Boss Roy Keane says new loan signing Stern John can score the goals to turn Town’s many draws into wins. The Town manager was hugely impressed with the 33-year-old Trinidadian during his eight months playing under him at Sunderland and yesterday brought him in on a month's loan from Crystal Palace.

Keane said: “I know Stern well, he’s a good experienced striker, not a youngster but he’ll give us something different. He’s a good character and he’s a good man. I’m glad to get him.

“He was probably one of my best signings at Sunderland in terms of what he brought to the club, he just got on with the job and he’s a big, strong man.

“Even when I let him go to Southampton when I got Kenwyne Jones, he took it really well and I remember thinking ‘he’s a good man’, and I’m looking forward to working with him again.”

The Blues boss says his side have been creating chances and that John is the man to convert them: “He’s not the type of striker who’ll get behind teams, but he’ll certainly hold it up. Basically, I believe he’ll get goals for us.

“I think we get some good balls in the box and sometimes we’ve not had that person attacking it and I think Stern will do that. As much as we’ve praised the players, particularly the strikers, for their workrate and so on, we need someone who can put the ball in the back of the net, as that’s what’s been costing us.”

Asked if the move could be extended beyond the current month, Keane says that goals will be the key: “If he scores 10 goals in the next few games he’ll have a hell of a chance!

“If Stern scores goals it benefits everyone. It’ll benefit Ipswich, it’ll benefit Stern, he might go back to Palace, or if not it might get a fee for Palace.”

Keane says the Eagles might not have been willing to allow the much-travelled frontman to join Town but for the Blues' current position: “I don’t think Palace would have loaned him if we were top of the table or in the play-offs, in competition with them, but they might look at us at the moment and let Stern come and score some goals for us as we’re not a threat to them. Hopefully we will be in a few months.”

Loan players aren’t required to pass medicals and the Irishman says John, like other players in their thirties, has an injury history, although that doesn’t mean he’s constantly sidelined: “Stern would probably never pass a medical in his life because of his body and his knees, but he doesn’t miss many games and I don’t think he missed a training session when he was at Sunderland.”

Keane considered bringing in a loan keeper after Asmir Begovic's return to Portsmouth and says he made a number of enquiries about further loans before yesterday’s deadline: “We looked at a few different players, a few options and made plenty of phonecalls yesterday, but we couldn’t get there for one reason or another, be it the finances or the player.”

Carlisle left-back Ian Harte was reported to be a target, but his former Republic of Ireland team-mate refused to confirm moving for him: “Ian’s been linked, along with how many other players? We’ve been linked with lots of players and I think it’s unfair of me to comment on that.

“We had a number of targets, we’ve got Stern and I think we’ve got 21 players training today, so I’m OK for numbers, let me tell you.”

John will go straight into the squad for Sunday's game at Cardiff, although Keane is yet to decide whether he will start.

Central defender Alex Bruce is out for two or three weeks with a recurrence of the groin injury which sidelined him earlier in the season.

Photo: Action Images

siralfstrackie added 14:15 - Nov 27 If Stern only scores two or three goals in is loan, as long as they are winning goals I'll be ecstatic. Or even a couple of decent nod ons that lead to winning goals. Let's all be positive, stop writing players off before they've even kicked a ball for the Town. COYB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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randomblue added 14:15 - Nov 27 byebyesheepshanks & naa - fair point. I agree. To explain: "Your a tosser Keane" is the bit that I find pointless. What exactly does that bring to the floor. Fair enough people are disappointed with the way things are, however there is so much negativity here rather than constructive comments, chat, discussions etc. It is interesting to see other peoples thoughts - thus a "comment" on an article - however what revelance does cgs comment have to whether stern john can score us goals?! What is the point and what do they bring?! IMO - Keane is trying to completely change the structure of the club to one that he feels will work and will bring success. I think he can achieve everything he wants (promotion) but I think more people need to get off their "get keane out" hobby horse and support the team. Things will come good. If not I'll hold my hands up and say I was wrong. How many of the likes of cgs would do the same if we got promoted under keane?! Just my thoughts! Discuss???

