Experienced goalkeeper Mark Howard, 35, has joined Carlisle United on a short-term deal until early January.
With an injury to first-choice Magnus Norman, the Blues looked at Adam Smith last week in the reserves, but have now opted for Howard.
He spent last season with Scunthorpe United and played 35 games for them after joining them around the same time of the year as he has linked up with Carlisle.
Although London born, and a product of Arsenal’s youth system, the vast majority of his career has been spent in the north or in Scotland.
Carlisle will be the 12th senior club in his career with the longest stint at Sheffield United (2012-2016) when he made 80 league appearances.
Although Howard did not win any official caps for either England or any of its youth teams, he did appear as a substitute in an unofficial England fixture in 2004, as part of a testimonial for former Arsenal defender Martin Keown. England lost 6–0.
Other clubs he has played for are Falkirk, Cardiff, Swansea, St. Mirren, Aberdeen, Blackpool, Bolton and Salford City.
United caretaker boss Gavin Skelton told the Carlisle official website: “We’re really pleased that we’ve managed to get Mark in with us.
“He’s an experienced player who knows the game, and he knows what League Two is all about.
“We felt it was important to get somebody like that in because he isn’t just here for the sake of it, he’ll provide real competition for that starting jersey.
“He’s shown through his first training session with us that he likes to organise and talk to his defenders, and he’s slotted in seamlessly already.
“We’re all looking forward to working with him.”
