Dumbarton manager Stevie Aitken has challenged returning striker Christian Nade to repeat the same form he showed during his spell at the club last season.

The 32-year-old left the Sons in the summer to join Stranraer, but he will now team up with Aitken again after training with his squad for the last two weeks.

And Aitken is hoping he can find the same scoring touch he did last season, when he bagged seven goals in just 12 appearances.

“Christian’s been great since he came back,” Aitken said. “He went to Stranraer and it didn’t really work out, but that can happen to any player when they just don’t really settle somewhere.

“He has got a good relationship with the supporters here and a lot of affection from them as well as the players, and I thought it was a good fit for him last year.

“We’ll see how it goes this year. He’s been in training with us for the last two or three weeks and he’s been looking really good and we’re delighted that we’ve managed to get him tied up.

“He was terrific for us in the four months we had him, and if he can produce some of that again we’ll be delighted.”

Aitken is hoping that the Nade isn’t the only arrival at the Cheaper Insurance Direct Stadium this month, after Ryan Stevenson and Joe Thomson both left the club for Championship rivals.

“We had to strengthen the striking area, there was no doubt about that,” he said. “Garry Fleming has done brilliantly as our main striker, but you can’t just go with one striker.

“We know we still have to strengthen and we think we need another three players, and we’ll be working hard to do that.

“Ryan Stevenson left at the weekend to sign for Raith Rovers and Joe Thomson left to go to Queen of the South which we’re disappointed about.

“I think there’s no doubt we need some more bodies in for the second half of the season.”

While disappointed to see star summer signing Stevenson leave the club, Aitken understood the reasons behind his departure.

“Ryan is a good professional and he felt he still had a couple of years left in him as a full-time player and I can get that completely,” he said.

“He gave us great effort, popped up with some great goals and we wish him all the best at his new club.”