After hanging on to their place in the Scottish Premiership last season by just seven points, it seemed that 2017 would be the year that Hamilton finally conceded defeat. The struggling club managed just seven wins in 38 matches, with relegation seemingly guaranteed.
With just one game left to play, the club sat in last place, which would have meant automatic relegation should they have fail to grab a result in their final game. Yet, an impressive 4-0 victory over Dundee FC right at the last meant that they would get the chance to redeem themselves in the relegation play-offs.
That they did, albeit by a very narrow margin. It took Martin Canning’s side 154 minutes to break the deadlock against Dundee United. However, a goal from Greg Docherty eventually secured their place in the top flight for another year, taking their record-breaking Premiership stay for four seasons.
Hamilton will be celebrating for some weeks, but Canning will be straight back to work following his side’s huge victory. They may have survived the play-offs, but there has been little else for the club to celebrate this season.
They may not have the budget to drastically improve their squad in the transfer market. Yet, we saw in their last game of the season that they have the ability and determination to win matches. If they put in the same level of performance every week, Hamilton wouldn't be fighting for their safety come May.
To do that, the club would need to change their mindset. The manager and players have spoken positively of the club’s ability to consistently avoid relegation, but in doing so they are selling themselves short. They achieved a seventh place finish in 2014/15 and could do so again with a little bit of desire.
Thankfully, their safety means that Canning will be sticking around for a third season as the club’s manager. With the club so close to the suffering relegation, now is not the time for instability. He is slowly but surely building a team at Hamilton, but he must train his team to want more than to simply maintain their current standing.
The club avoided automatic relegation by the skin of their teeth and were lucky not to see a penalty given against them in the final, which could have resulted in a vastly different outcome. Should the club fail to improve, they will continue to face the same problems year in, year out, and it is only so long before their luck runs out.