Coyle insists Ant won’t be Poleaxed

BLACKBURN boss Owen Coyle has poured cold water on suggestions Anthony Stokes is on the cusp of a stunning switch to Jagiellonia Bialystok.

Reports in Poland this week suggested the Ekstraklasa title contenders were ready to make a loan move for the out-of-favour former Celtic striker who has slipped down the pecking order at Ewood Park.

Jagiellonia have already raided British football for Hamilton defender Ziggy Gordon and remain on the lookout for a striker after missing out on former Celtic front-man Cillian Sheridan.

The Polish transfer window does not close until the end of this month.

However, Coyle said: “I can only imagine it’s speculation. There’s certainly been no dialogue with anyone regarding Anthony going to Poland or otherwise.”

Stokes started his Blackburn career with goals in his first two matches, but has played just 16 minutes of senior football since August, having been hit by injury troubles and a loss of form.

He was close to rejoining Hibs for a third time on deadline day, Easter Road boss Neil Lennon has revealed, but saw time run out on a deal.

Stokes was also the subject of off-the-field controversy earlier this month when he was given a two-year suspended sentence after pleading guilty to assaulting an Elvis impersonator in a Dublin nightclub.