The 28-year-old Scotland international will bolster the Royals’ fire power and he admitted the chance to work with Nigel Adkins was too good to turn down.

He said: “I got some great vibes from him and I’m really, really looking forward to working with him. “I’ve admired him from a distance working with other teams, and hopefully we can emulate what his Southampton side did and get promoted.

“I’ve heard great things about the coaches too so I’m looking forward to getting stuck in at the training ground.”

Boss Adkins revealed he was a long-term fan of the striker and said: “There are always players that you have been tracking over a long period of time. “I remember seeing Jamie when he played against Scunthorpe for Plymouth and he was so industrious.”