SUNDAY’s defeat at home to Killie was a painful one for Hamilton. Accies knew that their fate was all but sealed going into the final game of the season – only a winning margin of nine goals or more would have lifted them out the automatic relegation zone – but still, it will have only been at the full-time whistle that the reality of their plight truly set in.
That whistle signalled the end of a seven-year stay in the top flight for Accies, bringing the curtain down on years of over-achievement from the Lanarkshire club, given the financial constraints they operate under.
But for those fans searching desperately for a silver lining to the cloud hanging over the FOYS Stadium, they got one against Kilmarnock in the form of a first league start for Lewis Smith since August.
The talented youngster was hailed as “the best player on the park” by his manager, Brian Rice, at the weekend and while he didn’t get on the scoresheet, the appearance represents a significant step forward in the teenager’s recovery from a serious injury sustained at the start of the campaign.
“It feels good to be back out there,” he said. “Obviously it’s not the circumstances that I’d like to be back in but personally, I was happy to be back out there.
READ MORE: Hamilton 0-2 Kilmarnock: Accies sent down with Killie condemned to play-off
“It’s been awful – I’ve had a really, really bad season. You set targets at the start of the season about what you want to go and achieve. Personally, and as a team, we’ve not done it.
“I pulled my hamstring and then I came back and it was alright. Then I did it again and there was a lot of tendon damage so there was a bit more complicated than we first thought.
“It was frustrating. I’d been fine, I’d been training for two weeks and then it happened again. It was horrible. But the physios and backroom staff are great here and they’ve helped me out a lot.
“I was happy to be back and helping the team for the last few games but it just wasn’t to be in terms of staying up.”
Accies’ demotion to the second tier will sting, Smith admits, but he youngster insists that there is no time for soul-searching or moping about, wondering what could have been.
Now that Hamilton’s fate is sealed and he’s back in the first-team fold, the 19-year-old is determined to play his part in helping his boyhood club seal a return to the Premiership at the first time of asking next term – something he feels will be aided by the youth development programme at Accies.
Seven of the players that started the 2-0 loss to Killie were academy graduates and Smith expects the competition for places to be fierce with the next generation preparing to challenge for a spot in Rice’s starting XI.
“We just need to look forward to next season now,” he explained. “There’s no point thinking about it or sulking about it. We need to be positive and kick on next year.
READ MORE: Lewis Smith is the latest star pupil to graduate from Hamilton's youth academy
“You even saw that [Accies’ faith in youth] against Killie – you saw [debutant] Jamie [Smith] in goals and he was brilliant, especially with saving the penalty.
“I was really happy for him and wee Marley [Redfern] came on as well. He’s a really good player. Everyone in training really performed and they deserved their chance.
“There are always people waiting to step up if they’re given the chance. In the Championship next year they will get that chance and I’ve got all the confidence in them that they’ll do that. People like Marley and Jamie are great players so I feel that next year we can kick on and get back up.
“We were gutted on Thursday and on Sunday – it’s not going to go away quickly and we’re really hurt. But there’s no point sulking about it, we just need to try and turn it into a positive.”
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