Stirling steps up to plate for a starting role

BEN STIRLING can pinpoint the exact moment he knew he had to bring his seven-year tenure at Hibernian to a close.

It arrived during a match against Dundee United in August as he watched team-mate Paul McGinn go down with an injury. Stirling was sent out by manager Jack Ross to warm up along the side of the Tannadice track. A much-anticipated first-team debut seemed imminent.

McGinn, though, is made of hardy stuff and quickly recovered. Stirling returned to the dugout, another opportunity snatched away. A few weeks later, he was severing ties with the Easter Road club for good and opening up a new chapter as a Hamilton Accies player.

‘There are a lot of young boys who have had an opportunity at Hibs and when you’re training with them every day it gives you hope that you’re going to be the next one,’ revealed the 22 year-old (below).

‘I went straight from my boys club to join Hibs Under-15s and played all the way through the levels alongside guys like Ryan Porteous and Josh Doig. I still speak to the two boys regularly and they are doing brilliantly.

‘You trained with them and played alongside them, so I always felt I was just as good as them. I was confident that if I got my opportunity, I would take it but sadly I never got it.

‘There was a game at the start of the season against Dundee United when Paul McGinn went down injured. Jack Ross told me to warm up and I was thinking this was going to be my time to kick on. But Paul recovered quite quickly and ended up playing the full 90 minutes.

‘So that was a key moment. At that point, I realised I would probably have to look elsewhere and so I grabbed this opportunity with both hands.’

That decision has been vindicated so far with the utility man — who can play anywhere in defence or as a holding midfielder — playing four times for Brian Rice’s men.

Next up is a trip to Ibrox, where Accies will look to record back-to-back victories following their shock win there in March.

For Stirling, the possibility of trying to shackle Ryan Kent is a far cry from last season when he was sent out on loan spells at Alloa and Arbroath in the Championship.

‘You want to play against the top players and Kent definitely is one,’ he added. ‘I’m sure it will be a big contrast from playing for Arbroath a year ago.

‘I was probably getting ready to play someone at Gayfield, it would have been freezing cold and blowing a gale, but it’s what got me where I am now.

‘It’s been brilliant so far here. One of the main things was to come and get game time. I played the two cup games the first week I was here and then came twice off the bench. So it has been a positive start.’