Northampton Town have signed striker Leon McKenzie on a contract to the end of the season. As McKenzie, who was most recently with Charlton Athletic, was a free agent, this signing is able to be completed outside of the transfer window.

The 32 year old began his career with his local club Crystal Palace, making his debut during the 1995-96 season. In 1997 he was loaned to Fulham and in 1998 to Peterborough United, where he scored 9 goals in 15 games. In 2000 McKenzie joined Peterborough on a permanent basis for a fee of £25,000. In three years at London Road he scored 49 goals in 103 games.

He joined Norwich from Peterborough in December 2005 for a fee of £325,000, and scored twice on his debut to help beat local rivals Ipswich Town at Portman Road. His goals made a significant contribution to Norwich's promotion to the Premier League as First Division champions.

Within a year, he had turned from a Second Division to a Premiership player. McKenzie took time to find his feet in the Premiership but he established a strike partnership with Dean Ashton which would become one of the most potent in the division during the closing stages of the 2004-05 season.

McKenzie was signed by Coventry City on transfer deadline day in August 2006 for an initial £600,000 that, depending on appearances and promotion, could rise to £1m.

He started the 2007-08 season well, scoring against Barnsley on the opening day of the season and against Hull.

He also scored in Coventry's opening game of the 2008-09 season against his old club, Norwich City. This marked McKenzie's 100th professional career goal.

On 1 September 2009 he signed for Charlton Athletic, before being released by the Addicks at the end of the 2009/10 season.

McKenzie has scored 103 career goals in 258 starts and a further 124 substitute appearances.

"I am pleased to have got Leon in," said boss Ian Sampson.

"He is an experienced striker with a good goalscoring record playing at a higher level. We have been struggling for goals and Leon will come in to try and change that. We have been looking to add to the squad and Leon fits the bill.

"He has got an excellent CV and a good pedigree and he has a hunger to get back among the goals.

"We have been talking for a few days and he has been training with us and I am pleased we have got things sorted out. He is a player I have been looking at for a while and the cup run has allowed us to bring him in."

You can sponsor his kit for the season - kit and player sponsors prices are reduced! Click here for more