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Daily Record
an hour ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Hamilton Accies boss says quitting has 'never crossed my mind' amid chaos off the pitch
John Rankin is preparing his side for Saturday's League One opener after a summer of turmoil Hamilton boss John Rankin insists he has never considered walking away from Accies amid months of turmoil off the pitch. Just in the past few months, Rankin has had to keep his players focused on football while the club was hit with blow after blow due to the actions of the Hamilton hierarchy. Having been hit with a 15-point deduction by the SPFL due to the club being found guilty of multiple rule breaches, including remuneration defaults with six players, the club was relegated from the Championship as a result. Days later, the club then announced they were leaving their hometown after a fallout with the owners of New Douglas Park, upping sticks for Broadwood Stadium in Cumbernauld. Even that wasn't straightforward, with the club left sweating on their lease being approved as the SPFL demanded alterations to the lease and North Lanarkshire Council insisted on a year's rent upfront for it to go ahead. And in the last week, the club has been hammered by the SPFL again with a season-long transfer embargo, imposed due to the club failing to fulfil its tax obligations to HMRC. That has left Rankin with one arm tied behind his back before the league season has even kicked-off, and he will now be forced to field youngsters to get a team on the pitch. Many could forgive Rankin for feeling enough is enough, but asked if he had thought about quitting, he told Lanarkshire Live Sport: "The last couple of months have been quite a turbulent time, there's always been something going on. "You feel like you've picked yourself up to go again and then you get your feet swiped away from you again. "But it has never crossed my mind [to leave]. "The thing that motivates me and keeps the rest of the staff going are these players. Working away with them every day, we see how much they are putting in. "So seeing their commitment and desire, playing through the pain barrier, giving it blood, sweat and tears to try and achieve their goals in their career, it speaks volumes for them." Accies are still aiming to bounce straight back to the Championship and Rankin hopes his threadbare squad can find a way to use their plight as fuel to fire them to promotion. He added: "This season is going to be a big challenge, but in my full career at the club it has been a challenge. "We are not going to shirk away from a challenge now because we can't bring in players and make the squad as big as we would hope for. "It brings everybody closer together and we need to have a strong mentality to get through games. "There's an extra six games this season because of the way the [Challenge] cup is this season as well. "So the hard part is trying to judge how to let the players recover and keep them as fresh as possible, but we are fortunate that we've got sports scientists to look at the data on that. "Players are going to have to keep churning out performances. There's a lot to think about over the last week for them and it has been a lot of work, but we have to make sure we get players in prime condition.
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Former Partick Thistle star 'honoured' to be handed Hamilton Accies armband
The 33-year-old midfielder has taken the armband for the League One side Hamilton Accies have announced Scott Robinson will be the club's cpatin for the 2025/26 season in League One. The former Partick Thistle midfielder take the armband during a turbulent time for the club, following their relegation from the Championship last season and their subsequent season-long transfer embargo announced last week. But the club are sticking together with Accies gaffer John Rankin staying on amid the turmoil and picking Robinson to lead the players on the pitch. Robinson, 33, made 14 appearance for Accies last term after joining from Partick in February and he says he is thrilled to take on the responsibility ahead of Saturday's opener at home to Montrose. Robinson said: 'It's a huge honour to be given the armband for this massive campaign coming up. I won't change who I am about the place, I'll just be my usual self and that's probably why the gaffer has chosen me. "I'm excited for the challenge ahead but we all need to play our part. There's a lot of experienced boys in the dressing room, as well as the young ones that will be involved this year. 'It's about setting high standards, I won't change how I am or how I do things but we all need to chip in. "It is going to be e really tough season with what's happened to us [the embargo] but we need to look forward to the challenge. We need to keep the young boys on track. "I've had lots of good captains in my career. I had Marius Žaliūkas when I was at Hearts, who brought me on as a young boy and really looked after me, so now it is time for me to be that figure for the younger ones coming through. "We need to just try and get the job done to get promoted. We know it is not going to be easy now, the squad will be very thin, but the young boys can play their part now. "They are all good, honest, young boys who work their socks off. I am going to be there to help them and when they make a mistake, I'll pick them up." Accies gaffer John Rankin said: "Robbo came in last season and immediately lifted the standards in training. His energy and professionalism was clear to see and that made an impact on the pitch. 'He's an important character in the dressing room and will be important when it comes to working with the youth that will play a part in the first team this season.'
