Reid hits out

May 31 2007

BILLY Reid this week slammed speculation linking Hamilton with summer swoops for former Partick Thistle stars Kenny Arthur, Billy Gibson and Derek Young, and current Firhill midfielder Jimmy Gibson.

Weekend reports claimed that Reid had offered contracts to Arthur and the two Gibsons, while Young was linked to the New Douglas Park in midweek.

But it’s all news to Reid, who said: “I saw the reports myself and I’m bemused by it all, but it’s just speculation.

“Derek Young trained with us last pre-season, so it’s easy to see where that rumour has come from, but there is nothing to report.

“Neil Teggart, who has been in training with us, has passed a medical, and once the chairman, Ronnie MacDonald, comes back from holiday we’ll sit down with him – but nothing will happen before that.”

Meanwhile, Reid this week insisted that replacing assistant manager Graeme Jones will be one of his hardest tasks this summer.

Reid doesn’t think his former striker has been given enough credit for the job he briefly did at New Douglas Park, and isn’t surprised that a club like Swansea City swooped to lure him away.

Reid said: “It shows the calibre of coach that Graeme is that he has gone to Swansea as assistant to Roberto Martinez.

“I was delighted when I got Jonesy in as assistant manager here, and I was really disappointed when he left.

“I have one or two wee options at the moment in terms of a replacement, but nothing is set in stone as yet.

“I’m not in a hurry because whoever comes in has got to be right for this club, and it must be another step in our development.

“Filling Graeme Jones’s boots, with the calibre of person that he is, isn’t going to be easy.

“I don’t think the fans realised just how qualified Graeme was, but the fact that he has become number two at Swansea shows the type of person we want to bring to this club.

“I don’t think people realise just how much of a blow it was to lose Graeme as assistant manager last season, but I don’t think a lot of people rated him highly enough as a player either.

“Graeme did very well for us in both capacities and had a big influence around the players.

“That’s the type of player that I want to bring to the club – people who will have an influence on our young guys.”

lA proposed pre-season friendly against Airdrie United on Thursday, July 19, has now been scrapped.