Former Huddersfield Town striker in Roy Keane's sights?

Apr 28 2009 By Doug Thomson

JON STEAD will be wondering whether he is a part of Roy Keane’s Ipswich masterplan – despite playing a key role as the Irishman enjoyed a debut win.

The Town old boy came off the bench at Cardiff to set up two goals and score the other in his side’s 3-0 Championship victory.

It was the 13th time the Huddersfield-born striker has netted for the Tractor Boys, who signed him from Sheffield United for £600,000 early this season.

But he was allowed to leave Sunderland by Keane, who sold him to the Blades for £750,000 in January 2007 – after loaning him out to Derby.

At least Stead, 26, expects to be kept in the picture as Keane starts rebuilding for a tilt at promotion to the Premier League.

"You know exactly where you stand with him," said the man who bagged 24 goals for Town before leaving for Blackburn in a £1.25m move in February 2004 and joined Sunderland for £1.8m in the summer of 2005, when Mick McCarthy was in charge.