Potential Hamilton Accies investor was put off by fans, claims Colin McGowan

Colin McGowan claims a potential new custodian for the club was found last year – but the fear of flak from fans put them off investing.

The current club owner and former chief executive has been a target of angry fans this season amid the club’s slide down the Championship table.

And he says instances like these have put off potential buyers and investors.

McGowan, who was the subject of a fan banner calling for him to leave the club last month, said: “I am working hard to find a new custodian for the club.

“I am 68-years-old and I won’t be around forever.

“We had somebody who was going to put serious investment into this football club 10 months ago.

“He’s a very wealthy man, but his wife stopped him.

“She was saying if the fans are saying this and that about you, Colin, what are they going to say about my husband? I’m not putting my family through that.

“There’s a small number of fans, some bad apples, that cost the club a lot, it’s a shame.

“For a club that has only got 315 paying supporters [season ticket holders], the board of directors like Ronnie MacDonald and Allan Maitland should have statues made of them for what they have done for this club.

“But we’ve got a lot of keyboard warriors that want to see fault in everything we do and think a club with 315 season ticket holders bringing in £71,000, have a natural right to be in the Scottish Premiership.”

In January this year, Accies chairman Allan Maitland told how a number of fans had been banned from attending matches amid claims of abusive online messages being directed at members of staff.

Hamilton fan group Accies Supporters' Association felt the fan suspensions were unfair, serving only to divide the two parties further in an already turbulent season, and the