LEIGH GRIFFITHS believes that Anthony Stokes would be a welcome re-addition to the Hoops squad after watching the Irish forward rip the Rangers defence apart in the William Hill Scottish Cup Final.

The forward has been on-loan at the Leith club since January but with Celtic still holding a one-year option on his contract, it remains to be seen if he has a future at the Parkhead side under Brendan Rodgers.

Griffiths was at Hampden to see Hibs end their 114-year hoodoo and lift the Scottish Cup, and he has admitted that he was impressed by the performance of Stokes, who gave James Tavernier a torrid afternoon.

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“Everybody said he was playing poorly for Hibs but you saw what he was capable of in the final,” said Griffiths.

Glasgow Times: Hibernian's Anthony Stokes scored his side's second as James Tavernier loses him at a corner

“He scored two goals while there was a stat saying he had more chances himself than the whole Rangers team.

“I thought he was outstanding and he deserved his man of the match award. I played up front with him when I first came to the club.”

Meanwhile, Griffiths is also looking forward to the regular joust that will come with going head-to-head against Rangers next season, although there was a hint of mischief about the striker when he claimed he was looking forward to a clean sweep of victories over the Ibrox side next season.

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“Next season we will try to go for the clean sweep by trying to get at least three victories,” said the striker, alluding, perhaps, to the fact that teams who do not finish in the top six do not play four games against the same sides.

Asked if there was a score to settle after Rangers beat Celtic on a penalty shoot-out after the William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final in April, Griffiths said: “No, I think the score is 1-1. We played one of our worst games of the season and drew over 120 minutes. If we had taken our chances we would have been through to a Scottish Cup Final. Penalties are a lottery.”

Glasgow Times: Leigh Griffiths is awarded the Ladbrokes player of the season trophy.

And while Rodgers has been credited with bolstering season ticket sales this summer at Celtic Park, Griffiths believes that Rangers in the top flight has also bolstered the box office appeal for the club and the Scottish game.

“It is not just the new managerial appointment,” he said. “With Rangers back in the league as well that has boosted things.

“It will be good to have the Old Firm derbies back next year and everybody will be looking forward to that as well.”

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The striker, though, is looking forward to getting his teeth into the challenge of getting Celtic through the notoriously difficult qualifiers and into the group stages of the UEFA Champions League.

“I’m just looking to get up and running,” he said.

“I want to see what style of football the manager wants to play and what formation he wants to use.

“Most importantly, we have competitive games straight away.

“The Champions League qualifiers are the first ones up and hopefully we can make it third time lucky this season by getting into the group stages.”