Accies boss plays the waiting game

Jul 26 2007 By Andy McGilvray

ACCIES boss Billy Reid this week insisted he’s pleased with his squad so far but hopes to bring new signings in as quickly as possible.

Frustrated Reid says that a number of signings are imminent but admits that he will need to be patient.

Hit-man Ryan Harper last week became Reid’s fifth summer signing, joining Bryn Halliwell, Neil Teggart, Stuart Taylor and Kevin Davison.

Harper (20), signed from Spanish side Fuengirola on Friday after impressing in Thursday’s 1-0 friendly defeat by Airdrie United.

Reid said: “Ryan is a big, raw, bustling centre-forward with pace and he will be a good addition to the squad.

“I know that Luton Town wanted to sign him and he did a pre-season there.

“I know that for a fact because I spoke to their assistant manager, Sam Ellis, about him.

“Real Betis apparently wanted to look at him and he played for Portsmouth the day before he played for us so we’re just happy to secure his services.”

With back-up goalkeeper Raymond Jellema signing for a year at Second Division Alloa, Reid is also on the lookout for a replacement.

A 22-year-old Czech trialist ’keeper played in Tuesday’s 3-2 closed doors defeat by Halifax Town and Reid hopes to make a decision on him by the weekend.

Reid said: “We’ve got one or two things we’re looking at. We’re tinkering with a few things and we feel that there are one or two areas that we need to add to but there’s nothing concrete.

“It’s frustrating that we haven’t yet got the players in that I’m hoping to bring in but we have a decent squad here.

“If you take Tuesday’s team and add Mark McLaughlin and Chris Swailes to the backline, Alex Neil to the middle, and Richard Offiong and Mark Gilhaney up front, we have a strong team.”

Despite the defeat, Reid felt that Tuesday’s clash with Halifax was a useful exercise. A strong Hamilton side, featuring players like David Elebert, Tony Stevenson, Tom Parratt and Kevin Davison, took an early 2-0 lead thanks to Neil Teggart and Paul McLeod.

Halifax trialist David Winters pulled one back before the interval and two second-half goals gave the visitors the win.

Reid said: “In the first half, I thought we played some great stuff. For 30 minutes, I thought we did really well and played some passing football. In the second half, some of our young lads looked inexperienced, and we didn’t do ourselves justice.”

Hamilton also beat Alloa 4-1 in a bounce game at Dalziel Park on Saturday, with Paul McLeod notching a double, adding to strikes by Tom Parratt and Mark Gilhaney.

Hamilton complete their public pre-season fixtures with a match at Falkirk on Tuesday, which kicks off at 7.30pm.

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