Nottingham Forest sign Marlon Harewood on short-term deal

Harewood left Forest for West Ham in 2003

Striker Marlon Harewood has returned to Nottingham Forest on a four-month deal.

The 32-year-old, who scored 55 goals for the Reds between 1996 and 2003, had been training with the club.

Manager Steve Cotterill told BBC Radio Nottingham: "He has been here now for six weeks or so but we haven't been able to get him involved in a friendly.

"We did not know if he was going to stay and we wouldn't want him getting injured when clubs were chasing him, but we are pleased to sort a deal."

Harewood, who was train with the club following a spell in China.

He scored five goals in 16 appearances for Blackpool in the Premier League last season.

After leaving the City Ground in 2003, Harewood went on to score 48 league goals in 147 appearances for West Ham, helping them to promotion to the Premier League and to the 2006 FA Cup Final.

Aston Villa signed him for £4m in the summer of 2007 but he struggled to make an impact at Villa Park, starting just one league game in three seasons and spending time on loan at then Championship sides Wolves and Newcastle.

Blackpool signed him on a Bosman following his release by Villa but, despite a strong start to his Bloomfield Road career, he ended the season back on loan in the second tier, this time at Barnsley.

After his contract at the Seasiders came to an end he made a surprise move to Chinese first division side Guangzhou R&F, where he scored four goals in 10 appearances.