Former Hearts star and boyhood Jambo Ross Callachan watched his old club go through the relegation ringer as he joined the side some reckon benefited most from their demotion.
But the new Hamilton midfielder insists there’s no time for sympathy as he looks to kick-start his career in South Lanarkshire.
Callachan admits Hearts have given him his best moments in football as a player and a supporter. So watching them suffer the drop despite having eight games left to play as the coronavirus crisis set in wasn’t easy.
However the 26-year-old, who left St Johnstone last month to hook up at Accies, is focused only on his new side and can’t wait to get going at Celtic Park next weekend after recovering from a broken leg suffered in February.
“Hearts must be disappointed with the way it’s panned out,” he said.
“But for me I am just focused on getting back to playing football again and I’m absolutely delighted I have the chance to do it at Hamilton.
“I know the way the league finished has worked out well for Accies but sometimes that’s just the way the cookie crumbles.
“Hamilton were four points ahead and Hearts were bottom of league for most of the season, they are not the only team that’s been affected in a bad way by the coronavirus situation.
“I grew up supporting Hearts and to get the move there from Raith at a young age was a dream.
“For my family it was such a proud moment to see me in that maroon jersey and the Celtic 4-0 game is still the career highlight for me.
“You don’t expect to beat Celtic 4-0 at the best of times but that was their Invincibles squad. They’d gone 69 domestic games without losing which is absolutely incredible.
“Some folk say I must have felt 10ft tall coming off the pitch. I would have except I was knackered!
“They are great memories. But I want to make new ones at Hamilton now.
“I was delighted when Brian Rice got in touch.
“He told me to come in, enjoy it, play with enthusiasm and get in the box to score goals. It’s exactly what suits me and hopefully I can kick on.
“Last season wasn’t the greatest as I struggled to get games at St Johnstone and went on loan to Dundee only to break my leg against Partick Thistle.
“It was a weird one, not a bad challenge or anything, their player just kind of bumped into me but as he fell he landed on my leg.
“I heard a pop and knew straight away there was a break. Thankfully I never actually missed much football with the way it’s panned out.
“I was basically quarantined before quarantine.
“I’ve been through rehab and come back strong and have felt good in the games so far.”
Accies unveiled their new 2020-21 kit last night. And Callachan hopes it will help them shine when they kick-off the season away to champions Celtic.
For some it’s the worst possible start. But for Callachan it’s a chance to set down an early marker.
He said: “You have to go there at some point so why not in the first game? They deservedly won the league so many years in a row.
“But we will go there believing we can get something from the game.
“It’s going to be strange having no fans in the stadium. Even watching the Premier League games on TV is weird.
“It’s going to have the feel of a reserve game. You’ll hear every shout.
“There’s usually 60,000 in the stadium there so hopefully it will work in our advantage.
“You have to take any advantage you can get against Celtic.”