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byebyesheepshanks added 14:23 - Nov 27 Sounds fair to me random & no point giving him pure personal abuse. He isn't getting it at the games & the team do get our support so you can't blame us (fans) for wat's happening. He has IMO made lots of very basic errors, added very little to the team & seems quite clueless. He's not short on personal confidence & big predictions which never seem to come true. Getting this latest big unit up front just seems so desperate when he's had the money to spend. Has our season come down to a big old target man up front? Was that the extent of the plan? How quickly it's all fallen apart. Get a good, decent, clever magager in there who the team can unite around & with our support & ME cash, the problems are over. The place needs a lift & RK is a depressant.

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Zico added 14:42 - Nov 27 Lets give John a chance hey. Myself included were expecting someone with a recently proven goalscoring record. But lets get behind our club and Keane. Rome wasnt built in a day, Robson didnt do well in first season he was in charge and goo things come to those who wait. If it doesnt work out by Christmas we'll be fighting a relgation battle. I cant see that happening though, seriously? COYB!

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Bluearmy added 14:57 - Nov 27 lets give this striker a chance as some have said and not put him down before he has actually played for us
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byebyesheepshanks added 14:57 - Nov 27 We've been in a relegation battle since the start of the season. Please can someone explain what is going to change between now & May? The right answer should be . . . . the manager!
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Bluearmy added 15:03 - Nov 27 byebyesheepshanks i get your point and i respect people views both negative and positive but you sound a tad boring.
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bluechick added 15:09 - Nov 27 Roy you are deluded say goodbye at xmas
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byebyesheepshanks added 15:13 - Nov 27 Sorry Bluearmy you look very boring compared to Bluechick. Good bye dullard. Bluechick, How u doin?!
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FormerlyCGS added 15:45 - Nov 27 I wanna date bluechick her assets are fantastic
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Wallingford_Boy added 15:49 - Nov 27 Bluechick, let me introduce myself, I am Wally - the resident hunk..
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byebyesheepshanks added 15:53 - Nov 27 There's a queue idiots
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rockstar1981 added 16:34 - Nov 27 God damn Bluechick I could play with those bad boys all night and never touch the same spot twice!!
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Dowson added 17:18 - Nov 27 i dnt think he will be a goal scorer if he is though i belive he and pablo would work well holding the ball up with pabs then laying it off to stern BANG GOAL! lol We can only hope he dose score the goals!
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brockleyblueboy added 17:23 - Nov 27 I'm probably going to get some stick for what is my usual crappy comments, but I know there are some good and substantial comments that last season we competed and under magiltion we did this and under Burley we did that. Thiose times were great and we had a great team spiirt and the momentum carried us forward for some very memorable, if dso painful seasons. Roy keane is trying to do things his way, right or wrong, he is still transforming the team. This is obviously going to have repercussions and we are experiencing that now. However the teams that we were better than and would comfortably beat week in week out, well back then they were where we are now. They consolodated and built, and it did take time but look at where they are now. They stood by their managers, bided their time and really pushed forward. That's where my blind faith comes from because I know things are going to get worse before they get better, but I am confident the good times will come again. Sorry for sounding like a broken record and one day I am sure I will make sense but that's the best I can do. Good luck to the boys on SUNDAY and I can see Stern john scoring the winner.

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nobbyclark added 20:10 - Nov 27 I think Stern John and Carlos will bring a bit of the old music and dance to the dressing room.
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DrJeckyll added 22:29 - Nov 27 i dont think there is anything wrong with our strikers but they are playing under intense pressure at the moment and i believe this is inhibiting them taking their chances. I think stern john could turn out to be an excellent signing. He is older, more experienced, in life as well as football, and i am assuming this will make him a calmer person and player. Not forgetting of course that we are among the leaders when it comes to creating chances this season, someone with the composure to take a few of those chances could launch us on a more rewarding run, pointswise, and we could see ourselves climbing the table

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nerdys added 00:50 - Nov 28 Why dont we wait and see what he can do for us.. then we can comment on him, whether his is right for us or not !!!
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