I was asked by a fan to sign a book the other day - nothing unusual in that.

As a player with Manchester City I am often asked to autograph things.

I put my signature on the cover next to a picture of me.

It was only after I had done this that I noticed the title of the book. It was called City Legends and that's when it struck me.

At a club like ours that status is not bestowed on people lightly and it was great to know that I was thought of in the same breath as the likes of Denis Law, Francis Lee and Colin Bell.

The affinity I have with this club is rare among footballers and I want to continue to play my part in re-establishing City as a Premiership force.

I apologise if that seemed a little self-indulgent but the reason I mention it is because of rumours circulating among the press that Kevin Keegan is about to sign another striker when the Premiership transfer window opens tomorrow.

I was asked whether I saw this as a threat and I just wanted to make my position clear.

Until yesterday I had not heard the name Robbie Fowler linked with City, but I must say I am not at all surprised.

I have thought for a while that if the manager was to sign someone it would be a striker and that it would be someone of Robbie's calibre.

I am sure that whoever is brought in will want to know about the other strikers at the club. That they will partner Nicolas Anelka is not in doubt but as well as myself we also have Paulo Wanchope, Jon Macken, Darren Huckerby, Matias Vuoso and young Chris Shuker and the new player will want to know what roles they are likely to have.

Whether it will be said that `We still have Shaun and he will play his part' - I don't know, I can't answer that.

I have not had any conversation with the gaffer regarding my future and I think he is honest enough to sit me down and talk to me if there was anything to say.

If there was I am sure he would say to me `Look Shaun, I don't think there is any chance of you getting in the team. We have this person coming in and others coming back and I think it's best you take the option of moving on'. I'm sure he would do that rather than have me hang around and be his fourth, fifth or sixth choice striker.

It's not like I am 23, I will be 33 in February, so all I can do is continue to do my best, take up the challenge but know in my own mind that, regardless of what happens in the future, I have already achieved great things here - the book I signed is proof of that.

The speculation has come at a time when I find myself out of the starting line-up for the first time since the game against Southampton on October 5. I last scored against Sunderland on December 9, going goalless in the following three matches against Charlton, Spurs and Aston Villa.

I had a feeling I was going to be on the bench for the Fulham game on Saturday but it was still disheartening.

Everyone at the club knows that Nicolas is not going to be dropped and so if whoever he is playing with goes three or four games without a goal they know they will be asked to make way. That's sad but it's the situation we are faced with and I had seen it coming.

I found out a couple of hours before the match at the team meeting that I wasn't playing and that Darren would be starting instead.

The gaffer said `I am making a few changes. You have done well for me but this is what I am going to go with today.'

I have been in the situation enough times to know how to handle it. It's football and it happens. Sometimes you are on top of the world with no possibility of ever being dropped and then there's times when changes are made and you know you are likely to be the first one to be left out. They are the ups and downs of the game and it is for those reasons that I never get too happy when I am on a high and I never get too down when I hit a low.

The most important thing was that we went out there and got the three points against Fulham and that is what happened.

As a result we are now looking up the table instead of over our shoulders and we can go to Everton tomorrow with confidence up and our heads held high.

It is likely that I will be on the bench once more, but one thing's for certain, whatever role I am given you can guarantee I will continue to give my best for City.