Cahill – who turned 38 in December – first joined the Championship side as a teenager 20 years ago.

He scored 57 goals in 251 appearances for the East London club  where he played alongside current Millwall nmanager Neil Harris, and is still hailed as an all-time club legend.

He was with the club for seven years after joining as a youth from Sydney United following two years at Sydney Olympic.

"It's an amazing feeling," Cahill said today. "To finally come home and join Neil Harris, David Livermore and all the lads will be really special.

"I can't wait to greet the fans, meet my new team-mates – it's one of those things where it's meant to be."

He added: "The romance of the story is definitely not lost on me. I've always said that if I came back to England, I'd come home.

"Millwall is where I learnt my trade and it was the most important learning period of my life – my apprenticeship in understanding football.

"To come home where it all started, it's emotional, but it's happy emotions, because you wish for it to happen, you want it to happen, but when it finally comes to fruition, it's the perfect move."

He left the Den for Everton in a $2.5m transfer deal in 2004 where he put in an another myth-mkaing stint, scoring 56 goals in 226 games.

His return to Millwall will allow him to play out the season and put himself back in contention for a spot in Socceroos coach Bert van Marwijk's squad to go to the World Cup in June.

Cahill exited Melbourne City in December after struggling for game time under new coach Warren Joyce despite averaging a goal every other game the previous season.

But he left it deep into the transfer window before agreeing terms with Millwall, with few other clubs apparently willing to take a gamble on the veteran striker.

He will now have six weeks to prove himself in the Championship before van Marwijk selects his first Australia side for the upcoming friendly against Norway on March 24.