Brian Rice: Hamilton head coach wants younger squad next season
- Published
Watch: Rice promises Hamilton changes this summer
Hamilton Academical will have a younger squad next season after avoiding a Scottish Premiership relegation play-off, says head coach Brian Rice.
The Lanarkshire side beat St Johnstone to finish 10th, a point above St Mirren, having avoided the bottom two on goal difference last May.
Rice left St Mirren's backroom staff to replace Martin Canning in January.
"It's a massive result. I came in and was asked to try and keep us in the league. We've done that," Rice said.
"Tomorrow, we start again. I look forward to building a squad that doesn't have us in this position every season. We don't want to be the first name on people's lips when they're talking about relegation.
"There'll be changes in the summer. I want to get the age of the squad down a bit. I've got some really talented young kids, there needs to be a pathway for them here at Hamilton."
Both Rice and chairman Allan Maitland praised the efforts of Canning - who left after five years with the club 10th, two points above St Mirren - and backed Rice's focus on youth.
"We are there on merit," he told BBC Radio Scotland. "We have sold a lot of good players over the years and every time we find replacements. We need to find players who will fit into Brian's way of playing."
'Emotional' day for Imrie
Watch: Imrie says farewell to Hamilton
One of the players Rice will need to replace is Dougie Imrie, with the 35-year-old midfielder retiring to focus on coaching Hamilton's under-18 side.
He has made the majority of his 500-plus career appearances for the club across two spells.
"It's an emotional day for myself, but great for the club to keep their place in the Premiership," said the former Greenock Morton, Inverness Caledonian Thistle and St Mirren player.
"I've had a great career. I can only thank the clubs, the managers, the players, the fans that I've played for and the fans I've played against for the great times and banter. It's a sad day giving up playing."
Hamilton in survival mode - the stats
Hamilton have previous for producing surprise results near the business end of the season and this season was no exception.
In the previous four campaigns, the Lanarkshire side averaged 10.75 points in their final nine games of the league campaign. This time, under Rice, they have claimed 12 to edge out St Mirren.
What that means is that, in their last nine games, Hamilton amassed 36% of their total points for the campaign - a tremendous return for Rice's side and a real testament to their battling spirit.
Intriguingly, in that same period of time St Mirren amassed 15 points - a staggering 49% of their total tally - however it proved futile.
'Overachievement again for Accies' - analysis
Former Hamilton midfielder Derek Ferguson on BBC Radio Scotland
They've overachieved again. It's a magnificent story. It's a real shame that they don't get the crowds that the boys deserve. If they had gone down, they wouldn't have panicked, they'd have just kept the same format, kept introducing the young players.
If you're good enough, you're going to get the opportunity at Hamilton. Andy Winter, Lewis Smith were on the bench. Lewis Smith is some player. He's dynamite. We know about Reegan Mimnaugh. It will be interesting to see who Brian Rice brings in.