Hibs dumped me during the pandemic.. getting a goal against them would mean world to me
Striker Matty’s on a mission to prove point
MATTY YATES is desperate to strike a killer blow to Hibs’ Scottish Cup hopes – a year on from Covid wrecking his own Easter Road dream.
The 18-year-old Stranraer striker found himself on football’s scrapheap last summer after what was supposed to be a six-month stint in Leith was curbed by the pandemic.
Having spent 11 years coming through the ranks at Rangers alongside Billy Gilmour and Kai Kennedy, Yates was confident of taking his chance at Hibs after his Ibrox dream came to an end.
Instead he spent last summer fearing he’d never kick a ball again.
That was until Stranraer gave the teenager a break in October. Yates has grabbed his opportunity and bagged three goals in the Cup already – including the crucial second in the third-round extra-time win at Brora to set up the clash with Hibs tomorrow.
And the youngster wasn’t beating about the bush as he targeted Jack Ross’ side for a giantkilling. He said: “It would mean the world to me if I scored on Sunday.
“It’s a wee chance to show Hibs what they are missing but it would be even better to get a win and take Stranraer into the quarter-finals.
“Hibs gave me a chance but coronavirus wrecked it and I feared I would never play again. I was supposed to be there for six months but it only lasted three. A lot of young players got released.
“It was devastating but I suppose nobody knew what was coming. I’d only played five development games and scored twice.
“I’m pretty certain I’d have got a Hibs contract if it wasn’t for the pandemic. I’m confident I’d still be there and knocking on the first-team door.
“But it is what it is. I really feared I’d never play again. My agent kept trying to get me in the door at clubs but nobody was taking players on. Thankfully my dad knows Eric Phillips the goalkeeper coach at Stranraer.
“He told me to go in and train and within a few weeks I’d been signed.
“It was a massive relief to get back into football. I had played almost every day since I first went into Rangers 11 years ago.
“I’d come through the ranks with players like Billy Gilmour, Dapo Mebude, Kai Kennedy and learned from a lot of ex-players, Kevin Thomson, Brian Gilmour, Peter Lovenkrands.
“I asked around Christmas in 2019 if I was going to get a contract and Rangers said no but that Hibs were interested. That’s when I made the move.
“But unfortunately the pandemic struck. The Scottish Cup has been good to me this season. I scored two against Spartans and then against Brora in the last round.
“Hopefully there’s another one on Sunday – that would be brilliant.”
Yates’ manager Stevie Farrell insists there’s no danger of fatigue wrecking Stranraer’s Scottish Cup dream.
The League Two parttimers are gearing up for what will be their fourth match in just eight days.
Ahead of the clash with Hibs, Farrell said: “We have only had one training session in three weeks!
“Hibs have had more time to prepare but I have no doubt at all we will be ready after what’s been a very good week.”