Hamilton Accies goalkeeper Ryan Fulton to leave club and won't play part in play-offs

Hamilton Accies boss John Rankin has revealed goalkeeper Ryan Fulton has played his last game for the club after choosing to leave the League One outfit at the end of the season.

The 27-year-old was absent from the squad for last night's 2-2 draw with Alloa in the first leg of the Championship play-off semi-final, with Dean Lyness taking the gloves at the Indodrill. And Accies fans have seen the last of Fulton in an Accies jersey after Rankin told Lanarkshire Live Sport the shot stopper is moving on when his contract expires at the end of the month.

There are no hard feelings and Rankin says he goes with the club's best wishes, but won't play him in the remaining games of the club's push for the Championship. Asked why Fulton didn't feature, he said: "I'm not going to hide anything, Fults has been a great servant to this football club. He has done really well here, but he has decided to move on.

"I wish him all the best and at this stage I am thinking more about the team. Me and Fults have had a conversation. We've shared really good memories together and he has been an ever-present for me here when he was able to play.

"But he just feels it is best for his career to move on from the football club and I wish him all the best. It is one of those ones where he is not able to play for us in the next couple of games and we have to go with what we've got."

Fulton, who was born in England but has represented Scotland at various youth levels, has made over 100 appearances for Accies in a seven-year stint at the club and helped them to the SPFL Trust Trophy last season, which was their first cup win in 30 years. During his time, the shot-stopper has been plagued by injury and played his last game for the club in December during a 3-1 defeat at home to League One champions Falkirk.

Meanwhile, striker Akheem Rose was also missing from the play-off clash in Clackmannanshire but Rankin hopes to welcome the Ayr loanee back from a pubis bone injury (an inflammation in his joint), possibly in time for Saturday's second leg at New Douglas Park.

He explained: "Akheem has got an osteitis pubis injury. He got it when he played in the Alloa game two weeks ago in the league. It is feeling a wee bit better now so hopefully he will be available for the second leg.

"It was one of those where if we did play him tonight and he broke down, he'd be out of the play-offs altogether. We will manage it and make sure he is okay to go."

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