HAMILTON ACCIES were last night toasting a lucrative transfer deadline day without even doing any business … courtesy of ex-player James McArthur.

The former New Douglas Park midfielder sealed a £7million move from Wigan to Barclays Premier League side Crystal Palace.

That will net Accies a significant six-figure sum thanks to a sell-on clause that was included in the deal that took McArthur from Hamilton to the Lancashire side in 2010.

It was a smart piece of business by chairman Les Gray. The club also profited from a similar situation a year ago when Everton paid £13m for another former Accies and Wigan star, James McCarthy.

McArthur, 26, joined the Scotland squad for this weekend's Euro 2016 qualifier with Germany after penning a three-year deal at Selhurst Park.

Writing on Twitter, he thanked Wigan for "an amazing four years, and added: "They will always have a place in my heart but time for new chapter with Crystal Palace."

McArthur became Palace's second deadline day signing following the capture of Zeki Fryers from Tottenham.

The 21-year-old left-back joined on a three-year deal.He started at Manchester United but made only two Barclays Premier League appearances for them before moving to Standard Liege in Belgium.

He signed for Spurs in 2013 but couldn't establish himself at White Hart Lane. Now a fee of £3m sees the England Under-19s star move across London.

McArthur and Fryers were brought in by new Palace manager Neil Warnock, who returned for a second stint managing the club last week.