Former Al Jazira and Al Wasl defender Lucas Neill has returned to English football after signing a short-term deal with Championship side Watford.
Neill left Europe in 2011 after spells at Millwall, Blackburn Rovers, West Ham, Everton and Galatasaray to join Arabian Gulf League side Al Jazira.
However, his time at the Abu Dhabi club ultimately proved unsuccessful and the Australia captain moved across to Dubai to join Al Wasl in August 2012.
In January 2013, Neill was released by the Cheetahs and after short stints at Sydney FC and Japanese club Omiya Ardija, the 35-year-old is back in England.
Subject to international clearance, Neil will join Watford until the end of the season with the remit of helping the 12th-placed club resurrect their faltering Championship promotion push.
“I want to add my experience to the Watford squad and I'm hoping that some of my natural leadership skills can benefit the group here,” Neill told Watford's official website.
“I'm highly motivated to keep playing. There's still a huge passion within me for football. I've had experience in different territories across recent years.
“I've spent 14 years of my career in England and my family are based here.
“I took up challenges in different countries because I wanted some new experiences – but this is a great chance for me to play at an excellent level and help Watford finish the season as strongly as possible.”
He added: "The lads have been very welcoming to me here at Watford and it's my privilege to have signed for such a well-respected club.
"But this is just the start as far as I'm concerned. I'm pleased to have impressed enough to have earned a contract, but now it's very much about me knuckling down and doing what is required of me to force my way into the squad and then the starting 11.
"I know that's not going to be easy. There is a lot of quality in this squad, players with international experience who aren't going to want to lose their place to me, in a healthy way."
