Drop’s left me so Blue
Jamie Hamill insists Stranraer’s controversial relegation from League One hurts more than going down with Hearts.
Hamill, 33, was a key player for the Jambos in 2013-14 as they attempted to battle back from the 15- point deduction imposed after the club entered administration.
Gary Locke’s charges, decimated by cost-cutting and increasingly reliant on youth, couldn’t overcome the odds and crashed into the Championship.
It was painful for Hamill but at least Hearts had a chance to fight until the end of the season – which current club Stranraer have been denied.
Hamill said: “Hearts had a wee chance to survive and all the lads bust a gut to try to keep the club up.
“Whereas, at Stranraer we’ve just been lef t deflated, thinking: ‘What? So that’s it over?’ It’s more frustrating in that way.”
Stranraer’s fate was sealed last week when the vote to call the campaign for all leagues below the top flight finally passed.
Stevie Farrell’s men were eight points adrift of Forfar with nine matches to play but, crucially, had a game in hand and were still to host the Loons.
Hamill said: “It’s hard to take because we still had a quarter of the season to go.
“There were plenty of points up for grabs and we were confident we would survive. Stranraer always seem to galvanise and get some momentum at the right time but that chance was taken away.”
Stranraer’s final hope of salvation comes in the form of reconstruction but Hamill doesn’t expect a positive outcome.
He said: “It has been a farce and made Scottish football look terrible. We’re in uncharted waters now.”