Stern: I want to stay.
By Andy Turner (Coventry Evening Telegraph).
Stern John has thanked the fans for finally making him feel at home at Coventry City. Sky Blues supporters sang the striker's name from the stands on Saturday, calling for him to go on after making a return to the squad from injury, and giving him the perfect boost to get back in the side.
"It is good to be back and I am feeling fit," said the 30-year-old forward and one-time target of the boo-boys who is winning his critics over.
The Trinidad and Tobago international is yet to sort out his long-term future at the Ricoh Arena and will become a free agent in the summer unless City tie him down to a new contract.
But John has hinted that he is ready to do business with the club who have opened contract negotiations with him.
He said: "It was fantastic to hear my name being chanted from the stands and I feel welcome at Coventry now, and I feel it is my home.
"I want to make it my home, so I am thankful to the fans because the last couple of seasons have been up and down for me, but it is always good to hear them singing your name.
"So hopefully I can continue scoring some goals and they will continue singing my name.
"I was fit for the QPR game but the manager wanted to rest me to make sure it was okay, so I am back in training and working hard for selection again.
"I was away with Trinidad when the keeper landed on my knee in training and bruised the inside of it a bit, but it is all right now and I am just keeping my head down and waiting for my chance again."
As for Saturday's goalless draw with Stoke City, he said: "I thought we were all over them in the first half and in the second half we didn't do so well.
"When I came on the ball was just launched forward and we couldn't get it down, but the lads have been doing well in the last three games.
"Maybe there were a few weary legs but it was important that we didn't lose the game."
And John is looking forward to playing in a side that has a new source of supplying balls into the box with the arrival of Darren Currie, and rekindling his partnership with man of the moment Dele Adebola.
"I am excited about playing with Darren more because as a striker you thrive on his type of service and he is also good on the ball as well," he said.
"If the rest of the players play with the confidence that he shows then I think we will be a team to reckoned with.
"Since he has come here we have kept possession a lot better and started playing to our strengths, and that has shown with Dele who has got a couple of goals.
"I would love to start against Burnley this weekend. I have been doing extra fitness work in the evenings and I am just waiting for my chance again."
