Sorry Sarris will be given second chance, says Canning
Canning said the defender would not play for the club again
Hamilton boss Martin Canning insists it would have been spiteful not to give errant Georgios Sarris a second chance with Accies.
Canning had stated that the Greek centre-back would not play for the club again after being booked at the final whistle in a 1-0 defeat at Partick Thistle last month after reacting angrily to a collision with Jags striker Miles Storey.
However, after Sarris requested a meeting and offered an apology, Canning performed a U-turn and the defender has been reinstated, returning to the Hamilton squad for the visit of Dundee in the Ladbrokes Premiership on Saturday.
"I met Georgios on Monday and his agent has been on the phone continually over the course of the window,'' said the Accies manager, who revealed the club had agreed a deal with Aberdeen for club captain Michael Devlin,
"Georgios was very apologetic for the way he acted and wanted to have another opportunity. He was very humble and sorry for the way he acted.
"It is something as a club we have generally done in terms of giving people a second chance.
"I read things after the game that there were bust-ups in the changing room and there was this and there was that, but there was nothing in the changing room after the game.
"It was purely on the pitch, we were disappointed as a club. Georgios wasn't acting in a manner that was befitting of the club and we took a stance to say that is not going to be unacceptable.
"But Georgios has been very apologetic.
"For me, it would probably be spiteful for me to say, 'No, I have made my decision, it is not going to be'.
"I think the right thing to do was listen to what Georgios had to say and I was more than comfortable bringing him back.''
With Devlin set to move to Pittodrie and midfielder Greg Docherty having confirmed his move to Rangers on Thursday night, Canning finds his squad shorn of two of their best players, albeit his skipper has been working his way back from a long-term cruciate ligament injury.
The former Hamilton defender said: "Michael is similar to Greg, they have both come through here.
"It is sad when these guys move on, but it is also the club doing its job properly in bringing kids through the academy who move on.''
After a 3-0 home defeat by Hearts in midweek, Canning is looking to get back on track against Dundee.
He said: "It was a sore one the other night and we have to cut out the mistakes. That has got to be the end of them.'