The 38-year-old has returned to where it all started for him back in 2000 - United Counties League Premier Division North club Quorn

The Leicester-born striker began his career at Quorn before joining Crewe Alexandra in 2003.

His 108 games for Crewe remains the longest spell he had at any club, while Charlton Athletic paid £2m to take him from Crewe in 2007.

Derby County, Sheffield Wednesday, Portsmouth, Leeds United, Blackburn Rovers and Ipswich Town, were among his other ports of call before he scored 21 goals across two seasons for Cheltenham Town in League Two in 2018-2020.

He joined Burton Albion on a free transfer from Ipswich in January 2017 and was immediately unlucky, on his debut in an FA Cup tie away to Watford, when goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon’s knee thudded into his back as they challenged for a high ball.

The result was a punctured lung and two broken ribs, but Varney returned towards the end of the season to score an equaliser away to Barnsley which confirmed Burton’s survival in their first season in the Championship.

He also scored in a Carabao Cup tie away to Oldham Athletic the following season and captained the Brewers in the following round, away to Manchester United, making 36 appearances overall, 28 of them from the bench.

Varney re-joined Burton for the 2020/21 season in a dual role at the Pirelli Stadium.

He is completing strength and conditioning training and is to have a role as a fitness coach with the Brewers, while remaining registered as a player.