Mark Walker’s Scottish Football Tips: Accies can shrug off summer misery

Hamilton Accies have had a summer from hell and start life in League One after their relegation.

Yet despite their many off-field issues, they still have the nucleus of a good squad and look too strong for Montrose at 20/21 with McBookie.com.

Accies were hit with a transfer embargo for the season this week, which has come on top of months of turmoil involving the crisis-hit club, following their relegation last season after a points deduction.

They will play at Broadwood this season in Cumbernauld after getting kicked out of their own stadium – previously home of Clyde, while Clyde will play at Hamilton's New Douglas Park in the most Scottish football thing ever in Scottish football!

However, they still have plenty of quality for the third tier of Scottish football with the likes of Oli Shaw, Scott Robinson, Stuart McKinstry and Connor Smith in the team.

Yes, the squad will be stretched and they will have to rely on kids as the season progresses, but their starting XI look too strong on Saturday for a Montrose team who come to Broadwood on the back of a 5-0 hammering at Dundee and have only brought in two signings so far.

Hamilton would probably have been far shorter if it wasn't for this week's events and may have a point to prove with manager John Rankin pledging his future to the club this week after the ruling.

All eyes will be on East Kilbride in League Two with the Lowland League champions tipped by plenty of get back-to-back promotions.

And they can kick off their first ever game in the Scottish League with a win against Spartans at 5/6 with McBookie.com.

Mick Kennedy's big-spending side have added some quality additions to a squad already brimming with league experience

In the League Cup, they have already claimed the highly impressive scalp of Championship side Raith Rovers by scoring four goals at Stark's Park and they also scored four at Elgin City, although they were brought back to size by Caley Thistle last week.

John Robertson, Jack Leitch and Nathan Flanagan and plenty of others should be too good for plenty of teams at this level.

And while Spartans are no mugs, Kilby should have enough to get off to a winning start.

Alloa can win their local derby at Stenhousemuir at McBookie.com's 8/5.

Andy Graham's team enjoyed an outstanding League Cup campaign with four wins out of four, including a win against Premiership Dundee and at Championship Airdrie and must be brimming with confidence.

And while Stenny weren't disgraced, their squad looks a little light if they are to repeat last season's excellent efforts.

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