Canning expects 'real lift' at Hamilton after Andreu return

Martin Canning is delighted to have Tony Andreu back in a Hamilton shirt.

The French forward has returned on loan from Coventry until the end of the season.

Andreu, 30, played a pivotal role in Accies' promotion season in 2013-14 by scoring 13 league goals before leaving to join former Hamilton manager Alex Neil at Norwich in 2015.

He had loan spells at Rotherham and Dundee United before joining Coventry on a permanent deal in the summer of 2017.

Ahead of the William Hill Scottish Cup clash with St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park on Saturday, Canning, who played alongside Andreu at Hamilton, told the club's official website: Naturally we're delighted to bring Tony back to the club. It's a signing that will give everyone around the place a real lift.

We wanted to add quality at the top end of the pitch and we know Tony has that.

I obviously know him well and I'm looking forward to working with him again - he's a top professional with a great attitude and he's only going to drive up the standard among the group in training and in games.

We know we need players who can contribute straight away and that's what we're adding.

When you've a guy like Tony in your side and on the pitch, you always know he's capable of scoring a goal.''

Hamilton's last trip to Perth in November saw them lose 4-0 in the league with a performance that Canning knows will need to be improved upon if they are to get through the cup tie.

The former Accies defender said: It is a difficult one away to St Johnstone but one we know we can compete in.

Our record there isn't great of late.

We have to do better than we did in the league, that's for sure - we lost the game there in a poor manner.

We know we need to compete, we know St Johnstone do that really well and then they have the quality as well.

If we don't match that first and foremost we are not going to win the game and hopefully we have the quality to put the ball in the net.'

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