John Rankin has responded to a banner calling for him to be sacked ahead of today’s narrow Scottish Cup exit to St Johnstone – branding it inaccurate.
Accies crashed out of the cup at the last 16 stage this evening after a Graham Carey strike deflected off team-mate Adama Sidibeh in the 87th minute t inflict a 1-0 defeat.
But before kick-off the Hamilton Accies boss was the target of fan fury ahead of kick-off with a section of supporters unveiling a banner which read: “3 Years of Failure. Rankin Out.”
It comes amid the club’s run of four straight league defeats, which has left them in the relegation play-off spot in the Championship, and skipper Scott Martin leaving the club for rivals Partick Thistle on deadline day.
Rankin insists he never saw the fan banner but when informed of what it said, he told Lanarkshire Live Sport: “I’m not aware of any banner but if that is what it said, then I would say it is not three years of failure.
“We’ve won a trophy [the SPFL Trust Trophy in 2023] and won promotion last year as well, so that is inaccurate, but everybody is entitled to their opinion.
“The supporters pay their money and they come and watch us, but to have that negativity at the start of the game – I don’t know if the players saw it or not – I think we could be doing with a bit more positivity, especially going into a Scottish Cup tie.
“We’ve craved a Scottish Cup run for a number of years and I felt this was a good opportunity for us and an opportunity for everyone to get behind us.
“If that’s the way the fans want to go about it, so be it, but it certainly didn’t affect the players with their effort, how much they ran, or how much they were prepared to throw their body in front of things.
“I think everybody will see on the highlights Sean McGinty and Reghan Tumilty throwing their bodies in front of things.
“The fans can question me – that’s no bother at all – but they can’t question the players’ desire to work for me or the coaching staff. I think that is there for all to see.
“We are going through a tough run, I am not going to deny that, but it’s a deflection that’s won the game and that is the fine margins that are not going for us right now.
“Could we work harder to make sure luck comes our way? I’m not sure the players can work any harder than they currently are. They are giving us everything.
“If they keep up that work rate eventually it will turn.”