Luke Varney has signed a new short-term contract with Ipswich Town just weeks after he was released by the club.

The 33-year-old forward was let go by manager Mick McCarthy after falling down the pecking order at Portman Road, but injuries to Brett Pitman and David McGoldrick have prompted a u-turn.

Varney has signed a deal running through to January and will go straight into the squad for Saturday's trip to Brentford.

"It's great to have 'Reg' back," McCarthy said of Varney. "He was a free agent at the end of last season so he could do what he wanted but I had reservations about not sorting something out then.

"He's a good player and has been a good servant to us. He's a great personality. We all love him, the staff, the players.

"With Didz injured, we had to try and get someone in before the weekend. That was never going to be easy but I knew Reg would be fit and could do a job for us. There were clubs interested in him but I rang him yesterday and it was all sorted in no time."

Varney first joined Town on loan from Blackburn Rovers in February 2015 before making a permanent switch at the end of the year.