MORTON today signed central defender Gavin Gunning on a short-term contract until January.

The 25-year-old former Dundee United centre-half put pen to paper on a deal at Parklea this morning before training with his new team-mates.

He goes straight into the squad for Saturday’s clash with Dunfermline Athletic.

Morton boss Jim Duffy said: “I think Gavin is a terrific player and it’s just unforeseen circumstances that he’d found himself out of the game, so I think that a player of his quality at 25 years of age coming to us is fantastic.

“He’s not had any game time recently and it will take him a couple of weeks. He’s been training with a non-league team down in Birmingham, but games are what it’s all about and it might take him a bit of time.

“But he’s going to be in the squad for Saturday. We’ve brought him here to come and play and hopefully his experience and his knowledge will get him through the first couple of games and his fitness will come into play after that.”