Former Watford striker Will Hoskins says he hopes to re-start his career after completing a move to Bristol Rovers.

Hoskins was released by Watford at the beginning of the month and has signed a two-year deal with Rovers.

The striker was reportedly close to moving to Charlton Athletic last week but has opted to join Paul Trollope's men, who finished 11th in League One last season.

Hoskins scored 16 goals in 26 appearances in the first half of the 2006/07 season for Rotherham United but he struggled following the move to Vicarage Road and eventually found himself out of favour with his three Hornets' managers.

The 24-year-old managed just nine goals in 70 outings in all competitions for Watford but he is hoping to rediscover the form he showed as a teenager..

"I hope the Rovers fans will get to see a lot more goals from me, but for them rather than against them" said Hoskins - making reference to the Carling Cup goal he scored against Rovers two seasons ago.

"I know all eyes are going to be on me after being out of the frame at Watford and people will be wondering whether I can do what I did at Rotherham, when I got all those goals.

"I have got to answer everyone and I know what I'm capable of.

"I spoke to Paul Trollope and came away thinking this could be a new start in my career. My aim is to come here and score goals."

A host of League One clubs enquired about Hoskins throughout last season and the striker was close to moving to Leeds United at one point.

Rovers manager Trollope was delighted to beat off the competition and secure the signing of Hoskins.

"Will is a player we have admired for a long time. He banged in a lot of goals for Rotherham in League One and then got a move to the Premiership at 19 with Watford," Trollope said.

"Since then we have been impressed with him when we have seen him play and he scored against us for Watford in the Carling Cup two years ago.

"We have tracked him closely and made a few efforts to get him during various transfer windows over the last 18 months, so we are pleased to sign him because we had to beat off a lot of competition.

"He is someone who fits in with our philosophy in terms of his age and how we can develop him – he is a young, hungry and ambitious player who wants to prove his worth again after stagnating a little bit at Watford.

"But he still managed to get some Championship experience over the past two years and we feel we can get the best out of him.

"The fact he is just 24 means there is a lot of room for development and he still has a lot of years left in him. He can link play really well, he can get goals with either foot and his movement is first class."