HAMILTON took Inverness Caledonian Thistle’s Championship spot with a comprehensive two-legged promotion play-off win.
Duncan Ferguson’s side will drop to League One after the 5-3 aggregate drubbing – inspired by Accies’ striker Kevin O’Hara.
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His two goals in the second leg in the Highlands added to the bizarre strike in Lanarkshire – credited as a Mark Ridgers own goal – and propelled his side back up at the first attempt.
Accies dropped down via the play-offs last season with a home defeat – on penalties – to Airdrie.
But this time it was Duncan Ferguson’s team on the receiving end – and the big-name boss copped an unwanted record as his team slipped down a division.
Ferguson already holds the perhaps unwanted record of being sent off the most times in English Premier League.
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His count of eight red cards is shared with Patrick Vieira and Richard Dunne.
But he has another ignominious note on his record in light of the Caley Jags’ plight.
He’s now taken TWO clubs down in as many seasons.
Inverness is his second full-time management post having been axed from Forest Green Rovers at the start of the season.
That followed the Cotswolds club being relegated to League Two under the ex-Rangers and Everton striker’s leadership last May.
Now a second relegation agony has followed after his big-name recruitment.
He made a winning start and initially lifted the Highlanders after replacing Billy Dodds in September.
But Caley were eventually beaten into ninth by Queen‘s Park as each of the relegation threatened Championship sides made management changes.
Ferguson said: “It is disappointing – gut-wrenching really.
“We look back and think we’re a good team. We were three points away from fifth, but in the end when you go into the play-offs, it’s anyone’s.
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“Whether I am here next season will be down to the owner and the chairman.
“We are absolutely gutted but the damage was done before I got here.
“My record as manager of this club puts me fifth. That’s my message.”
But O’Hara dashed that inside the first ten minutes. Lewis Smith added a second before the Jags could pull one back through Cammy Kerr.
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O’Hara’s penalty put one foot in the second tier and even though Alex Samuel pulled a late one back, it wasn’t enough to save Ferguson’s side from the drop.
Although he has an unwanted disciplinary and relegation tag Ferguson DID once boast the record for most headed goals in the EPL – but Harry Kane overtook his tally four years ago.
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