Town are trying to secure the loan signing of Crystal Palace striker Stern John before today’s 5pm deadline, according to reports in south London. The 33-year-old previously played for Roy Keane at Sunderland.

The Trinidad and Tobago international has played for the Eagles only seven times since joining them in the summer after undergoing elbow surgery in August. He is yet to score this season.

Having played for Malta Carib Alcons in his home country, John moved on to the Carolina Dynamo, the New Orleans Riverboat Gamblers and Columbus Crew in the US before relocating to England with Nottingham Forest in 1999.

Since then the 5ft 11in tall frontman has played for a long list of clubs, largely at Championship level: Birmingham City, Coventry, Derby (loan), Sunderland, Southampton and Bristol City (loan), before joining Palace in the summer on a free transfer. He has made 109 appearances for his country, scoring 69 goals.

In eight months at Sunderland under Keane between January and August 2007, John scored five goals in 10 starts and six sub appearances, helping the Black Cats to win the Championship. Overall in English football, John has scored 97 goals in 250 starts and 105 sub substitute appearances.

On Tuesday Keane revealed he was looking at bringing in two loan players by 5pm today, one of which was a striker from a club outside the Premier League.

Photo: Action Images

StavangerBlue added 13:43 - Nov 26 Surely we could do better?
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thatwaspants added 13:44 - Nov 26 FFS!!! We're doomed!!!
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PutYaBootsOnKeano added 13:44 - Nov 26 Very interesting. Before the criticism starts, think about how others will play off him, not whether he runs through and scores 1-1s.
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Legend added 13:44 - Nov 26 Please god no!!! Signs of a desperate man to bring in anybody that is classed as a striker. If he is no good for Palace what the f**k are we going in for him?
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gtd added 13:46 - Nov 26 I'm really trying to like Keane but my god he makes it difficult sometimes.
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Bluearmy added 13:46 - Nov 26 i agree surely we could do better but like all player who come to our club if he does i will support him
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The_Realist_09 added 13:46 - Nov 26 Good scoring records for country and fairly good under keane, BUT maybe a bit old :L
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siralfstrackie added 13:46 - Nov 26 Could do a job. Totally different kind of striker to who we've got at the moment. I'll wait til it's a done deal, though.
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sotd78 added 13:47 - Nov 26 Could someone explain this: why have we spent money on backs and midfield players and goalkeepers when by combining all that expenditure we might just might have found ourselves a really good striker. Looking back at Joe Royle's era it seems increasingly obvios that he realised the secret lies in goal power. At least watching Town back then was exciting even if we lost 2-3; but more often won 3-2. D'oh.

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MarcFowler added 13:48 - Nov 26 Yeah, very different style. Not what people were hoping for though. Not that I care - anyone who can come in and give us different options is fine by me.
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Hanwood added 13:50 - Nov 26 I wouldn't pick John ahead of any of our current strikers. I'm not sure what he will bring to us IF he comes.
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Pimtastic added 13:51 - Nov 26 Surely this is a bit 'Lisbie'?
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Bluearmy added 13:52 - Nov 26 Hanwood if he comes see before you judge not judge before you see
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siralfstrackie added 13:56 - Nov 26 Be realistic, people. We are hardly in a position to sign Van Nistelrooy or any of his ilk! I really don't think it'll matter who we sign (or not) to some of you, or if that signing scores a dozen between now and Christmas, you just won't be happy unless you're moaning. Oh and let's think back on some of our more successful loan signings up front: Macken, Harewood, Jeffers, Abou....

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UEFA81 added 13:56 - Nov 26 Yet another player that's played for Keane at Sunderland. Why can't this man broaden his horizons a bit?
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joe9087 added 13:58 - Nov 26 This guy could be good, quite tall, aerial presence, could be handy to feed other strikers and hold the ball up. Do agree that Keane really does need to broaden his horizons more and go for less Sunderland/Ex-Sunderland/Irish players.
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naa added 13:59 - Nov 26 Hmmm, this guy is not better than anyone we've got - he wasn't 6 years ago and he certainly isn't now. And, yes another player Keane knows through either management or playing. Where is his scout network? He sacked our European scout (with a proven track record for Burley). Was that just to save money as he knew all his signings would be from Man U cast-offs or Sunderland?

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byebyesheepshanks added 13:59 - Nov 26 We might as well get Lisbie back. Oh, but he hasn't played for Sunderland. Silly me. What a fiasco.
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VemundBrekkeSkard added 14:01 - Nov 26 The 'New Orleans Riverboat Gamblers' has to be the best name for any team in any sport ever.
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NSL added 14:02 - Nov 26 Stop moaning. Who were you expecting? Gio, Nugent . . . . no chance. I think he will do a job just to get us out of relegation which is all that we should be aiming for in the current predicament. I think that most supporters are still hoping Roy is going to sign a world class striker to fire us into the Premier League! Anyway, he scored 44 goals in 55 games for Columbus Crew in 1998 . . . . . .

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OnlyOneSirBobby added 14:02 - Nov 26 sotd78, under joe royle we had darren bent and sheki & miller were playing way above anything they did before or since...thats why we were scoring loads of goals, a player of bents quality doesnt come round very often.....as far as stern john is concerned, i dont think age should be a factor, we need someone to come in and just score goals, dont care if hes 16 or 66, as long as he scores. he has a decent scoring record. if he comes i will support as i believe everyone should rather than jump on keanes back simply because he hasnt signed a top class striker that they wanted. to get out of this hole we're in, we all need to stick together and get behind the players, it drives me mad when people judge players before they even arrived!!!

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Bluearmy added 14:03 - Nov 26 to naa and byebyesheepshanks as i said to others above if he does come see him in action first before actually judeing him and not the other way round
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PimsNumber1 added 14:03 - Nov 26 would prefer alan lee if we are going for out of favour palace strikers this guy is only 5 11 " and isnt great in the air , just like stead and priiskin who cant outjump peters !
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Tractorog added 14:05 - Nov 26 The other ex Sunderland players have been ok. We need something different up front...
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N4_Blue added 14:05 - Nov 26 Oh dear. I have to say that I am usually positive and very much behid Keane but I really hope that this story is garbage.
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