Hamilton’s Academy director George Cairns insists Accies won’t stand in the way of their best young players and has backed defender Jamie Hamilton to make it in England’s top flight.
Highly-regarded prospect Hamilton spent time on trial with English Premiership side Brighton last season and the 19 year-old has continued to impress in this campaign.
Accies chief Cairns wants academy graduates to enjoy successful careers in football and he realises that big money moves benefit the player and club.
He said: “It’s important that we give players a platform but also, if they’re good enough then we have to let them go so they can prove that.
“Some people might say Hamilton is just a stepping stone but it doesn’t matter.
“If Jamie is good enough to go to the English Premiership, which I think he is, then it would be ridiculous to stand in his way.
“You can never block a younger player’s pathway because you’ve got to support them as much as possible. You want your players to move onto bigger and better things so they can play at the highest level.”
Scotland youth international Hamilton possesses all the attributes required to develop into a top centre-back in modern football.
He’s strong aerially, composed in possession, relatively quick and Cairns thinks he’s benefited from his exposure to first-team football at a young age.
“He’s a very talented, young player and I laugh sometimes because I watch Liverpool or Manchester City play in the under-23’s in England and I compare those players to Jamie.
““He’s played 35 games in the Premiership at centre-back against the likes of Rangers and Celtic and he’s just turned 19 years-old.
“What a player he is and I’m actually surprised that he’s not been snapped up by a bigger English club before now,” Cairns added
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