exactly what Maitland wants to see, and a return to the conveyor belt of talent that has served the club so well in the past.

“We have so many good young players at this football club, we have to find a way to get them into the team or else we’re not doing our job right,”said Maitland.

“Hamilton Accies have a history of doing that, and we have fantastic kids at this football club – Jamie Hamilton, Reegan Mimnaugh, Andy Winter, Charlie Reilly, Lewis Smith, there are loads of them, and we have to try and get a pathway for them to play.

“Before, there were just too many players, who were experienced players and were blocking that, so we’ve tried to relieve that, we’ve changed the number of players at the club, we’ve reduced the size of the squad, and effectively that should open the games for them to come through and play – but it’s up to Brian Rice, and it’s up to the players.

“Brian will decide who plays and who doesn’t, and it’s up to the players to give him a headache and say‘i’m ready to play’; if they’re not ready, he won’t play them.

“I don’t set targets for Brian, I just want to continue to improve. I want the club to continue to improve. My job as the chairman is to guide the club, not just the football team, and give the supporters something to be proud of, so that’s what I’m trying to do.”