Ex-Celtic star cut loose by SPFL club after just one month

The former Celtic star striker has been cut loose by the SPFL side with no appearances after signing for them just a few weeks ago on August 22.

It has not been a good week for the former Celtic star. With news breaking yesterday of his impending release from Livingston, it now appears that Anthony Stokes could be without a club in the coming days.

The 32-year-old Irishman seems set to depart the North Midlothian club after signing for them just a few weeks ago on August 22, apparently after “struggling to adapt to training” in regards to Livingston’s artificial pitch surface. This struggle to adapt lead to the striker having yet to make an appearance for the club, likely adding to his desire to leave the club.

Livingston has struggled mightily thus far this season, sitting eleventh in the league table currently with just five points through seven appearances, with a match at Celtic Park upcoming on Saturday.

Having struggled to find consistency with a club since departing Celtic in 2016, Stokes has scored 29 goals in 72 appearances for seven different clubs in that span including Blackburn Rovers, Hibernian, and stops in Greece, Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Iran.

He began his career with Arsenal before being loaned to Falkirk in 2006, where he would win the SPL’s Young Player of the Month twice that season and scored 16 goals in 18 appearances.

Spending six seasons at Parkhead between 2010 and 2016, Stokes scored 76 goals in 191 appearances for the side with another nine in 25 while on loan from Glasgow to Hibernian in his last season.

He was a big part of the club’s success from 2011 to 2015, helping the Hoops win four straight league titles (beginning their current streak of nine, with an upcoming historic tenth), two Scottish Cups, and one League Cup.

While it is highly unlikely he makes a return to Parkhead under the current situation, it would be interesting to see a former Parkhead star return to take a role (however minor) in the club’s historic campaign for 10IAR.