Hamilton Accies star uses injury time out to bulk up and target adding goals to his game

Accies ace Marley Redfern has revealed he’s put his short spell on the sidelines to good use by working on bulking up and trying to add goals to his game.

The 19-year-old from Wishaw suffered a hamstring strain during a 2-2 draw with Partick Thistle on January 8, but now he is back in contention for a starting slot after a return to fitness.

He has been working closely with gaffer Stuart Taylor, the club’s sports scientists and analysis teams to improve his all-round game in recent weeks, and hopes it will start to pay off in upcoming games.

Redfern, who made a late substitute appearance in a 0-0 draw with Raith on February 5 but wasn’t used in last midweek’s 2-2 draw at Arbroath, said: “I was out with my hamstring for three or four weeks, so we’ve been working really closely with the gaffer and the sports scientist team as well.

“I’ve been doing upper body stuff, trying to get bigger.

“I’m still young but I can still improve, so I’ve been working really hard on that side of things. Specific programmes with the sports scientists to build up.

“Goals is the thing we’ve been looking at as well, trying to set a target to boost my numbers.

“We are working with the analysis team closely and we are looking to improve that.

“Now I’m back, I’m looking to help the team out. It would be good for me to get that [goals] but if I can help the team out with assists as well, hopefully we can push up the table as much as possible.”

Redfern spent most of last season out on loan at Blackburn United in the East of Scotland League, making just one Accies outing in the final game of last season - a 2-0 defeat at home to Kilmarnock that confirmed relegation to the Championship.

However, the midfielder has been a mainstay in Taylor’s team this