Former Watford striker Andre Gray has returned to the Championship having signed a short-term contract with Plymouth Argyle.

The 33-year-old joins the Pilgrims until January and has signed in time to be available for the game against Blackburn Rovers at Home Park tomorrow.

Gray had been without a club since leaving Saudi League side Al-Riyadh in the summer.

When he joined Watford from Burnley in the 2017/18 season, he cost £18m – a fee that remains the second highest the Hornets have ever paid.

Only Ismaila Sarr has cost the Hornets more.

After beginning his career with Shrewsbury Town, and having loans at a number of different non-league clubs, it was in 2011/12 when Gray’s career began to take off, as he scored five in nine in a loan spell at Luton Town.

That led to a permanent move and, two years later, having scored 57 goals in 111 appearances for the Hatters in the National League, Gray was signed by Brentford, in the Championship.  

He netted 18 in his first season with the Bees, and then Gray moved to Burnley, scoring 23 times as the Clarets were promoted to the Premier League in 2015/16.

He followed up with nine Premier League goals the following year, and then Gray moved to Vicarage Road.

His 125 appearances for Watford are the most he has made for one club, but they only produced 21 goals.

Gray played alongside Tom Cleverley 63 times during his spell at Vicarage Road.

The striker struggled to win the fans over though and, in 21/22, he was loaned out to QPR.

He then spent a year in Cyprus, where he was top scorer for Aris Thessaloniki and played in the UEFA Europa Conference League, before moving to Saudi Arabia last year.  

Gray also has 13 caps for Jamaica, and has scored three times for the Reggae Boys.

Argyle Head Coach Wayne Rooney said: “Andre is a striker of real quality and has played and scored goals at the highest level.

“He will provide competition in forward areas as we head into a busy period of the season, and I am really happy to have him here.”

Watford could well come up against Gray when they travel to face Plymouth on Friday November 22.