When you’re a young midfielder at Hamilton, inspiration isn’t exactly in short supply. You can’t even stroll down the corridor at New Douglas Park without catching sight of role models staring out at you from the walls.
The flip-side to the success of the Hamilton youth academy in producing stars fit to grace the midfield battlegrounds of English Premier League and international football though is that each subsequent prospect is judged against that yardstick.
Far from being bowed by the pressure of living up to the idols of Hamilton’s recent past though, 19-year-old Greg Docherty, who has been impressive in breaking into Martin Canning’s plans this season, is spurred on by the challenge of emulating such luminaries.
He said: “Of course James McArthur and James McCarthy are inspirations to me, you just need to look at what they’re doing and have done so far.
“It’s crazy when you think of where they’ve came from, and then you see them on such a massive stage with their international sides and it gives you the feeling inside that you want that as well.
“You can’t ask for better role models than that, and to be able to look up to players like that is brilliant.
“Even the midfielders here at the moment like Darian MacKinnon, Grant Gillespie and Ali Crawford who are established in the team help you a lot, even though I’m trying to break into that midfield.
“They’ll talk to you and help you, so it’s a really good club and you can’t fault them.
“The club are honest with you here, and they tell you that if you work hard then you’ll get a chance and you know you will at some point.
“I didn’t expect to be involved quite as much, but I always believed in myself and thought that if I worked hard then I would get a chance.
“It can frustrating if you’re not in the team, but I was realistic enough to know that I’m still a young player, and if I kept working hard and bided my time then hopefully the chance was going to come.
“It has done so this season, and I’m desperate now to claim a regular place in the team.
“I’m really grateful for every opportunity that I get, and I know that if I keep working as hard as the gaffer has asked me to then I’ll get more chances throughout the season.
“Hopefully I can stake a claim for a regular place in the team.
“It’s such a massive incentive to do well, because you know here that if you do well then you’ll get an opportunity.”
Despite Hamilton’s stellar debut season in the Premiership last term, many had written off their chances of repeating the trick in their second season back in the top division.
If they beat Dundee tomorrow though they could be as high as third in the table after the first round of games, reflecting the faith the squad has always had in its’ own ability.
“It’s no surprise to us, we know what we’re capable of and we know we’re a good team.
“We know last season wasn’t a fluke, and we’re a very hard working team and we’ve got good players as well.
“We know that if we work hard then the quality is going to shine through.
“It was good to get a couple of days off but the training leading up to the break was good as well. It’s been hard work, as the gaffer said it would be, and the sessions have been good this week as well.
“It’s always nice to get a break but you’re itching to get back into it after one or two days off, and we just can’t wait to get back playing again.”
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