Unacceptable

ROSS COUNTY v HAMILTON Canning fury at Accies fan who abused skipper Devlin in front of his family after Well defeat

TEAM NEWS

MARTIN CANNING insists he won’t stand for his players being personally abused after a heart-to-heart with shattered skipper Mikey Devlin.

Hamilton have launched an investigation before deciding what punishment to dish out to the yob who berated Devlin in front of his family after Saturday’s Motherwell defeat.

Canning expects criticism but the supporter stepped over the mark with the Accies boss adamant it was unfair given the shift his players put in during the 1-0 Lanarkshire derby loss.

He said: “They don’t expect and won’t accept getting abused when they are coming off a pitch and neither will I for putting in an honest, hardworking shift.

“It’s even harder to take when it’s someone like Michael. He’s the captain but regardless of who it was I wouldn’t care.

“It’s disappointing when somebody lets the fans down and does something like that. If you go around 99 per cent of them they get behind the team and want us to do well and win.

“As far as I know the person hasn’t been in touch with the club. Michael was excellent in the game. He won everything and was dominant – he defended really well.

“So I don’t know where it has come from or if it was a personal thing or whatever – I just know it shouldn’t have happened. It wasn’t pleasant for him and it’s one fan who has let himself down by getting personal with a player – that should never happen.

“Michael came and spoke to me and we had a chat about ROSS COUNTY have no fresh injuries with Ian McShane set to make his first appearance since December.

Hamilton also have no added worries as they head to the Highlands.

County squad: Hamilton squad: it. As far as I know the security people saw who it was.

“We’ll wait and see what happens with it. It’s natural Michael came to speak to me.

“If anything like that happens, whether it’s at the ground or something that happened on his way home on Saturday night, he would come to see me about it.

“At different points of the season I’ve taken it as well and as a manager you kind of expect it and can take it.

“But the players are out there working their socks off for this club week in, week out. We’re a small club and the boys do a fantastic job.”

Hamilton slipped into the relegation play-off spot but a win at Ross County tonight and defeat for Well to Kilmarnock would lift them up to 10th.

Canning added: “If the fans feel they are getting short-changed by the effort on the pitch then I could accept a little bit from the stands. Nothing personal but they are going to give a bit and I’d take that as well. It’s part of the game.

“But one thing you could never accuse Hamilton of is the players not giving their all for the club – that’s something we’ve had since I’ve been here. With every player the first thing I look at is their attitude and mentality.

“We’re a small club and the one thing we need to have is warriors and fighters. And that’s what we’ve got on the pitch.”

Canning insists Accies fans are right to demand a winning team despite one of the smallest budgets in the top flight.

He said: “I wouldn’t say the fans have unrealistic expectations because regardless of what league you’re in or club you’re at they want their team to win.

“You could put us in the Champions League and the fans would want us to go and win the game – that’s just fans.

“They want to see us winning games and we’re capable of beating the likes of Motherwell and Kilmarnock, so they are quite within their rights to expect us to go out there and win.

“Sometimes it doesn’t happen though. That’s football – there has to be a winner and a loser. If it’s through a lack of effort then I can understand the disappointment on the fans’ behalf but I don’t think that’s something you can ever say about our players.”