Anthony Stokes says that helping Hibs to win the Scottish Cup surpassed lifting the league title with Celtic, but he knows that he can’t live on past glories and he will have to hit the ground running to keep the fans off his back.
The former Arsenal, Sunderland, Celtic and Blackburn striker returned to Easter Road for the third time despite more financially lucrative offers from abroad and he believes that he has made the right move.
He also insists that the current squad is stronger than the cup winning side thanks to the acquisition of internationals like former Celtic team mate Efe Ambrose and Steven Whittaker and he is looking to finish in the top four.
Stokes said: “The first time I lifted the SPL trophy with Celtic, I didn’t think anything could surpass that.
“I think it was the whole thing at Hibs, the build up and the fact that it had dragged out so long. The scenes that day when you win it sinks in but the next day, the turn out in Edinburgh and the parade made it so special.
“I’ve never experienced anything like that in football before. That probably does surpass just surpass it with Celtic.
“I can’t live off everything I’ve done in the past with Hibs. If I go two or three games and I don’t perform the fans will be on my back and that’s just the way football is.
“I’m really looking forward to being back. I though long and hard about it and was weighing up my options but everything about the move or me it’s the right thing at the right time.
“I’ve had a couple of options abroad but when I thought about it, having not played last year, I just want to get my football back on track so everything appealed to me coming back to this club.
“I’ve been working hard in the background trying to get my fitness and as much sharpness as I can in training. I don’t feel a million miles off. My general fitness is good it’s just getting my touch on the ball.
“The season I played in the Championship we seemed to excel against SPL teams, beating 90% of them. I know we got beat by Ross County in the cup final but on the whole we played better against them.
“Everything about the club is going in the right direction.I just want to focus on getting as fit as I can and getting into the team.
“I think Hibs should be targeting top four. You need to be ambitious and look up to the top of the table, but that’s only my personal opinion.
“Lenny (Neil Lennon) is a big part of it. I’ve probably played my most consistent football under him so I want to get my career back on track.
“The team is stronger than the one I left, with Efe (Ambrose) and Whits (Steven Whittaker) coming in, who are both good, experienced international players and the have kept a good core of players from the last season as well”
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
