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The striker played alongside pal and club-mate Dwight Yorke in the Trinidad & Tobago side and marked his debut with a goal in a 2-0 win at home to Portsmouth.

He had spent most of his career in the America's Major League Soccer before a £1.5million move from Columbus Crew brought him to the First Division.

Injuries and international call-ups disrupted his early progress at the City Ground, and after Forest failed to win promotion to the top flight it seemed certain he would have to be off-loaded.

With his contract up at the end of the 2001/02 season, Forest's eagerness to get a fee for a player who cost so much only two years earlier was understandable. In February 2002, Steve Bruce made him one of his first signings at Birmingham City for a small, undisclosed fee.

John had scored 18 goals in 49 League starts for Forest.

He was an instant hit at St Andrew's, netting seven goals in 16 games as the Blues were promoted to the Premiership through the play-offs. He was the man who sent the side into the final - his goal in injury time against Millwall doing the business.

John was very much an able deputy in the top flight, scoring nine goals, five in the Premiership, in 2002/03. The following campaign he bagged four in the Premiership - and was rewarded with a new one-year contract in the summer of 2004, though Blues sent him to Coventry City in September of the same year.

He spent time on loan at Derby before a return to form in the Sky Blue shirt saw him in good form as the World Cup of 2006 approached. Despite being record scorer for his country, he failed to get on the mark at the finals.

Good form at the start of the 2006/7 season saw Roy Keane add John to his T&T contingent of Carlos Edwards and Yorke. He made 15 appearances and grabbed 4 goals in Sunderland's promotion campaign.