Hamilton Accies chairman Allan Maitland has taken aim at fans after alleging they shouted "vile abuse" at John Rankin and the directors during their play-off win against Alloa Athletic.
Maitland said supporters who were responsible for the "hate crime" would be banned from New Douglas Park as he urged them to not come as they "aren't welcome". A group of fans turned their anger on the board and manager Rankin during the match at the weekend. Accies went into the second leg 1-0 down and an early Conor Sammon goal put Alloa 2-0 to the good. George Stanger was shown a red card for the visitor and then Sammon doubled the lead. The Accies fans had had enough and aimed their anger at the director's box and the dugout, while some also stormed the area where Maitland was sat.
Hamilton eventually turned the game around and won the game 5-2 to set up a final against Airdrie, thanks to double from Dario Zanatta and a hat-trick from Andy Winter.
In a lengthy statement on the club's website Maitland did not hold back in his anger over the scenes at the weekend.
He wrote: "In my role as the chairman of the club, I feel the highs and lows of all Accies supporters and fully understand the frustrations of the last few seasons when we haven’t reached the standards expected from our club. I also understand the need on occasions to vent that frustration – however there is a line where the expression of that frustration becomes intolerable and totally unacceptable, and we reached that on Saturday afternoon.
"Several supporters shouted vile abusive comments to our management team and directors that were disgusting and unacceptable in any environment at any time, never mind a football match where families and young kids are present.
"We are working to identify those responsible for this hate crime and these so-called supporters will receive the banning order they deserve from all football matches. I have consistently tried to engage with unhappy supporters, even in difficult times, to listen to their concerns and provide a balanced and fair view whenever possible but there is now a section of fans who are no longer worthy of any exchange of views.
"We all feel the passion of being a supporter and have experienced days when you understandably express your frustrations or disappointment towards players, management, and directors when things are going horribly wrong but there must be a control mechanism in place to stop that from crossing the line of acceptability.
"If you personally are unable to control that emotion or feel the need to be overtly abusive, then please don’t come to the games – you’re not welcome.
"In what has been a really difficult season, the players deserve enormous credit for their efforts on Saturday to turn a seemingly impossible position round when there were chaotic scenes in the stand, and I ask that you give them your full support over the next two matches. Airdrie have been in superb form and after their emphatic victory over Falkirk will rightly come into the play off as
favourites.
"We are a club renowned for succeeding in times of adversity and If we hope to succeed and retain our position in the Championship, we need everyone pulling in the same direction. I ask that all supporters give the players their full backing – as Saturday showed, anything can happen in a game of football."
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