Hamilton Accies boss John Rankin has questioned Reagan Thomson's fitness levels after the 19-year-old was released by the club yesterday without kicking a ball for the club.
The midfielder joined Accies in August from Newcastle United and Rankin spoke highly of the youngster upon his arrival, stating he "had the ability to control games in the Championship."
However, Accies fans never got a glimpse of Thomson as he failed to feature in any of Hamilton's squads this season.
On Thomson's exit, Rankin said: "Reagan was here and it didn't work out. I'm looking for people who can come in and make an impact straight away and I didn't see that materialising, the way it was going with him.
"So it was best for both parties that we let Reagan go and try to progress his career somewhere else."
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Asked if he felt Thomson was currently fit enough to play, Rankin said: "That is somebody else's call now, but he wasn't fit enough, in my eyes, to play here."
Rankin had been aware of the player from his days at Queen's Park, which earned him a move to the Magpies in 2020 at the age of 16, and it remains to be seen where his future lies.
Rankin warned Thomson he would need to step it up if he was going to feature when he signed in August.
He said at the time: ""He has got the ability to go and control games in the Championship, but he also has something you don't see in many youngsters these days - he's streetwise and knows how to look after himself.
"He is a left-sided midfielder, very competitive, very good on the ball, aggressive in the turnover and, not only that, but he's got an eye for a pass.
"He's well behind fitness-wise, so it's down to him to get himself in the side."
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