New Crystal Palace striker Stern John is targeting a debut goal this Saturday as he looks to get the Eagles season off to a flying start.

The much-travelled Trinidad & Tobago international signed a one-year deal last Thursday and played in Palace's 1-0 win at Bromley that night as well as their defeat to Gillingham on Sunday.

He is expected to make his first competitive start for the club in the Championship opener against Plymouth Argyle this weekend and the former Sunderland man says he wants to hit the ground running.

"Hopefully I can bang some goals in on Saturday," said the 32-year-old.

"My fitness is getting there and I need to get a bit sharper around the box but we are working on that this week.

"As a striker you want 15 or 20 goals a season and I think I can score a few as long as I get off to a good start and stay injury free.

"I am a team player and I wouldn't have come here if I didn't want to do well and be part of this so I hopefully I can repay the favour and score some goals."

John first met with Eagles boss Neil Warnock three weeks ago and says it was the Yorkshireman that convinced him to move to SE25.

"I came down and spoke to the manager and everything went well," he said.

"He showed me around the club and I was really happy.

"It's been a long time we have been chatting and he has been after me for a couple of years so hopefully I can do my job and make him happy.

"He is a players' manager and looks after you so long as you do a good job, there's nothing else you can ask for as a player really."

John's former boss at Southampton, Alan Pardew, said he was unhappy with the strikers conduct in leaving the club but the new Palace number nine refused to be drawn into a response.

"It's water under the bridge now and I want to come here," he said.

"Alan and I know what happened."