Hamilton Accies academy director George Cairns says Lewis Ferguson didn’t need to thank him when he sealed a dream move to Italy – but did anyway.
Cairns says it’s a mark of the man and his family that he reached out to him following his move from Aberdeen to Bologna in Serie A.
Midfield ace Ferguson 22, came through the youth set-up at New Douglas Park before moving to Aberdeen in 2018.
And Cairns says the Scotland star is an example for the current crop of youngsters that hard work can take you all the way in football.
Cairns said: “It’s a fantastic move for Lewis, and he sent me a lovely text when he signed thanking myself.
“He didn’t need to thank me, Lewis has been a great player.
“When I had him here I had high hopes for Lewis, and Lewis had a fantastic attitude towards getting better, learning, and the pitfalls of making mistakes and doing the wrong things.
“I have nothing but praise for Lewis. On and off the park he’s a fantastic kid. I speak to his dad [former Rangers and Hearts star Derek] when he comes to commentate on games, and they’re a great family, he’s a great kid, and I love to see him doing well.
“Hopefully I’ll take a game in over there and go and watch him.”
Cairns added: “We have pictures all over the stadium, and they are there for kids to see, and think ‘could I be the next one’ and ‘he’s made it’.
“Lewis has done very well, coming through our academy, and is a great player.
“Having been let go at under-14s at Rangers, and now he’s had a fantastic move and is now playing in another environment, another brand of football, which he can only go and learn from.
“That can only be beneficial for our international squads that he can go and learn different things.”
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