Former Leeds United defender Ian Harte has signed a two year deal with English League One side Carlisle United.

The County Louth born defender returned to England in 2007 from Spanish club Levante – where he had spent three years. A brief spell at Sunderland was followed by another short run at Blackpool before he ended the season just completed at Carlisle having turned down a deal with St Mirren – even after the move had been announced by the Scottish club.

Carlisle narrowly avoided dropping down to the third tier of English football in the season just gone and the signing of Harte shows some ambition from a club that were once Roddy Collins’ “Rod Squad”.

Harte has not played internationall since 2005 and it seems highly unlikely that he will return to the international fold at this stage in his career.