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
John Rankin to fight on with Hamilton Accies as boss determined to see job through despite transfer ban
The Lanarkshire club can't sign a player this season after breaching league rules around failing to settle their tax obligations John Rankin will fight on as Hamilton Accies boss - despite the club being hit with an SPFL transfer ban. The Lanarkshire club can't sign a player this season after breaching league rules around failing to settle their tax obligations. That followed a 15-point deduction last season which effectively relegated them from the Scottish Championship. And Accies have been forced to play their League One fixtures at Broadwood this term after a row over ownership of their Hamilton ground. That has led to uncertainty over Rankin's future as gaffer but Record Sport understands that - despite interest in him from elsewhere in the SPFL - he's vowed to stay on. The 42-year-old is determined to see the job through and get Accies back to the Championship at the first attempt. The transfer embargo is a huge blow to Rankin, who only has 15 senior players on his books. But the highly-rated young coach wants to blood more Hamilton kids in their bid to defy the odds and get promoted. Given the turmoil at the club and the obstacles put in their way, Rankin believes the squad needs stability - and is committed to staying on as manager. Hamilton begin their League One campaign at home to Montrose on Saturday.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Hamilton hit with 'season-long transfer embargo'
Hamilton Academical have been issued with a "season-long transfer embargo" by the SPFL after the League 1 club failed "to settle its tax obligations". Accies were already subject to a ban on registering new players "following remuneration and tax defaults which were determined or admitted during season 2024-25". A 15-point deduction last season led to John Rankin's side finishing bottom of the Championship and automatic relegation. "Hamilton Academical FC admitted to further breaches of SPFL rules by failing to settle its tax obligations to HMRC on three occasions, and for failing to notify the SPFL that it had been in default of its tax obligations to HMRC on each occasion," the SPFL said. The league body added that the embargo will be lifted at the end of the 2025-26 season and have also imposed a £7,500 fine, £5,000 of which is suspended. Hamilton have played three competitive fixtures so far this season, winning one and losing two of their Premier Sports Cup group fixtures. They conclude their Group E campaign at home to Dumbarton on Saturday. Accies open their League 1 programme the following Saturday at home to Montrose. The South Lanarkshire club are playing their home fixtures at Broadwood Stadium in Cumbernauld this season after taking the decision to look for an alternative ground amid a row over stadium ownership and rental at New Douglas Park, where they had played for 24 years. Accies have stated their aim to return to playing in their home town.
Scottish Sun
7 days ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
SPFL side hit by shock transfer embargo which lasts until NEXT season
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) HAMILTON ACCIES have been hit by the bombshell news that their transfer embargo will last until the end of the season. The news came after John Rankin insisted the relegated Lanarkshire side were working 'around the clock' to get the ban overturned. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Hamilton Accies now play at Broadwood Credit: Kenny Ramsay 3 John Rankin has his work cut out Credit: Kenny Ramsay 3 Hamilton Accies Credit: Kenny Ramsay - The Sun Glasgow Relegated Accies have been under a transfer embargo since they were hit with a 15-point deduction in April for breaching multiple SPFL rules. This ultimately proved insurmountable as the Accies - who now play out of Broadwood - were demoted to League One. And now the club have been told that they'll be prevented from signing any new players right through to the end of next season - including the January transfer window. The SPFL said in a statement: "The SPFL can today confirm that an independent disciplinary tribunal has imposed a season-long transfer embargo on Hamilton Academical FC. "The William Hill League 1 club was already subject to a transfer embargo following remuneration and tax defaults which were determined or admitted during season 2024/25. "Any SPFL club that fails to settle its tax obligations or pay its players on time is subject to an automatic transfer embargo under SPFL Rules. "At a hearing which took place on Thursday 24 July, Hamilton Academical FC admitted to further breaches of SPFL Rules by failing to settle its tax obligations to HMRC on three occasions, and for failing to notify the SPFL that it had been in default of its tax obligations to HMRC on each occasion, as required by SPFL Rules. "Following these latest admitted breaches by the club, an independent disciplinary tribunal imposed the following sanctions: • a transfer embargo which will remain in place until the opening of the registration window, which follows the end of season 2025/26; and • A fine of £7,500 - £5,000 of which is suspended." Hamilton Accies drama as fans of club fear it is 'facing extinction' Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
