Martin refuses to focus on the negatives
HAMILTON ACCIES V ST MIRREN
HAMILTON defender Aaron Martin is staying “super positive” in their survival battle as he chases the “massively rewarding” feeling of staying up that he has experienced twice before.
The centre-back was part of a Birmingham squad that only just secured their Championship survival in 2013 and played in a Coventry victory over Crawley on the final day of the 2014-2015 season which rescued the Sky Blues’ League One status.
Martin now finds himself in a similar battle, with Accies a point off the bottom of the Scottish Premiership and looking to get out of the danger zone ahead of today’s visit of St Mirren.
“I have been in this position twice before, once at Birmingham and we stayed up, and there was one time at Coventry and we stayed up as well,” the 31-year-old said. “They both came down to the last game of the season. The feeling afterwards, knowing you have given absolutely everything and you have got the result that you needed and stayed in the league, is massively rewarding.
“I’m hoping we can get ourselves in the position that we may not need to go down to the last day. That’s what we are pushing for.
“I have been involved in that and been involved in the other side of it, going up automatic as well, so hopefully my experience can help the other boys as we have a super young team.”
Accies head coach Brian Rice expects to have Scott McMann back after the wing-back missed last weekend’s 2-1 defeat at Livingston through injury. Rice has “one or two concerns”, but added: “Scott has been consistent all season, I think it has been his best season for us.”