Soccerstarz - Anthony Stokes Figurine (Celtic)

Anthony Stokes is an Irish professional footballer who plays as astriker for Scottish Premier League club Celtic and the Republic ofIreland national football team.

Stokes began his senior career with Arsenal, but established himselfwith a successful loan spell with Falkirk in 2006, scoring 14 goals in16 SPL games. Stokes then signed for Sunderland in a 2 million deal,but he struggled to hold down a place in the Sunderland first team. Hemoved back to Scottish football when Hibernian signed him for 500,000in August 2009. He again enjoyed success in the SPL, scoring over 20goals in his only full season with Hibs.

Stokes moved to boyhood heroes Celtic shortly after the start of thefollowing season, for a fee of around 1.2 million.

On 31 August 2010, Stokes signed a four year contract with Celtic.Stokes made his Celtic debut on 11 September 2010, in a 3-0 win againstHearts. He scored his first goal for the club in his second appearanceon 19 September, the winning goal in a 2-1 victory against Kilmarnock.Stokes scored a brace in a League Cup tie, against Inverness in a 6-0win and another double in the quarter final against St. Johnstone in a3-2 win. On 6 November, Stokes recorded his first hat-trick for Celticin an SPL record 9-0 victory over Aberdeen.

After scoring a 90th minute penalty in 1-1 draw at New Douglas Parkwith Hamilton on 12 January 2011, Stokes entered a rich vein of form,scoring another penalty and an over-the-shoulder volley in a 3-0 win atEaster Road against Hibernian three days later. He rounded thegoalkeeper and scored the winner in a 1-0 home win against Aberdeen thefollowing week. He scored from a free-kick and a tap-in from a goodrefereeing advantage in a 4-0 home thrashing of Hearts on 26 Januaryand kept his cool from the spot and scored another penalty in a 4-1 winat Hampden Park in the semi-final of the League Cup against Aberdeen.