Hamilton boss Brian Rice has issued a transfer update and the traits he wants to find in his signings.
Accies were handed a 1-0 defeat in their latest match against St Johnstone, a hammer blow after such a promising result against Hearts. It leaves them in eleventh and a point from safety.
Hamilton are in a relegation battle. (Photo by Callum Landells/Getty Images)
It doesn’t get much easier for them either as they travel to Fir Park for a daunting Lanarkshire derby against high-flying Motherwell. It could leave them as many as four points adrift heading into the winter shutdown.
There won’t be lots of reinforcements coming through the doors though. Speaking prior to the Saints defeat, Rice spoke of his January business and what he expected from anyone he brought in.
“I might be looking for one or two but it won’t be anything more than that,” Rice said. “You’ve got to know what market you’re looking at. There’s no point looking at the English Championship or League One, we can’t afford players from those leagues.
Rice needs to choose wisely. (photo by David Young/Action Plus via Getty Images)
“I go down south and look at the development games and I look for somebody who I see something in and think, ‘Can he be part of this?’ First of all, they’ve got to fit in here.
“Character’s a massive thing and I do research on that side of things. I try and do that and they need to have talent and want to come here. It can be tempting to come up to play in the Scottish Premiership with all your TV and media stuff but sometimes it’s difficult.
“If I ask a kid to come from Middlesbrough to Hamilton for example, the opportunities are here rather than at Boro. This is what I’m looking for.
“Here you’ve got to muck in, it’s a family and a massive part of the community. We’re here all day all night, not because we have to, because we want to be.”