FORMER Celtic striker Anthony Stokes could make a sensational comeback – with Lowland League club East Kilbride.
The 31-year-old Republic of Ireland international is a free agent after being released by Iranian side Persepolis earlier this year.
One of Stokes’ last appearance in Scottish football was to score two goals for Hibs in their dramatic 3-2 Scottish Cup Final triumph over Mark Warburton’s Ibrox side at Hampden in 2016.
Incoming Hoops boss Brendan Rodgers did not take up the 12-month option on the frontman’s contract when he returned from his loan deal at the Easter Road oufit.
Tony Mowbray took him to Blackburn Rovers. It didn’t work out and he returned to play 18 games for the Leith outfit before being moved on by current Hoops boss Neil Lennon during his reign at the Edinburgh club.
Now ambitious EK boss Steve Aitken has set hiss sights on Stokes after persuading former top-flight players such as Chris Erskine and Paul Paton to join the club this summer.
He told Lanarkshire Live Sport: “I’ve not spoken to him (Stokes), but would we speak to him if we could bring something to it?
“Yes we would. If we could make a pitch and a deal could be done, we would do it.
“There is no doubt that if we think this is the player we want then we would make the move.
“We have to be realistic enough to realise that Anthony Stokes is an international player.
“He will have a host of clubs looking at him.
“There might be a rumour going about, but it’s certainly not someone I’ve spoken to at this point.”
Stokes began his career at Arsenal in 2005 and also had a spell at Sunderland during the time of Roy Keane.
The once-prolific hitman is now at the crossroads.
