Club Statement

[Scott18]

Typical!!!!

For some time now the behaviour of a few and I stress a few Hamilton Accies fans both at our home games and in particular at some away games is totally and absolutely unacceptable, this behaviour must and will stop right now.

We acknowledge that the board of Hamilton Academical Football Club works tirelessly to create not just a successful football team but also a successful loving, and caring community club, which we hope one day will be replicated in many other Scottish football clubs.

Under Ronnie MacDonald and Les Gray’s footballing knowledge and know how, Hamilton Academical Football Club has enjoyed its greatest years not to mention the magnificent efforts of George Cairns and Allan Maitland who have helped create an absolute wonderful youth academy here at Hamilton Accies that every fan should be proud of.

Also along with a full board of directors that all help in one way or another there are many more unsung heroes here at NDP along with the great sponsorship we continuously get year in year out that has been taken by companies that also have a social conscience, there’s been Morris furniture, Reid Furnishings, Dem-Master, Shoreline and M&H Logistics who have been a marvellous sponsor with us for many years.

As for the upcoming season 2016/2017 our biggest sponsorship package to date will be announced in our closed season.

For sure we have had our ups and downs but welcome to the world of football. I’d like to invite any fan or fans who would like to book to come down and see the whole set up with our Youth Academy and Community outreach as well as all the first team facilities, to contact the club.

I wish I could finish on a positive note but the unacceptable behaviour of the few I’ve mentioned will have to be dealt with so in advance of tomorrow’s game against Dundee I would like all fans to remember at NDP we have many young children and a fair share of young ladies and women who have no desire to hear outbursts of anger, rage and foul language while trying to enjoy a Saturday afternoon out.

In conclusion I’d like to request that all our fans conduct themselves in a decent manner because rest assured here at NDP and at any away games we will not allow the few bad apples in the barrel to spoil the atmosphere and enjoyment for the majority of our supporters, so please have absolutely no doubt action will be taken here at NDP and the integrity of all the decent Hamilton Accies fans both here at NDP and at every away game will be maintained, the trouble makers will be removed, that surely owe it to the decent Accies fans.

Colin McGowan

[accies1874]

That's just bizarre Unsurprisingly, after another week of bad press from supporters, they come out with nonsense. There'd be no need for "foul language", "rage" or "outbursts of anger" if we were getting served up decent quality on the pitch.

[H9crx]

Well it wisnae Me as I've not been back a game since this rancid bunch of pompous self promoting clowns gave their pal a job!

fans matter at every football club in the world appart from this one!

Canning out Les out Ronny out soup kitchen man out!

[shotts56]

I know the club reads this message board, and I know Colin McGowan does as well.

All we hear from HAFC is constant, continued criticism of our own support. Never a thanks, never a mention for the small number who travel the length of the country to support the team. Its just constant criticism week in, week out. Do you enjoy constantly antagonising your own supporters ? Do you ever stop to wonder why we have the smallest support in the league, and its falling all the time ? Do you ever stop to wonder why we have smaller home crowds now in the Premier League than we did a decade ago in the Second Division ?

I honestly wonder why I bother going, the club certainly don't appreciate my support and indeed they sound as though they despise their own supporters. I've had a season ticket for 29 years, this was going to be my 30th year this summer, and I doubt I'll bother now. Have a look at Facebook and Twitter to see this is the last straw for many long-time fans who have been going for decades up and down the divisions, have seen many highs and many lows.

Well done Accies, a very small support has just suddenly got much smaller.

[Todd_is_God]

Does McGowan run the junkie club so he can steal all their good gear?

Absolutely laughable statement.

[redandwhite1874]

I don't disagree with much of that statement; including the behaviour of some people at games

However, there is not one single recognition of the fans or what the fans do. Not a single one. As has been pointed out there are a band of individuals who go to every game and they deserve far more respect. I don't know ANY other club that would try to influence positive behaviour without recognising the input and contribution of the majority of their fans. The only time the club speak to us is to give us a telling off - perhaps one of the companies listed could tell Colin a wee bit about customer care.

