St Johnstone striker Stevie May has been likened to Celtic goal machine Anthony Stokes by a man who knows both players well.
Saints midfielder Paddy Cregg drew the comparison between the pair after watching May score for the 26th time this season in their 2-0 home league win over William Hill Scottish Cup final opponents Dundee United at McDiarmid Park on Saturday.
Cregg spent a lot of his time at Hibs sending passes forward to fellow Irishman Stokes, who has been banging them in for the Hoops this term.
Now he finds himself playing behind another deadly marksman in May.
Asked about his teammate, who pounced in the second half against United after a Steven Anderson header had given the home side the lead in the first, Cregg replied: “The bloke is unbelievable and I am probably his biggest fan.
“I lived with him last season and got to know him well. I saw how hard he worked even though he wasn’t even playing here (he was on loan at Hamilton).
“He was at the gym at least three nights a week. He is just a credit to himself and his family.
“Anyone in Perth who plays football should definitely look up to him as a role model. I think he is good enough to go and play in the Premiership (in England).
“He is one of the best young lads that I have seen play football and I have been at Arsenal.”
“He is strong willed and will score goals at any level he plays at,” Cregg added.
“I also played with Anthony Stokes at Hibs and he reminds me of Stokesy a lot. They are both nice fellas and both are friends of mine so I am going to say nice things about them.
“The two are very similar. You just know Stevie is going to score goals, as is the case with Stokesy.
“It is within them. Like Stokesy, Stevie’s movement is very intelligent and he always wants the ball.
“He is improving every week in all aspects of the game. He just loves football and that’s great because there is nothing better than doing what we do.
“He is only going to get better and for me he is definitely going to be a Scottish international and we should also get behind him. If you are from Perth then you should be proud of him.”