Shane Long: Reading re-sign striker 11 years after first leaving club

Veteran Republic of Ireland striker Shane Long has rejoined Reading.

The 35-year-old has agreed a one-year contract at the club where he made his name after first moving to England from Cork City in 2005.

Long, who has scored 119 goals in a near 17-year career, left Southampton earlier this summer after an eight-year spell with the Premier League side.

He scored 54 goals in 203 games in his first spell with the Royals between 2005 and 2011.

In his first season at Reading Long scored five goals in 15 games as the Royals secured promotion to the Premier League.

Long went on to play for West Bromwich Albion and Hull City in both the Premier League and Championship before a £12m move to Southampton in 2014.

"The arrival of Shane is something of a football fairytale for Reading fans," Reading boss Paul Ince told the club website.

"But make no mistake about it - he is coming into the dressing room purely on the merits of what he can offer this squad out on the pitch."

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