Brian Easton insists youngster Sam Nicolson getting a taste of the first team environment at Hamilton Accies last week shows the club’s academy kids they can get opportunities under boss Stuart Taylor.
Club captain Easton coaches Accies’ under-18s and was bursting with pride to see 17-year-old Nicolson get on the bench for the 1-1 draw at home to Inverness last week.
The striker didn’t get any minutes but Easton insists the teen got a big buzz from being involved, and it shows his academy team-mates they will be rewarded if they put the hard work in.
Easton said: “Seeing Sam on the bench last week was something we were all delighted with, myself and all the academy staff.
“It’s recognising some of the work big Sam has been doing and some of the other boys. When he came in on Friday night you could see he was buzzing.
“It’s a great group we’ve got in that under-18s. I think we’ve got some real talent and, more than anything, we’ve got boys with great attitudes and hunger.
“The work they put in is fantastic so to see Sam get on the bench, with a lot of the boys involved in a bounce game this week as well, it’s really encouraging for the club to see these players being in that environment and doing well.
”And it’s great for us as coaches to see the work they put in every week paying off. Big Sam has worked so hard during the under-18 games and he got his opportunity because of that.
“I think it sends a message to the other boys that there will be these chances, as long as you are putting your head down and getting to work.”
Accies are, of course, renowned for their youth development and there’s countless success stories from James McCarthy and James McArthur, to Greg Docherty and Easton himself.
And he believes Nicolson is one of many who can potentially make the step up next season and follow in the footsteps of current Accies first team stars like Jamie Hamilton, Marley Redfern and Reegan Mimnaugh.
The 33-year-old added: “I do think there are a few coming through like that. The squad we’ve got in the under-18s is really strong.
“The good thing is the gaffer has been really good at giving the boys the experience of first team training and bounce games.
“The boys have done really well. It’s not fazed them, they’ve not looked out of place. So for us seeing that, it’s really encouraging for us to see they can handle that.
“Going forward for next season, there’s going to be a few boys coming through.”
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