PATIENCE IS THE NAME OF GAME - REID TELLS FANS

Dec 7 2006 By Andy McGilvray

BILLY Reid this week said he’ll do everything he can to keep Hamilton in the top half of the First Division, despite his side facing major injury problems.

The manager warned sections of Accies’ support that they will need to show a lot more patience with his young side after hearing jeers on Saturday that the team selection cost Accies a win against Livingston.

That angered the Hamilton boss, after having to give late fitness checks to five of his top-team stars – Richard Offiong, Paul McLeod, James McArthur and Marvyn Wilson were all involved, while Mark Gilhaney missed out.

Reid pointed out that despite having one of the smallest squads and budgets in the First Division, and an injury-list that is nearing double figures, Accies are still third in the First Division table.

And he asked fans to be a bit more realistic with their expectations as he prepares his young squad for Saturday’s visit to Queen of the South’s Palmerston Park, where they face a side fighting for their First Division future.

Reid: “This club is building for the future, but this is one of the hardest divisions in British football to get out of, and there are teams with bigger budgets than ourselves sitting below us.

“We’ve got an extremely young team, and our youth programme is the envy of every other club in Scotland – I know we would probably have more points if our senior players were available, but they’re not, and I don’t know what the fans’ expectations are for the club and myself.

“In recent weeks I have praised our fans, but on Saturday I thought a few of their comments were incredible.

“Some of them were wondering why Richard Offiong was on the bench and I have to say that we took a major risk even putting him there.

“We made a management decision, went against medical opinion a bit, and played him for the last 25 minutes, when he shouldn’t have been on the park, but we got away with it.

“Richard Offiong is the top goalscorer at our club, and if he is fit, he will be in the team – it certainly wasn’t a case of me sitting there and not wanting to bring him on.

“While I am on this subject, I also want to explain what we have been through in the last few weeks, in terms of injuries, because people don’t seem able to understand that we’ve had eight or nine players out for some time.

“The young players who have come in for this club have done exceptionally well, I think what they have done has been fantastic, because they’re learning as they’re playing.

“When you see our budget compared to other clubs at the top end of the table, there has got to be a bit of realism from our support, towards what we are trying to do here.

“These are testing times, but the injury situation since I’ve come to the club is the worst I’ve ever seen in football.

“We need to get on with it and get through this as best we can, but we need the supporters’ help in that one.”

Following back-to-back home draws, Reid knows a win in Dumfries is vital to Accies’ title challenge.

He said: “We need to look for three points from Saturday’s game, but we’re going to Dumfries against a side that are fighting for their lives. It’s a game we’re looking forward to and want to win, so we will try and put our strongest possible team on the park.”

Reid was disappointed to only draw 1-1 with Livingston at New Douglas Park on Saturday, but said: “I think maybe a point was a fair result. In the second half they had more possession, but we had the better chances.

“I thought we should have had a stonewall penalty when midfielder Alex Neil was pulled back in the box, but we don’t seem to be getting a break just now, as far as referees are concerned.

“In the first half, we passed the ball well, got away with conceding a penalty when Davie McEwan made a great save – which justified the decision to start with him – and I thought we deserved our lead through big Brian Wake who put in a fantastic shift.

“At half-time I told my players to come out of the traps, they didn’t do that for the first 15 minutes, and we lost a terrible goal again.

“But I have no real complaints, because we had chances to win the game.”

Accies go into Saturday’s game sweating once again on the fitness of all five players listed above and the manager will make a late decision before naming his team.

Meanwhile, Spaniard Javier Payo is back in Spain after being released by Accies.

Payo had been on loan to Second Division Alloa before being freed.