Docherty is keeping a lid on his anger at Hamilton

AS Greg Docherty drove home from Hamilton after scoring the goal against Dundee United which saved his club’s top-flight status, he turned on the radio to hear his post-match interview. He was heading off on holiday as the centre of Scottish football attention, an Accies hero, a Premiership player for another season. At peace with the world.

At such moments and, now, on the eve of Hamilton’s fourth successive campaign in the top division, it is difficult to imagine Docherty’s career prospects ever being in peril because he wanted to fight the world.

Yet that’s a battle the Scotland Under-21 midfielder struggled for many years. A temper on the football pitch would occasionally see Docherty substituted before he was sent off.

His bid to emulate Accies stars James McArthur and James McCarthy and graduate through the Hamilton system was in danger of being held back by rage rather than a lack of talent.

‘When I was a nine-year-old boy coming in here, the club told my parents to look at McCarthy and McArthur as examples,’ explained Docherty. ‘At that point, there were 10 young kids signing for Hamilton. But they told us, realistically, only one of us would make it. I was the only one to make the first team.

‘I wouldn’t have been that one player to make it if I hadn’t curbed my bad temper. It was immature stuff. But it was part of growing up.

‘My parents had to sit me down and warn me to control it. They were good with advice. They’ve helped turn me into the player I am today.’

For Docherty, previously teased as ‘The Stand-finder’ by team-mates for the quality of his finishing, a second goal in 37 appearances last season was payback for the investment made in his talent by the club.

‘I was so happy that I could give the staff at Hamilton something back,’ he said. ‘They gave me a lot, so it was rewarding to repay them.’