Accies gaffer Billy Reid is concerned over January fixtures

Jan 7 2010 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

HAMILTON boss Billy Reid this week voiced concerns after seeing his side lined up for SEVEN games this month.

Accies have played just one of their last four fixtures due to harsh winter weather, and two of the three rearranged games have been given midweek slots this month.

A new date is still to be set for last Saturday’s derby against Motherwell at Fir Park.

Six of those seven fixtures are at New Douglas Park, starting with Sunday’s Active Nation Scottish Cup fourth round clash against holders Rangers.

That is followed by the visit of Dundee United on Wednesday, before Rangers return the following Sunday on league duty.

The SPL have confirmed that the rearranged match against St Mirren will take place on Tuesday, January 19, and Accies are due to visit Hibs at Easter Road four days later.

Kilmarnock then come calling the following Tuesday, before Celtic round off the month with a January 30 visit.

Should Sunday’s clash with Rangers be postponed, that will cause a major fixtures headache.

In that scenario the cup game would be played on Tuesday, meaning the Dundee United fixture would be pushed back again.

Reid said: “I’m a wee bit concerned about the amount of games. We’re going to pick up injuries, some of our younger lads are going to have to come in, and that might be difficult.

“However, that’s just the way things have been thrown up but it’s been really frustrating.

“In recent weeks we’ve lost three of our last four games to the weather so the momentum we had built up and the consistency we had shown has taken a bit of a dent.

“The park is also going to take a beating but there’s nothing I can do about that as my job is preparing the players and trying to get us match-fit without picking up too many injuries when we go indoors for training.

“We’re trying our best but you’re never sure if you’re doing enough and we’re not getting onto grass for training at all just now.

“All we hope is that we get a run and don’t get too many injuries. We haven’t got a huge squad but my belief is that if we can get our main players on the park we can give anybody a game.”

Reid will hope to take that confidence into Sunday’s Scottish Cup clash against holders Rangers.

Walter Smith’s men come to New Douglas Park having scored 11 goals in their last three games.

The Accies boss said: “Rangers will have had us watched and will know we’re playing well.

“They’ve scored a lot of goals recently and the big key is keeping their front two, Kenny Miller and Kris Boyd, quiet.

“Our ambition is to take something from the Old Firm and I think we’re getting a wee bit closer. We know it’s going to be difficult but we’re the home side, and it’s a great occasion for the club.

“As long as our players perform to their ability, and I think we’ve achieved that in recent weeks, then there’s no reason why we can’t get a result.”

To aid Hamilton’s chances Reid swooped last week to secure striker Mickael Antoine-Curier on an extended loan from Dundee until the end of the season.

Former Motherwell and Hull City winger Stuart Elliott was also brought in until the end of this season, after being released from Doncaster.

Reid is delighted with both signings, and hinted that he’s not finished yet.

He said: “We worked really hard on keeping Mickael at the club and I thank the club for backing us.

“We’ve also brought in Stuart Elliott, who will score goals for this club.

“I had known for a while that things weren’t working out for Stuart at Doncaster. He hadn’t played much in the last 18 months and it was down to him not fitting in to the style of football they play.

“He scored goals at Motherwell, he got plenty at Hull, and hopefully we can kick-start his career again.

“Stuart needs a few games but he is in good condition and will make us stronger.”

He added: “I’m happy with the squad I’ve got but I would probably like to add one or two – although there’s no point if they’re not going to make a difference.

“It’s easy for people to say ‘go and get him’ but that’s never going to be the case at this club.

“We’ve got to take a chance on maybe six different players and perhaps two of those will fit the bill – but I think we’ve done fairly well with that.

“There are guys who have been brought in who are not going to play, but in the market we’re in that’s always going to be the case.

“And we’ve brought in guys like James Wesolowski, Mickael Antoine-Curier, Stuart Elliott, Richard Hastings and Marco Paixao who have been successful.

“Elliott is a name but he’s at our club because he hasn’t played for 18 months and I’m here to give him an opportunity to try and get things going again.

“That’s the sort of thing we need to do at this club and I don’t have a problem with that, but I want people to understand where we’re coming from.”

Guillaume Beuzelin has been offered a contract by Hamilton, but Reid is waiting for an answer from the midfielder.