Easton is due to return to Burnley when his loan expires in the summer

By John Barnes

Hamilton Accies manager Billy Reid wants to keep on-loan defender Brian Easton beyond the end of the season.

Easton moved to Burnley from Accies last summer but failed to keep a first-team place and returned to New Douglas Park in the January transfer window.

But, with Burnley facing relegation from the Premier League in England, Easton's future may lie elsewhere.

"Would we like him to come back here next season? You bet we would," Reid told BBC Scotland.

However, there is a worry that a knee injury may sideline Easton for the rest of this season.

"We sent him for a scan yesterday and will wait for the results," Reid said.

Kyle Wilkie has done pretty well this season in the games he's played Hamilton Accies manager Billy Reid

"I think he will certainly miss Saturday's game against Falkirk. I'm hoping it isn't any longer, but I think for Brian it could be 'season over'."

The left-back has made only one Burnley appearance since moving last summer for an initial £350,000 fee.

With Burnley signing Danny Fox from Celtic, Easton was pushed further back in the Turf Moor pecking order.

Easton, has been capped for Under-21 level and has also played for the Scotland B team, was one of the country's brightest prospects when he moved from New Douglas Park.

Reid has complained that Accies poor start to the season was because the high turnover of players meant his side took some to gel.

The Accies manager realises that it might be the same again as a club like his might not be able to reject bids for the likes of midfielder James McArthur and goalkeeper Thomas Cerny.

"People have said do you hope to start with the squad that you have at the moment," said Reid.

"I would love to do that, but we've got four players on loan. There's a lot of noises been made about McArthur and Thomas Cerny, so I don't know if that's the case.

"How do you replace a goalkeeper like Tomas Cerny, who's been sensational?"

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James McCarthy was the most high-profile player to leave last summer, joining Wigan Athletic for £1.2m-plus.

Reid thinks that McCarthy's former midfield team-mate, McArthur, could be the next to leave New Douglas Park but hopes that more from the club's conveyor belt of youth will prove worthy replacements.

"Kyle Wilkie has done pretty well this season in the games he's played," said the manager.

"He played against Dundee United in the middle of the park with McArthur at Tannadice and we won 2-0 that evening. I thought he was exceptional.

"He has played four or five times this season. He's now out of our under-19s and he should be the successor to McArthur."

Hamilton this weekend face bottom-placed Falkirk - the only team in the bottom six yet to lose to Accies this season.

"We've spoken about that with the players," said Reid. "It is quite remarkable.

"We went to Falkirk Stadium the last time and I thought we absolutely battered them at times and, by half time, should have been out of sight and then they have popped up with two stunning goals.

"And they have come here and deserved a point both times, so we have a point to prove."

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