JON STEAD makes only his second competitive return to Huddersfield Town on Saturday desperate to boost Bristol City’s stuttering season.

The illness-hit Ashton Gate side slipped to second-bottom of the Championship after their 2-1 home defeat by Hull in front of the Sky cameras.

It was the fourth defeat running for Derek McInes’s men, who have taken only two points from the last 21 available.

To make matters worse, a string of players have been affected by a sickness bug which has swept through the dressing room.

But the boss insists his squad is stronger than the one that finished fifth-bottom last term and reckons City will overcome their problems to finish in a higher position this time around.

“I firmly believe in this group of players and I believe that, if they keep working hard, there are still plenty of points to be gained,” said the former St Johnstone manager.

“This is a situation we have been in before and, when the chips were down, we came up trumps. I’d like to think we can do it with a bit more style this time and with a bit more to spare.

“There is plenty of the season left and, as difficult as this run is, we have to keep a belief and a level of support for the players. They will get that from me and the staff.”

Huddersfield-born striker Stead, now 29, is in his third season with the West Country club, who signed him from Ipswich in August 2010.

He came through the Town academy and made his debut as a teenager during the 2002-03 campaign, when Town were relegated to the bottom tier and went into administration.

While times were tough off the field, Stead excelled on it, and with Town pushing for promotion, was sold to then-Premier League Blackburn for £1.25m in January 2004.

The former Honley High School pupil had netted 24 goals in 76 games, and his bright early form for Rovers earned him England Under 21 recognition.

He has since played for Sunderland, Derby (on loan), Sheffield United, Ipswich and Coventry (on loan) and in total, has 86 career goals.

His sole competitive appearance back in Huddersfield was for Sheffield United in their 2-1 Carling Cup second-round win in August 2008.

While Stead has been restricted to just the one goal this season, in the 4-1 home win over Crystal Palace, City have netted 24 times in their 13 league games, only to concede 28.

Close-season signings Steve Davies (from Derby) and Sam Baldock (West Ham) have weighed in with six and five respectively.

McInnes has taken Fulham defender Matthew Briggs on loan.