Rangers defender Matthew Shiels will leave the club at the end of the month when his contract ends after the Light Blues opted not to extend his deal – but the 20-year-old won’t have to hunt for a new club after agreeing a switch to Hamilton.
Shiels, who most recently spent time with Clyde, has been at Ibrox since under-11 but had fallen behind the likes of James Maxwell in the pursuit of a first-team spot.
Rangers announced Shiels’ imminent departure on social media shortly before his switch to Accies was confirmed, wishing the left-sided player well in the “next stage of his journey, saying on Twitter: “Rangers can confirm that the club will not extend the contract of Matthew Shiels upon its expiry at the end of the season.
“Matthew joined as a U-11 & had spells on loan with Dumbarton & Clyde. Everyone at Rangers wishes Matthew well as he embarks on the next stage of his journey.”
Less than an hour after his Ibrox departure was confirmed, Accies moved to announce his pre-contract agreement with Brian Rice’s side, with the Accies boss delighted to get his hands on a player he has been impressed by for a while.
“I am delighted to have Matthew as part of our squad for next season,” Rice told Hamilton’s website. “
He is a player who we have been impressed with for a long time. He is only 20 and to have the amount of experience which he has is fantastic. He definitely improves the squad of players which we have here and we can’t wait to get working with him.”
Shiels, who has had spells on loan at Edinburgh City, Dumbarton and Clyde, has represented Scotland more than 20 times at under-19 level and is looking forward to challenging for a place in the Hamilton side and becoming a first-team regular, saying: “Coming here the aim is to break into the first-team and get as many first-team appearances as I can.
“I have played a lot of reserve and lower league football in previous years which has been fantastic for me, and now I make the step up and challenge myself to improve.
“Whenever I have played Hamilton’s youth sides in the past it has always been a tough game and the players work very hard. Now I have taken a step inside and seen the number of young players who are training with the squad and I like that. For me, I am looking forward to this challenge and I can’t wait to get started.”
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