Greg ready to ignite Accies’ season after losing hothead habit

Greg Docherty used to get dragged off the pitch before he could be sent off as a stroppy schoolboy.

Now the 20-year-old is ready to cement himself as one of Martin Canning’s key men after stepping up to save Hamilton’s top-flight status.

The Accies kid got a taste of fame over the summer after his Premiership play-off strike and wants more.

And Docherty already knows what it’ll take to realise the potential he has shown after tantrums threatened to ruin his career before it began.

He said: “I had a bad temper as a wee boy – I used to let my emotions take over. Thankfully I’ve grown out of that. At high school I calmed down a bit and realised it wouldn’t benefit me long term. I learned the hard way early on.

“My mum and dad were good with advice. They’ve helped turn me into the player I am today. When things weren’t going my way on the pitch I’d lose my temper. Looking back I’m a bit embarrassed by it.

“But it was part of growing up. You go through different stages and I’ve come out better at the other side.

“I wouldn’t have made it here if I hadn’t curbed my temper. It was starting to affect my performances when I was younger.

“I wasn’t being sent off in games – I was being taken off by my coaches before I got a red card. It wasn’t even tackles, it was tantrums.

“It was immature stuff but I’ve not shown any of that recently. It’s out of my game entirely now.”

That’s part of the reason why the midfielder’s winner against Dundee United in May meant so much to him – it was payback for all the work Accies have put in to make him a first-team regular. He said: “It was the most important goal I’ve ever scored. It was massive and got a lot of coverage. A lot of the comments were very flattering from high-profile guys within the game.

“It could have gone very wrong but thankfully it didn’t. We were better than Dundee United over two games.

“I had random people on social media giving me a bit of stick then I had a few Dundee fans messaging me.

“When I went on holiday a few people came up to me and spoke about the goal – it was all in good spirits. And it was exciting. I’d never experienced that before. It gave me a taste of what might be if I were to kick on. That’s something you aspire to when you’re younger – to be in the media spotlight. It makes you want more.

“I wasn’t the easiest boy to coach when I was younger, I was a bit of a hothead. The staff at Hamilton gave me a lot so it was rewarding to repay them with the goal.

“When I drove home that day I was in the car myself. I could sit down and take in what had happened.

“I turned on the radio and it was an interview with me – it was bizarre. But I’m so happy it turned out the way it did.”

Canning’s men face a tough test in today’s Premiership opener against Aberdeen.

But after silencing Ibrox this time last season against Rangers, Docherty believes Accies can repeat the feat.

He said: “Hopefully they’ll be a bit mentally drained after the Europa League game but they’re a top-class side.

“They deserved to finish second in the league but we’ll dig in and hopefully get out with a positive result.”