Jamie McAllister insists he played little part in son Reuben McAllister’s decision to leave Bristol City and follow him to Hibernian.
Hibs secured the 16-year-old former Robins prospect earlier this summer, with academy staff at the High Performance extremely disappointed to have lost one of their prized talents.
McAllister made his Under-23 debut for the Robins last season and was on the cusp of signing a three-year contract in the West County only for Hibs to steal in and take him up to Scotland. McAllister had also changed agents shortly before the move which led to a flurry of transfer rumours in the build-up.
That, of course, sees him reunited with his dad, who serves as Lee Johnson’s No2 at Easter Road, but McAllister Snr - a City player for six years and coach for a further five - said the decision was all down to his son. McAllister has also indicated that Johnson was the driving force behind the move.
“He was pretty much ready to sign a three-year deal at Bristol City then the gaffer put it to me that he wanted to sign Reuben,” McAllister told the Edinburgh Evening News. “It took him two or three weeks to make the decision, it was tough, but he made the decision himself.
"Myself and my wife just said, ‘weigh up the pros and cons of staying at Bristol City, weigh up the pros and cons of coming to Hibs, it’s on you’. We couldn’t decide it for him, because in a year or two’s time he could turn round and say: ‘Dad, you told me to do that,’ if it wasn’t the right one.
“He’s 16 years old now so it was up to him to make the decision. He said he wanted a fresh challenge and that he was excited by the opportunity. They gave him his programme and the gaffer sold it to him, it was nothing to do with me. It was strange. I’m probably his hardest critic.”
City could net up to £500,000 for the departure of McAllister, should various clauses around appearances and national representation be met, but there is still regret and frustration that McAllister’s best days will be experienced elsewhere.
McAllister had been commuting from Edinburgh to Bristol, with the family based in Long Ashton, but with Reuben now moving to the Scottish capital, his wife and other children have followed him to Scotland.
“I told him right away that everyone would think he’s here because I am,” McAllister added. “He has to cope with that, but if he goes on the grass and shows what he can do that should be enough.
“It’s tough, it’s different. I was at Bristol City when he was there but I was only a coach and he was there from 8 to 16. It’s different now he’s closer to the first team and the gaffer signed him. It’s an interesting one!”
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