Young Gunner loaned to Falkirk

Falkirk have snapped up young striker Anthony Stokes on loan from Arsenal until January.

The Scottish Premier League side fought off competition from Sunderland and Colchester for the 18-year-old.

Falkirk managing director George Craig said: “Anthony Stokes is one of the hottest properties to have graduated from the English academy programme.

“He is extremely highly rated by his club and the Republic of Ireland.”

Craig added: “It may have seemed a long time coming to sign a striker but we always maintained that we would not make knee-jerk reactions or simply make a signing on the basis that a player in question had a profile.

“We believe at Falkirk it is important that any player who joins the club has the qualities we look for to assist us to achieve our ambition.”