Finally, I fully support the community work and in no way associate myself with people who attack such work on the back of bad result(s). For me football clubs have for too long played at being part of the community, we have a club that doesn't do that, and whilst they have plenty to improve on, it doesn't take away from the great work that is done.

[YeOldeHamiltonian]

The only"bad apples" at Douglas Park are in the Boardroom.This isn't The Watson era when it was a small minority.Now,the overwhelming majority want this loser of a Manager out and any attempt to suppress fans voicing their displeasure at the worst home record in our history will not go well.

They want their "wee chats",they will find hundreds of us there.Disgraceful statement.

[Red and white hoops]

Ridiculous!!

It's as if they are going out their way to further alienate an already completely disallusioned support. So if we get slaughtered by six or seven goals tomorrow, remember everyone not to say any nasty words so as not to annoy anyone.

The famous quote 'football without fans is nothing' Hamilton Accies are soon going to find that out. I'm

[YeOldeHamiltonian]

The fans not going actually make their job easier.Let's all get to the home games and show these "custodians" this is our club.

[Accies73]

Who is the McGowan guy anyway, oh aye thats right hes the guy that just about sold off raith rovers ground for housing and near took them down the tubes. Nice guy making threatening statements. Well what u gonna do McGowan send your heavies round. Lol. Youll get it back 100 times as bad. The guy doesnt even go to the games half the time.

[Stevie Clarke]

At least we know where we stand. It's perfectly acceptable to shout "Canning must go ", "Crawford, gie yersel a shake " or indeed "Give us a decent manager, ya shower o' halfwits". Just don't be foul mouthed. Still, Soccer Saturday for me again.

[glasgow accie]

Should be fun tomorrow .......

Edit- so where does he stand on players offering the fans a fight after the game ??

[Scott18]

Deleted lots of tweets responding to it. What a joke!!!

[The Bajan Bandit]

There has been no enjoyment for a very long time going to Accies , very much a them and us now , we all know Canning is a kiddy-on manager who would not have been allowed to continue at any other top flight club but he is one of the boys now , i will back the players tomorrow BUT will continue to let Canning know what i think .

Raith Rovers fans warned us about McGowan , he is the REAL bad apple .

[Red and white hoops]

What a terrible way to treat your supporters. So we've been crap for months. No home win since September, annan, 8-1, playing terrible hoofball, still no sign of anything positive for months, but we are not allowed to criticise. Take away the lucky win at killie and there has been nothing positive around Accies. If the board don't care, why should we as fans.
If anything they should give us a thank you. We follow the club all over the country knowing we have been playing crap, with a manager who is crap with players who are crap, signing overweight unfit players who go straight into the starting lineup and players who have regressed badly under canning. It's becoming a chore to watch Accies. I used to look forward to a Saturday, I enjoyed going to the game but now I'm really having to talk myself into it and statements like that make you question if it's worth it or not.

[master1]

The statement from McGowan is an insult to every fan who pays their money by ST or cash, it is bad enough seeing all the comps being given away when you realise we're actually paying to watch this garbage, but to be lectured to by this clown on what we are allowed to say is the final straw for me. I support Hamilton Accies, unfortunately Canning has been past his sell by date for months, players at this club are being allowed to steal their wages week in week out and the board are willing to accept it. McGowan the clown as the stadium owner/manager can ban anyone he wants supported by a board who have lost the majority of the fans support its up to them. They obviously didn't learn a thing from keeping Reid in a job past his sell by date!! I certainly won't be back to a home game this season.

[DC United]

Unless I am unaware of a particular incident being referred to by McGowan this statement seems nothing more than inflammatory.

At a time where the club should be doing all they can to encourage fans along (reduced prices?) in an attempt to boost home crowds in the run in this only goes to highlight the gulf between the club and a seemingly large section of the support and alienate them further.

It's almost as if the club are running some sort of weird experiment as to see how far they can piss people off, or is that just me?

[WILF]

Another PR disaster and an embarrassment! If anti social behaviour is present and a real problem then deal with it professionally without writing such a public self loving screed of crap that pisses off all the support.

[Bomber Harris]

The fans statement that has just been released is an absolute belter

[DC United]

The fans statement that has just been released is an absolute belter

Do you have a link?