Chris Kane is making a name for himself all over again – just ask Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh.
The young St Johnstone striker hit the headlines in the second half of last season when his goalscoring exploits on loan at Dumbarton came close to breaking a club record.
After being farmed back out to the Championship side at the start of this campaign, the 20-year-old got injured and was out of action for two months.
But in his first game back for Ian Murray’s men he hit the net in a nine-goal thriller against Hibernian.
Celebrity Hibs fan Welsh certainly knew all about him when he took to Twitter to curse Kane for turning what was looked to be a stroll in the Dumbarton park for his team into a fraught afternoon.
Kane got to hear about the novelist’s tweet after the game, and put a joke post up saying: “Irvine Welsh doesn’t like me” and posted a screengrab of Irvine’s tweet, with its Francis Begbie-esque language.
@Chriskane1994 Ha ha, I do Chris, well done on the goal mate.
— Irvine Welsh (@IrvineWelsh) November 23, 2014
But back came the reply from one of Edinburgh’s most famous sons (no doubt more relaxed after Hibs saw the game out with a victory): “Ha ha, I do Chris, well done on the goal mate.”
“It was really weird because I didn’t know who he was until I read his profile,” Kane said.
“I knew the name but it wasn’t until I went on his home page I realised who it was.
“I’ve seen Trainspotting, so it’s a bit mental to think that someone like that has Tweeted about you.
“He wasn’t very complimentary at the time but he tweeted me back and was really nice.
“So that was good of him even if the whole thing was a bit mental.
“It’s good to be noticed, though, and hopefully I can keep scoring goals.”
Kane believes that his second loan spell at Dumbarton will keep his career on an upward curve, as this season’s second tier is the strongest ever.
And when he comes back to Perth in January – which Saints boss Tommy Wright has confirmed he will – it will be as an improved player.
“I’ve scored three goals in four matches for Dumbarton this season,” he said.
“So I’ve carried on where I left off last season with them.
“It’s good to know that the manager here at St Johnstone wants me back and is thinking about me.
“But for the meantime I am fully focused on Dumbarton and want to score goals for them before January.
“It has been good for me, even though I’ve missed a few games.
“Knowing the manager, the staff and the boys made it easier to go back because I settled in straight away again.
“The league is really competitive, more than it was last season.
“I missed the games against Rangers and Hearts, but I’ll hopefully be involved when we play them before I come back.
“I was out for eight weeks with a knee injury, which was a surprise because I didn’t think it was that bad when it happened.
“I just got tackled by two players at the same time in the game against Falkirk and it left me with bad bruising.
“Being out was frustrating but I’m back now and looking forward to the rest of the season.”
Comparisons between Kane and St Johnstone’s last striker who benefited from loans spells in the lower leagues, Stevie May, are inevitable.
Wright has always stressed that the two are different types of forward, but Kane has followed May’s lead by hitting the weights to build his upper body strength.
“I have been in the gym during my time out injured and have been trying to bulk up,” he explained.
“I spoke to the physio about it and have been working hard.
“Hopefully it will stand me in good stead.
“People make the comparison with Stevie May because he went on loan and scored goals.
“He was an unbelievable player and will score goals at every level.
“All I can do is try by best when I get back and hopefully that will be enough for the manager to pick me.
“Obviously the Premiership will be a step up but I’m confident of scoring goals at that level.
“In the end, it will be up to the manager to decide if I’m doing well enough and should play.
“But hopefully I’ll get my chance.”