Hamill enjoys a trip to the seaside

Joe Hamill returned home to Livingston last month in good time to help the West Lothian club’s push for the Second Division title.  Hamill has done a fair amount of travelling during his career that started at Heart of Midlothian before moving to Leicester City and then back over the border to Livingston before being loaned to Queen of the South.

Hamill’s latest move was to Sweden, ironically under Lee Makel’s tutelage at Ostersunds, however, he is now back and determined to do well.

The 26-year-old was asked where his wandering had begun and he advised: “I was brought up in Airdrie and played youth football at Holytown and East Stirling before being signed up by Hearts. I spent six or seven years there and featured a good few times in the first team.

“I even scored the winning goal at Ibrox one time against Rangers although that does seem a long time ago.”

The winner was actually only scored in May 2004 and fifteen months later, Hamill was hitting the road for Leicester City as current Scotland Manager and his former boss at Tynecastle, Craig Levein, took him to the Walker’s Stadium.

Hamill said: “I spent nearly a season down there and I actually really enjoyed it although I did not feature much after Craig left.

“My wife, Gemma, and I stayed in a fairly remote part of the country and she was expecting our first baby so that and a lack of games made us decide to come home to Scotland.”

An old friend came to his rescue as Hamill got the chance to play for then First Division Livingston in August 2006.

He explained: “John Robertson took me to Livi which was great as I knew him when he was the Manager at Hearts.”

At first, all was well as Hamill recalled: “The first couple of seasons all went okay and I was playing regularly but then I got injured.

“When I was back able to play, the club had been placed in the Third Division and I played a few games before moving to Queen of the South on loan.”

The move back to the First Division was one he enjoyed as he explained: “Gordon Chisholm took me there and Steve Tosh moved to Livingston on loan in return.  I had to fight to get a starting place in their side and I was really pleased with how I went about things down there.

“Gordon left to go to Dundee in March and his assistant, Kenny Brannigan, took over and I really enjoyed working with him.  Kenny was great with me and would tell you things in such an honest manner that you could not fail to be impressed by him.”

A deal to move to Palmerston on a permanent basis was being struck last summer however, Hamill could not sign on the dotted line.

He explained what happened: “I live in Edinburgh and travelled to play with Queen of the Season last season with Marvyn Andrews, so it was good to have company and share the cost of getting to Glasgow for training every day.

“Marvyn left the club and I would have been doing that journey on my own every day. The cost of that and the time involved meant that the deal was just not right. I turned down the offer and started concentrating on Livingston again.

“They had done really well when I was away at Queens, winning the Third Division title, and being promoted so it was no hardship to go back there.”

Fate played a hand before Hamill could don Livingston colours again as former Livi favourite Makel was on the look out for an experienced midfielder for the Swedish side he now coached.  He turned to The Braidwood Motor Company Stadium club to take Hamill on loan however, the first attempt to take the player to Scandinavia failed.

Hamill explained: “The deal fell through at their end so I just got on with things and I was actually on the team bus travelling to take on Ross County in a Co-operative Insurance Cup tie when I was told the deal was back on.

“I had spoken to our striker Robbie Winters, who had played in Norway for a number of years and had done really well, about moving abroad and he was all for it.  He told me to take the chance of playing in a different environment as it would help my game.”

Wife Gemma and son Taylor stayed in Scotland with Hamill saying: “My good lady was expecting our second child and she could not fly over but we kept in touch through the internet and on Skype. Taylor was desperate to come over and see me play but we never quite managed that.

“It was good to keep in touch that way and it also ensured I was up-to-date with news of baby number two.”

The Hamill family were reunited when daughter Kiara was born just before the end of the Swedish football season in December with the midfielder explaining: “I was able to fly back for Kiara being born and it was great of Lee to ensure that I could come and go at Ostersunds during that time.  I missed our second last game of the season but Lee asked me to go back for the final game and I did.

“I knew Lee from our times at Hearts and Livi and he was a great help to me over there.  He was playing as well as coaching out there and from what I saw, he will do a fine job for Cowdenbeath in the First Division.”

Hamill went from a high off the field to a low on it as his Swedish side, that also included the former Hibernian and Partick Thistle striker Damon Gray (who has just returned to Scotland and signed once more for Berwick Rangers), were relegated.

Hamill added: “I was really gutted when we went down and it was a disappointing way for my time there to end.”

The New Year brought a return to Livingston and a fight to win back his place as he explained: “I came back and Livingston were doing really well again and were top of the Second Division.  I spoke to the Manager Gary Bollan and he made me feel very welcome about being back.  He was also up front and told me I was not guaranteed a place.

“I have worked my way back in and have started the last few games, including the 2-0 win over Brechin, where the whole team put on a great performance.”

The Second Division leaders go looking for revenge against an Ayr United side that defeated them at Somerset Park earlier in the season with Hamill saying: “This is a massive game and we will need to be at our best to take anything.

“I saw Ayr on TV play against Hibs and when you look at their squad, they are mostly experienced players that have played in the First Division.”

Hamill was asked if his roots were now firmly planted and he advised: “I would try football abroad again but only if I could take the family with me. It will not be easy as Taylor is settled in nursery and due to start school but you never know.

At the moment, a trip to the seaside to face Ayr is getting my full attention.