Hamilton hold out for a hero in the shape of starlet Smith
THERE were many hard miles for Brian Rice to stare straight ahead on the journey down the A9 when contemplating the first blunder of the season.
Hamilton lost 3-0 at Ross County on opening day and the manager’s inquest reached a conclusion that nagged him all the way home.
Rice said: ‘On the way down in the bus, I was sitting at the front there, mulling over the performance and I just said to myself: “That kid has to play”.’
The kid in question was midfielder Lewis Smith, a 71st-minute and all-too-late substitute in Dingwall — a ‘big mistake’, according to Rice.
The error was atoned for at the next available opportunity. Seven days later, Smith netted the opening goal in a 2-0 victory over Kilmarnock at New Douglas Park.
Smith, who turned 20 in March, went on to establish himself over a 28-appearance season as the brightest of the latest crop of exciting Accies youngsters.
This season presents an opportunity for Smith to make even greater strides, starting at Celtic Park — scene of one of many wonderful recollections of life as a young supporter.
Not as a Celtic fan, though, or as a visiting Rangers punter like so many young Lanarkshire lads drawn to the Old Firm by family ties or seduced by big club attractions.
Smith is Hamilton Accies through and through, so was in the away end six years ago when Alex Neil’s shock troops marched to the top of the table with a 1-0 Parkhead win on the first Sunday in October.
‘That’s one of my favourite memories,’ said a grinning Smith. ‘It was a brilliant day, I was there with my dad and brother. A great result. Hopefully we can do that again on Sunday.’
To be handed the No11 jersey ahead of a season-opening top-flight fixture at Celtic and be described by his boss as a major player for the first team is the stuff of dreams for three generations of Smiths.
For he follows grandad Bill and dad Graeme’s lead in being a lifelong Hamilton fan.
Mum Dani has been converted to the cause, although she didn’t have so much love for the game that is the family passion on the night of May 15, 2004.
Earlier that day, Smith Jnr went haring on to the pitch at Station Park, Forfar, to celebrate promotion to the old Division One. Eight weeks after his fourth birthday.
‘My mum was raging,’ revealed Smith (below). ‘She said to my dad: “I can’t believe you took him on the pitch”.
‘He got into bother for that! Thankfully, nothing bad happened, so it was a good thing to do.
‘Supporting the Old Firm was never on the agenda for me growing up. I’ve supported Hamilton since I could walk.
‘My grandad didn’t quite “force” us to go to Accies — because we were happy to — but there was no chance of us going to any other games. Everything fell into place.
‘I was a mascot at six. We’ve got loads of photos at home and that was even before I joined here as a player at 10.
‘All my life it has been Accies. This club means everything to me. To play for them now is brilliant.’
Smith grew up tracking the stellar Accies careers of midfielders James McArthur and James McCarthy, who were always destined for international and English Premier League fame and fortune.
Many shrewd judges, including Rice, believe Smith possesses the potential to follow suit.
‘He can be anything he wants to be,’ said the Hamilton manager. ‘We will give him the pathway, every opportunity. He’s got to grasp it.
‘He’s a fantastic kid. A bit too quiet perhaps, he needs to believe in himself a wee bit more.
‘But when he goes on the pitch he comes out of his shell. I love watching him.
‘I’d like to think he’d make this club a lot of money, that’s what the club is there for.
‘We’d love him here at Hamilton all the time but I’d love to see him go on and further his career, to see how far he can go.’ Smith’s breakthrough season saw him feature 28 times, score five goals and earn Scotland Under-21 recognition. But he recognises the need for improvement in a second full campaign in the top flight.
‘It’s about establishing myself as a main player in the team. I was in and out too much last season,’ he admitted.