Fans are devastated as Accies announce they will leave town

NEW DOUGLAS PARK SHOCK NEWS

- PAUL THOMSON & JUDITH TONNER

Hamilton Accies have announced they will be leaving their home town and moving to play at Broadwood stadium in Cumbernauld from the start of the next football season.

The bombshell move comes after the club rejected an offer from stadium owner Colin McGowan, the former Accies chief, to play “rent free” at New Douglas Park next season, saying that it was “not in the best interests of the club.”

It has also been suggested that Hamilton has outstanding rent debt of over £260,000, although this is disputed by the club.

A club announcement made on the same day as the devastating 15-point deduction which relegated Accies to third-tier League One was confirmed also stated that the club has “the long-term aim of building a new stadium in Hamilton” and are in “discussions with South Lanarkshire Council”.

New Douglas Park is a separate entity to the football club, which currently rents the stadium from Mr McGowan’s HAFC Stadium Limited and groundshares with League Two side Clyde, who will continue to play in Hamilton next season while Accies ironically switch to that club's former home in Cumbernauld.

A club statement read: “The board has considered carefully the proposal published by the stadium owner and communicated to the media in respect of the club continuing to occupy New Douglas Park.

“The proposal cannot be accepted on the terms stated. In the first instance the balance in respect of the funds accruing between the parties over the past 22 months is substantially in favour of the club, so any postponement of settlement of the appropriate balance is inappropriate. The club is not indebted to the owner.

“Second, the terms of the only new draft lease provided so far are unacceptable.