Smeltz, last season’s Golden Boot winner with 19 goals, will join his teammates at training immediately with a view to being thrust straight into the action when United host North Queensland Fury at Skilled Park this Friday night.

After a frustrating spell on the sidelines in Turkey, Smeltz said he was thrilled to be able to pull on the Gold Coast United shirt once again and couldn’t wait to get back to doing what he does best – scoring goals.

“I’m delighted to be back – really happy," he said. "I’ve always loved the A-League since it started.

"Obviously I haven’t played as much football as I would have liked in the last five or six months, so I’m just really looking forward to getting back into the swing of things.

“My immediate focus is to try to help out Gold Coast United’s situation. I’ve been following them all season and the team has done well so far but has suffered a bit of a dip recently.

"Hopefully I can contribute and help everything to start flowing again towards the finals. On a personal level, I just want to get back playing and enjoy myself on the park.”

Smeltz gave a brief insight into his time in Turkey where sweeping changes to key senior staff soon after his arrival changed the landscape for the striker who was a New Zealand hero during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

“It’s complicated over there and in the course of my first five or six weeks in Turkey there were a lot of changes at the club,” he said.

“They got a new coach, a new assistant coach and a new general manager who all brought with them their differing opinions.

"It happens all over the world in football and is nothing new, but the result was that I was sidelined more than I wanted to be.

“I spoke to the club about it and they agreed to release me, so I’m very happy with that outcome and feel relieved that I will playing again soon.

“These things happen in football and you have to go with it. The only thing to do now is to move forward and get on with helping Gold Coast United the best I can.”

United Head Coach Miron Bleiberg said Smeltz’s signature could just be the spark his side needs in their quest to secure second place on the ladder with just eight matches remaining before the Finals Series begins.

After a recent dip in form and a lack of goals in their last two outings, Bleiberg believes the return of Smeltz will lift morale among the group as a whole.

“It’s great to have Shane back with us and he’s come exactly at the right time as our recent results haven’t been the best,” Bleiberg said.

“We’re obviously very happy to sign a proven goalscorer at this point in the campaign and hopefully he can help us achieve what we want to achieve this season.

“Shane will obviously bring his qualities to the field, but also his return will be a big boost for the whole squad.

"I’m not expecting miracles from him in his first match as he will be a little bit short of match sharpness, but he is familiar with everyone at the club and it won’t take him very long to settle back in."