Brothers set for action
Striker Craig Hastings is delighted to link up with his brother at East Kilbride Thistle and reckons they can form a prolific partnership at the Showpark.
The 28-year-old has joined the Jags on loan from East Kilbride FC until Christmas and made his debut in Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at home to Cambuslang Rangers in the Sectional League Cup.
Last season Hastings netted 19 times for Kilby and played in their Scottish Cup campaign, including against Celtic.
However, a lack of pre-season training has seen him fall down the pecking order at K-Park.
And now Hastings hopes he can link up with his elder sibling William to force his way back into the picture across town at Kilby.
He told the News:“My brother already being at Thistle was a big pull for me.
“He was at EK Amateurs last season and has made the step up, so I’m looking forward to that.
“Hopefully the two of us can strike up a partnership.
“He’s a striker, but I can play either wide left, behind the striker or up front. It would be great if the two of us can get a run in the team because I think we can score a few goals, but I’ll need to see what the gaffer (Billy Campbell) thinks about that.
“I scored almost 20 goals last season for East Kilbride FC and I hope I can do something similar here and bang the goals in for Thistle.
“Anything around 15-20 before Christmas is what I’m targeting and I don’t think that’s an unrealistic target.
“If Billy puts me up front I fully expect at least a couple of chances every game and I think I’m more than capable of scoring at least once in most games.”
Hastings, from The Murray, works for Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs at the town’s Centre One Tax Office and a recent promotion to executive tax officer hindered his pre-season training with Kilby.
With EK boss Martin Lauchlan signing three new strikers this season – Joao Victoria, Ross McNeil and Smart Osadolor – Hastings believed it was in his best interest to find first team football.
He said:“I didn’t have the best pre-season because of my work commitments.
“I’ve been promoted and I’m doing shift patterns now where some nights I’m working until 8pm and I was missing training because of it.
“There’s 25 players in the East Kilbride FC squad now, so I thought it would be better for me to go out and get some game time under my belt rather than training to sit on the bench.
“I’m disappointed to leave East Kilbride because I had a lot of success there last season, but I know my pre-season wasn’t the best.
“I want to get games at Thistle, get my fitness up and maybe I can go back after Christmas and help East Kilbride FC for the run in.”