Hamilton Accies: Crystal Palace's Sam Woods joins Reading's Luke Southwood on loan
- Published
Sam Woods has played three times for Crystal Palace's first team
Crystal Palace defender Sam Woods says he chose to sign a six-month loan deal at Hamilton Academical instead of English League One and Two clubs.
The 21-year-old becomes Accies' second loan signing in two days after the return of goalkeeper Luke Southwood, external from Reading.
Woods says Palace team-mates James McCarthy and James McArthur helped convince him to join their former club.
"Both Maccas are great lads and told me to come," he told Accies' website.
"That basically convinced me. I had interest from League One and Two, but the gaffer was top class in how he sold the club to me. His vision and enthusiasm is one of the main reasons I chose Hamilton."
Woods made his Palace debut as a substitute in a League Cup defeat by Middlesbrough in October 2018 and has played twice more this season - starting a 0-0 draw with Colchester United in the EFL Cup in August and coming on as a replacement in this month's FA Cup loss to Derby County.
"I'm expecting the Scottish Premiership to be much more physical than down south, but I won't know until my first game," he said.
That could come for Woods and Southwood on Saturday against Livingston as head coach Brian Rice sticks with the squad that thumped Edinburgh City 5-0 in the Scottish Cup for Wednesday's return to the capital to face Hibernian.
Southwood had returned to Reading at the end of his initial loan spell to be assessed by manager Mark Bowen, who took charge in October, and is "buzzing" to return having been handed a new 18-month contract by the Championship club.
The 22-year-old played eight times for Accies after taking a starting place away from Wales international Owain Fon Williams, who will retain his place at Easter Road, in November.
Southwood told Accies' website: "I really enjoy playing there and it was brilliant to end 2019 on a high after defeating Motherwell.
"The fans at Hamilton have been very supportive of me and hopefully I can continue to pay them back with good performances."
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