Callum Smith says Hamilton are aiming to hush their social media critics when they take on Dundee United on Saturday.

The Accies squad have faced a barrage of flak in recent days after following up their humiliating 8-0 hammering from Rangers with another mortifying loss to League Two part-timers Stranraer as they crashed out of the Betfred Cup.

Boss Brian Rice was even confronted by angry supporters after their Ibrox massacre, with the footage shared online.

Striker Smith understands the fans’ frustrations but hopes to turn the social media abuse into adulation by firing Hamilton to victory at Tannadice.

He said: “You’ve got to expect criticism. The fans are not going to be happy after what we’ve gone through lately but the players are not happy either.

“We know what they’re feeling, we know their pain.

“We’ve just got to stick to what we’re doing and not get to caught up in the social media side of it, because if we do then the confidence will drain away.

“We just need to stay as positive as we can and I’m sure results will turn.

“I am on social media but I don’t post a lot but I do have a quick look at what’s being said now and again. I try not to look at the negative comments but you can see why the fans aren’t happy.

“Sometimes if you’re getting tagged in messages then they just pop up on your phone. That’s hard to avoid but I don’t go looking for it.

“We take the criticism on board, we’re not hiding away from it. We know it’s not been good enough.

“A lot of the boys will look at Saturday’s game as a chance to silence the critics and I would too if I’m getting stick. You want to change the narrative. I’d rather have good stuff written about me rather the bad stuff.”

Accies – who sit bottom of the table, a point behind St Mirren – have shipped on average almost three goals a game this term.

Yet they have outscored teams above them like fourth-placed Dundee United, St Johnstone, Ross County and the Buddies.

And Smith has backed his side to fight their way out of trouble once they solve their defensive problems.

He said: “We know it’s not been good enough lately but we just need to try to keep the back door shut as we have been scoring goals.

“I’m sure we can turn it around pretty quickly.

“We know we have the players to do it. Even though we’ve been getting beat, the confidence is still quite high. We believe we can turn it around.”