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The National (Scotland)

Sport

Matthew Lindsay

We're going to self-destruct: Anger as Hamilton launch league campaign in Cumbernauld

Cumbernauld Celtic League 1 Football Charlie Telfer John Rankin Stephen Robinson St Mirren Broadwood (Facility) Montrose (Organization)

THE protest that was staged by Hamilton fans outside the front door of Broadwood Stadium before their opening William Hill League 1 match of the season against Montrose on Saturday was, as the Accies Supporters Association had promised it would be, peaceful in nature.

It was not, however, particularly pleasant. The ill-feeling which exists among a sizeable section of the “home” support as a consequence of the savage blows and ignominious setbacks they have suffered in recent months was obvious throughout. There was a visceral outpouring of anger in the August sun.

Being deducted 15 points with three Championship games to go by the SPFL back in April after an independent tribunal found four of the governing body’s rules had been breached sparked outrage in the New Douglas Park stands.

The punishment resulted in them dropping below Queen’s Park, Dunfermline and Airdrieonians in the league table and ultimately, just when it seemed relegation had been avoided, led to them dropping straight back to the third tier.

More bad news, though, was to follow a few weeks later. Hamilton revealed they would, after failing to reach an agreement to purchase their stadium from former owner Colin McGowan, be relocating to Cumbernauld and looking to build an entirely new ground.

As if all that was not enough, they were fined and hit with a season-long transfer embargo last month after it emerged they had failed to settle tax obligations to HMRC on three occasions.

The occupants of the bus of Hamilton fans which arrived at Broadwood around an hour before kick-off at the weekend were not exactly shy about letting their embattled hierarchy – not least their director of football Gerry Strain – know what they thought of their stewardship of a venerable institution which was formed in 1874.

A crowd of around 100 or so unfurled a banner which read “HAFC Belong In Hamilton – 150 Years Of History Shamefully Betrayed By Frauds” and marched from the car park. Chants which could not possibly be reprinted in a family newspaper were given lusty airings for the next half hour or so.

(Image: Rob Casey - SNS Group) A drum was beaten and instructions barked out on a megaphone. Red and white smoke bombs were set off by their ultras. A few of the gathering dressed up as the Grim Reaper. A skeleton had a strip hastily thrust onto it.

Not everyone who was in attendance took part. Some of those who turned up wearing red and white scarves looked on in bemusement from a safe distance. “There’s the happy clappers,” one of the rabble rousers growled at them through gritted teeth.

Colin Hamilton, the treasurer of the Accies Supporters Association, was heartened by the turnout. “It is very gratifying to see how many people are here,” he said. “We don't want to be in this position. But we've been taken out of Hamilton and it's like a dagger through the heart for us to be honest with you.

“I was around when we were away from Hamilton for seven years (Accies played at Cliftonhill and Firhill between 1994 and 2001 after selling Douglas Park). We lost a whole generation of fans. These are different circumstances obviously, but I think it will have the same effect. The longer we're away from Hamilton, the harder it will be for us to get back.

“We've been taken down this road because the stadium company fell out with the football club, and the football clubs fell out with the stadium company. The football club took this decision to move to Broadwood, without any meaningful consultation with the fans.

“We said to the fans that we wanted the protest to be peaceful, but football fans are always vociferous, they always have an opinion and some can be fickle. That's just the nature of the fan. But they're all with one voice just now. We all want to get back to Hamilton. Nobody disagrees with that.”

The level of animosity on display on Saturday strongly suggested that there is little if any chance of the Accies Supporters Association sitting down with the Hamilton high heid yins and sorting out their differences any time soon and moving forward together.

David Equi, who is the group’s chairman as well as a former sponsor, confirmed that dialogue between the two parties had ended months ago and stressed that he would like to see change at the top.

“It's just absolutely shocking the way they're treating this club,” he said. “There's loads of questions to be answered. The club is going nowhere. My fear is we will go into administration very, very soon. They're going to self-destruct. For me, Gerry and Seref [owner Zengin] need to go as does their mouthpiece Jock Brown [the Hamilton chairman].

“What can we do? We can make our voices heard, try to get stronger and stronger. We've just about got a bank account set up and we're going to be asking for donations on a regular basis. We're starting from a very low base, but we've got to do something.”

(Image: Newsquest) The protesters sang “back the team, sack the board” and they were true to their word once they had put down their pitchforks and filed through the turnstiles. They got behind the Hamilton players and were rewarded with an impressive display of attacking football and a comfortable 2-0 win. Oli Shaw broke the deadlock just before half-time and trialist Charlie Telfer added another in the second half.

Manager John Rankin, who signed three new players on amateur contracts last week and who gave Telfer a game as a favour to a footballer who he revealed is currently dealing with a “delicate” personal matter, expressed hope the fans will continue to cheer on his charges in numbers in the coming months.

“The reason they are protesting is way above my pay grade,” he said. “I am here to put a team on the pitch that can win games. That becomes that bit more difficult when you have got an embargo. I was aware of the situation outside because we walked past it.

“But what I will say is we need the supporters behind us and they were behind us today. They make a massive difference to the players when they back them. They need to come together with the players and the coaching staff and give us as much backing as they possibly can. Together, we will be stronger.

“It was our first league game away from New Douglas Park today and they still turned up. We just need to make sure that our drive is right and we keep putting in the effort we need to and producing good performances. If we do that, I guarantee they will follow us on the road in their numbers. We need that at home as well.

“Whatever has happened has happened, that is nothing to do with me. We are here concentrating on what goes on on the pitch. If we continue to try and be as competitive as we possibly can I am sure the fans will continue to back us.”

Stewart Petrie, the long-serving Montrose manager, stated after the final whistle that he believes Hamilton are still favourites to win League 1 this season despite the challenges they face and unhappiness that exists among their followers off the park.

Can Rankin and his men block out the external noise and clinch promotion? Can those upstairs steady the ship and quell the unrest? Both appear very tall orders.

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