McCormack was a sensation for Melbourne City while on loan for half the season last year, scoring 14 goals in 17 games before heading back to the UK in January when his injury replacement deal ran out as Bruno Fornaroli returned from injury.

But when he got back to parent club Aston Villa in the English Championship, he was still ignored by coach Steve Bruce and never got a sniff of a game under the boss who was ultimately sacked earlier this week.

Now he is back in the A-League with the Mariners and set to make his first appearance in the yellow and navy in their pre-season friendly against Wollongong Wolves tonight (depending on the weather).

But he admitted: "I'm just looking get some minutes.

"You know I've not been on a field since probably about January 25 - that was the last game I played and that was at home to Newcastle for Melbourne last season.

"So I'm just looking to enjoy it really, play as many minutes as I can, as many as the manager asks me to play and just then have a smile on my face."

McCormack fell out of favour at Villa after turning up late for training and was dropped for a game in Melbourne following a late arrival for training there.

But the 32 year old Scot said he was embracing the regime on the Central Coast.

He added: "I have been impressed by the standard of training and the intensity and the standard of the players as well.

"There are some good players here and some good young kids so all in all, it's shaping up to be a to be a good season."

McCormack will likely start tonight alongside the Mariners' other new star signing Tommy Oar who said he was delighted to be back in the A-League after a season in Europe with Cypriot club APOEL.

He reunites with Mariners coach Mike Mulvey 10 years after the pair worked together at the Queensland Academy of Sport when Oar was just 16.

"it's really good to be back working with Mike," said Oar. "I've been in contact with him throughout my career really and I'm really happy the way it's worked out.

"I tried to see if there was an opportunity to work with him and obviously now that he's back here in Australia with the Mariners, the stars kind of aligned.

"I'm just really enjoying working under him and working hard for the season."

He added: "I'm really happy to be back. I enjoyed my time in APOEL and we had a lot of success last year. We won the title and played in Europe.

"But for me to be back in the league and working under Mike Mulvey is something I'm really pleased about and hopefully I can produce my best football."

The Mariners other star name - trialist and sprint superstar Usain Bolt – is understood to have travelled to Wollongong for tonight's game but is reportedly unlikely to make an appearance on the pitch.