Canning Steps Up For Accies

Photo by Jeff Holmes Martin Canning has been appointed interim player-coach at Hamilton, the Lanarkshire club have confirmed. The 33-year-old defender takes over from Alex Neil who was announced as manager of Norwich on Friday. Accies vice chairman Ronnie MacDonald released a statement which confirmed Neil's departure and Canning's promotion from captain, where his first duty will be to prepare the team for the visit of Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership on Monday. The statement read: "The club has had confirmation from Alex Neil and Norwich City that an agreement between them has been successfully concluded, and we can now confirm his departure from Accies. "Alex has been a player here since June 2005, skippering the side to the First Division championship in 2008, followed by three seasons in the top flight, and player/manager since April 2013, winning promotion via the play-offs last May and into what has been a successful Premiership campaign to date. "He goes with the very best wishes of everyone here at New Douglas Park for continued success. "In the meantime current team captain Martin Canning will assume the player-coach role and take charge of first-team duties in the interim period, with Frankie McAvoy continuing to act as assistant for the time being. "It is expected that Frankie will follow Alex to Norwich in due course. Please join with us in wishing Alex and Norwich every success, and please continue with your great backing this season and give your full support to Martin and Frankie and the team at Monday's home match versus Dundee United."