"I'M where I want to be". That's the message from goalkeeper Jon Kennedy, who has put weeks of uncertainty behind him to return to Accrington Stanley.

The former Sunderland stopper was released at the end of last season but has been reunited with the Reds after manager John Coleman failed to find a suitable replacement from a host of pre-season trialists.

The 23-year-old signed a deal on Monday night - a one year contract with another year's option - and has already started house-hunting in the Hyndburn area.

And he insists there is no animosity towards the club regarding his departure at the end of last season, adding that an article in a national non-league newspaper, which made him appear bitter towards Stanley, was taken out of context.

"I just want to brush everything that happened last season under the carpet and start with a clean slate," Kennedy said.

"In a way I think everything happens for a reason - whatever the reason might be - and things seem to have worked out all right because I've got a good pre-season under my belt and I'm at the club I wanted to be at.

"The newspaper article came across as though I was bitter towards the club. But I had no ill feelings at all.

"The only thing I felt was frustration that it hadn't been sorted out.

"But when John and Jimmy (Bell) phoned to offer me a deal, I had no hesitation."

He added that the phone call came out of the blue.

"Once it was revealed that I couldn't agree a deal with Accrington, I though that was it," he said.

"So in a way I was surprised when they got in touch.

"But I'm looking forward to getting started now after a long wait.

"I've spoken to a few of the lads and everything seems to have been going really well in the pre-season games."

Kennedy, who will finish work today before teaming up with the Stanley squad for training tomorrow, says he is already feeling sharper after training with Doncaster's goalkeeping coach Mark Prudhoe, who he has worked with previously at Sunderland.

"I've kept on top of my fitness and feel as though I've had a good pre-season. I've done a lot of goalkeeping work," he said.

And Kennedy, who is likely to have former Barnsley keeper Danny Alcock as his understudy after he also agreed terms, believes the full-time era at Stanley has made them geared for promotion.

"The squad's stronger than it was last year and it's bigger," he said.

"Injuries and suspension played a big part in last season but a bigger squad will cover for that in case it happens again."