Dunfermline sign St Mirren defender Marc McAusland

Dunfermline have signed former St Mirren stopper Marc McAusland after their defensive crisis deepened.

Marc McAusland in action for St Mirren. Picture: SNS

The Pars have snapped up the 27-year-old for the remainder of the season after seeing skipper Callum Fordyce and full-back Ryan Williamson ruled out long-term, and Shaun Rooney and Jason Talbot succumb to injury.

Rooney was signed earlier this month to help ease the Pars’ rearguard worries but limped out of last weekend’s 5-0 win over Stenhousemuir and missed Tuesday’s League Cup defeat by Dundee United. He and Talbot, who is struggling with a hamstring injury, are both doubts for tomorrow’s meeting with Airdrie, while Fordyce and Williamson are likely to be sidelined for many weeks with broken legs.

McAusland has been without a club since leaving hometown team St Mirren by mutual consent in April at the end of his second spell with the Paisley club. The former Scotland under-21 cap, who played nearly 200 times for the Buddies, had been keen on playing abroad but returned his sights to Scottish football after failing to find a suitable move.

Manager Allan Johnston said: “I’m delighted to bring in someone of Marc’s quality. He’s played most of his career in the Premiership and he’s of a good age that will bring a bit of experience to the squad.”