Loyalty is such a rare commodity in football these days that it is now viewed with suspicion, particularly by people involved with the game in a professional capacity. The main accusation against those who display loyalty is that it shows a lack of ambition. As if the only way to get on in life is to be opportunistic, particularly when it comes to money.
Matt Le Tissier's loyalty to Southampton was seen as his achilles heel as a footballer. It was said he wasn't willing to test himself in a bigger environment; that he liked to be the big fish in a small pool. It didn't seem to occur to his critics that perhaps he enjoyed playing for the Saints. Or that he regarded himself as wealthy enough not to be fulfilled by pay increases. Perhaps was reluctant to move away from family and friends or an area he loved.
Le Tissier isn't the type to almost take his car off the road on hearing of a contract offer which was 'only' 90% of what he demanded. Billy Reid, the Hamilton boss, isn't either. Reid was offered the Swansea job in July. Swansea are a much bigger club (average gates of 15,000) than Hamilton and could be playing in the Premier League next year. Hamilton are a small club (average gate 3,500), who performed a minor miracle last season to finish 7th in the SPL, their 1st season back after years in the SFL. Surely, he was banging his head on the glass ceiling?
Not so. Reid courteously declined the offer from the Welsh club before adding his reasons for staying with the Accies...
"I wanted to show a bit of loyalty to the players I had signed here. Things are in place next season for us to hopefully have a successful season. I have a superb working relationship with our chairman, Ronnie MacDonald, who gave me my first opportunity in management and that is my ultimate reason for staying."
As a mere supporter, with a simplistic view on things, I'd like to take my hat off to Billy Reid and wish him and his club all the best for the future. I always feel a bit queasy lamenting the good old days (that never really were), and there are still plenty of decent men in professional football, particularly in the lower divisions. Yet he's displayed virtues which are all too rare in the modern game and pledged his loyalty to a Chairman and a club in which he's clearly invested a great deal emotional capital. And that, sadly, is worth commenting on.
Columnist: Greg Fearn, 2010-08-17.
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Billy Reid, Hamilton Boss and Top Man 