A FEW years back Rangers were drawn against Hamilton Academical in the Scottish Cup which came as something of a surprise to one Giovanni van Bronckhorst who at that time was in his impressive pomp at Ibrox.

The Dutchman was dragged in front of the written press, who were still around then, to fulfil his media duties at the pre-match press conference, and during an otherwise forgettable chat admitted he hadn’t realised Hamilton boasted a team of any description, never mind one in the senior leagues.

Now it’s hardly the greatest insult the Accies have ever had thrown at them. The top 100 of those are all credited to the late Ian ‘Fergie’ Russell, a Hamilton obsessive who for decades would go home and away to swear at his team, the opposition, referees and seemingly at life in general.

Read more: Rangers 1-1 Hamilton Accies: Mark Warburton's side held at home on their Premiership return

So why indeed would a Dutchman be able to tell you the first thing about Hamilton? Except Van Bronckhorst actually lived in the town itself and must have wondered how some university side had made it all the way to the third round.The Herald: 05/08/16 LADBROKES PREMIERSHIP RANGERS v HAMILTON (1-1) IBROX - GLASGOW Hamilton's Ali Crawford celebrates his goal

That is where the Accies were not so long ago. Even the townsfolk weren’t aware of their existence, which itself for a few years looked to be less than assured.

Mounting debts meant some supporters feared for their club’s life, although the way it’s told now is that liquidation was never a reality, but in the 1999–2000 season the Accies could not fulfil their fixtures, were docked 15 points and dumped into the Third Division.

I offer you this brief history lesson as a reminder about where that football club was and where they are now, which is having a team capable of going to Ibrox and coming away with a creditable and deserved draw.

And Hamilton rarely if ever receive the credit they deserve.

Time and again I hear moans about them “not contributing much” and the fact the crowds are small, as if they were ever huge, and that plastic pitch is rubbish as well. Well to all those who look down their nose at the Accies and what they stand for, let us return Fergie and what he might have said about such cynics.

“Away ye go ya xxxxx and stick yet xxxx up yer xxxx.” I’m guessing this because it was never easy translating his rants, although there was the time, after the Accies manager John Lambie offered him a lift on the team bus heard, Fergie’s response for once came over quite clearly; “Thanks, John. But you’re still a xxxxxx.”

That’s what Accies were. A wee team with a notorious fan. Nothing more or less. The boards, so it was said, would make sure the team finished nicely placed in mid-table of what was the First Division every season because promotion would have cost them a few bob.The Herald:

And yet Lambie did get them up to the Premier League twice. Those of us who were regulars at Douglas Park in the 1980s, and for a few seasons me, a pal and my dad rarely missed a home game, knew these were heady days which would never to return in our lifetime.

Fergie would have felt the same. Probably. Working out what was going on in his mind was as easy as translating Ulysses into Klingon. Coming to think about it, his streams of consciousness would have been too complicated for even Joyce to write down.

And yet this is their fifth season in the top flight since 2008. They have won at Celtic Park, produced two outstanding internationals in James McCarthy and James McArthur, made a manager out of Alex Neil and now, under Martin Canning, this wee club continue to defy the odds.

The players are not there for the money because there isn’t much of it about. The budget is the smallest in the Premiership by some distance. In an era when almost every club has at least one player you think is simply there to pick up their pay packet, you won’t find anyone like that at New Douglas Park.

Canning’s players to a man give their all in every game. None of them cheat in terms of effort. What you see is what you get from an honest bunch that last Saturday went toe-to-toe with Rangers on their big day and made Ibrox squirm.

Even the Rangers fans may agree that there is something good about how the Accies can outfox their own team on such an afternoon, take the lead through the excellent Ally Crawford – why he hasn’t been bought is a mystery – and come away with a point.

This isn't all about success. They lost 8-1 to Celtic last season and once again have been tipped to finish in eleventh at best, the play-off position. However, this is a club anyone with a bit of soul should have some time for. There is something truthful and honest about this team which ought to be celebrated more.

They aren’t making a contribution you say? Don’t make me laugh. Or swear in a loud incompressible scattergun manner.