ACCIES BALLS BOY
Loan stint in East of Scotland League toughened Marley up for Hamilton
HAMILTON’S talented teenager Marley Redfern was smashed in tackles in the East of Scotland League and loved it.
And he reckons his loan spell at Blackburn United in 2020 toughened him up for the demands of first-team football.
Redfern has made the breakthrough at Accies this season and has been a standout for Stuart Taylor’s side.
And he insists his loan spell was crucial to his development as it made his stronger.
Redfern said: “Did I get smashed by defenders? In every game I’d always get a few but it prepares you and makes you stronger.
“It definitely toughened me up and – looking at the tackles side of things – you learned when you were going to get smashed, so you could prepare yourself.
“So that was good and also physically I was getting stronger, playing every week and as the football was faster it improved me massively.
“But I loved my time at Blackburn and for any young player coming out of youth football it’s the right move.
“When I think back to where I was coming out of Under-18s football and going into that it was so big for me in developing me. Playing competitive football, you are playing for league titles or to stay up.
“There were also experienced players who have played at a high level and have dropped down but still have a good career behind them. So it was brilliant to learn from them.
“I was there for six months before I got recalled. It was a brilliant experience.”
Ahead of tonight’s trip to Accies, Partick Thistle defender Tunji Akinola reckons he is his own worst critic – despite picking up the club’s September Player of the Month award.
The 22-year-old ex-West Ham kid arrived north of the border in August after spending 14 years in the Hammers academy and signed a one-year deal at Firhill following a trial.
“It’s a proud moment for me. That was my first full month, so when an award like this is voted for by the fans, it is special to me as a player because it shows they appreciate what I’m doing, but I just want to keep doing well for the club,” said Akinola, speaking after he collected that McCrea Financial Services Player of the Month award.
“I’m never really satisfied, because I always want to do better. We should have won more games last month and I always want to get clean sheets.
“I am quite picky with my own performances, but it is nice to know the fans think I
am doing well.”