MARTIN CANNING, the Hamilton manager, is confident Alex Neil can complete a dream double and lead Norwich to promotion this season, twelve months after guiding Accies to Scotland's top flight via the play-offs.

The former New Douglas Park boss could secure a third-place finish in the English Championship this weekend as the Canaries play their final game of the season at home to Fulham. After coming up just short of automatic promotion to the Premier League, Norwich will look to emerge victorious in the play-offs, with the final set to be played at Wembley next month, as Neil aims to cap a remarkable start to his managerial career.

The 33-year-old inspired Hamilton to the Premiership as they beat Hibernian last year and his friend and former team-mate hopes there will be another milestone to add to his impressive CV in the coming weeks.

"I think he can get them promoted," Canning said. "He has got a good squad and Alex is great at what he does. He came through the play-offs with us last year so it would be great if he could do it at that level. It would be a huge achievement for him.

"It would be great. From a personal point of view, he would be delighted. But he is so focused and driven, he won't be thinking about himself. He will just be thinking about getting the club up and getting them into the Premier League."

Both Canning and Neil have kept close tabs on each other since the defender replaced his friend in the dugout in January. The loss of Tony Andreu to the Canaries just days after Neil's departure has proven costly for Canning as his side have fallen down the Premiership standings in the second half of the season. But there could be movement in the other direction come the summer as Neil considers sending some of his young players to New Douglas Park on loan.

"We have spoken a few times about it," Canning said. "We speak regularly and it is something we have discussed. Alex knows it is a good club to send kids to and they will get an opportunity to play. It is something we have talked about and if it were to happen that would be great."

After ending his wait for a win as manager at the 14th attempt last Friday night as Motherwell were beaten 2-0, Canning is aiming to lead Hamilton to a seventh-place finish in the coming weeks. Thoughts have already turned to next season, though, as he looks for new additions to enhance the group he has at his disposal.

"It is similar to last year," he said. "The majority are under contract and it is a good squad. We have lost three or four so it is about trying to add three or four guys with experience and quality to improve the squad.

"We have lost key players and the biggest challenge in the summer will be trying to replace those key players and get guys in that can come straight in and make a difference."