Leaving Rangers for Hamilton Accies won't have been a decision that Matthew Shiels will have taken lightly, but it's one he feels Is benefiting his career.
While the 21-year-old left-back has been plagued with injuries since joining in June, Shiels feels that just being involved in a first-team environment is enough of a difference to make him feel that it was the right move.
Shiels is nearing fitness and hopes to be involved against Inverness this afternoon as Hamilton travel to the Highlands.
"As soon as I joined Hamilton it was much better," he said. "Even when I was [on loan] at Clyde, I just preferred being involved in a first-team environment, it's more physical and stuff, and I felt that when I was at Rangers it was playing against younger boys - which it was.
"You're not playing against men each week, so you're not really challenging yourself. The players are good, but it was time to move on and join a first team."
Shiels hopes to help Accies to another shock win over Championship leaders Inverness, with Accies having defeated them at New Douglas Park back in October.
Reegan Mimnaugh was red-carded 30 minutes into the game, four minutes after Andy Ryan had put Accies 2-1 ahead, adding to Lewis Smith's strike, and they held on for a 2-1 win.
Shiels said: "They're obviously doing well and had a good result last week, beating Morton 6-1.
"We did well against them earlier on in the season, it's probably one of our better games because they were top at the time and we had the red card quite early on, so it was a very good result, considering how they had been doing."
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