Stokes raring to go

New boy hopeful of starting with a bang

Last updated: 6th September 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Stokes raring to go

Stokes: Aiming for goals

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New Celtic striker Anthony Stokes is hopeful he will make his debut against Hearts in the SPL this weekend.

The Republic of Ireland international signed a four-year deal with the Hoops from Hibernian on transfer deadline day for a reported £1.2million.

Manager Neil Lennon has signed Stokes to give the team a more clinical approach up front, and Stokes was confident he could fulfil his manager's wishes by finding the net on his debut should he play.

"The gaffer just wants goals," Stokes said on Celtic's official website.

"He just said to me to do what I did at Hibs, stay in the box and get on the end of things, and it's up to me to put him in a position where I have to play.

Competition

"I know that at a club like Celtic there's competition all over the pitch.

"It's down to me to do well in training and force the gaffer into a decision.

"I've been watching Celtic this season and obviously it has been very disappointing in Europe but three wins so far and three clean sheets in the league, it couldn't really have gone much better.

"The international break has been good in a way because it gave me another match to get fit for the Hearts game, but I would rather be going straight into training.

"I know the main thing for me is to keep my head down, work my socks off and get myself in the team, and I'm sure the goals will take care of themselves after that."