Former Leeds star Harte today agreed to join the Clydesdale Bank Premier League club until the end of the season.

The 31-year-old was available for free outside the transfer window after leaving Blackpool earlier this month.

Saints boss MacPherson was delighted to land the player, who until recently was used to multi-million pound salaries at Leeds and his other former clubs, Levante and Sunderland.

MacPherson told his club's official website, www.saintmirren.co.uk: "He has made his money so, I can assure you, he isn't coming to St Mirren Football Club for the money! He is here because he wants to play football."

Indeed, such has been Harte's fall from grace, he has struggled to find a team to take him on since being released by Sunderland last summer.

He had trials with various clubs and joined Blackpool in December but they too let him go.

However, MacPherson had no hesitation snapping up a player who has been capped 64 times by the Republic of Ireland - though not for two years.

"I think getting Ian Harte in here to St Mirren is a really good move for us," MacPherson said.

"It was no secret that, towards the end of the transfer window, we were looking to bring in a left-sided defender.

"I had recently seen Ian playing for Blackpool, so when we got a phone call to say he was available, we knew that he fitted into just exactly what we were looking for.

"Ian is a defender of great experience and is still only 31 years of age and that is backed up when you look at his career stats and pedigree."

MacPherson added: "He has more attributes than just being a defender; technically he is very good and his distribution is very good.

"You don't play at the level of football that Ian has if you don't have a good understanding and appreciation of the game - so we are more than delighted to bring him here to St Mirren Football Club until the end of this season.

"I know he hasn't played that much first-team football lately but, as I've already said, I have seen him play recently for Blackpool.

"He has also been keeping himself fit - we have done our homework.

"It was a surprise phone call we got and we were more than delighted to follow it up.

"Guys like Ian Harte don't get offered to you very often and the guy is desperate to play football."

Harte could now make his debut in Saturday's Homecoming Scottish Cup fifth-round tie at Motherwell.

MacPherson said: "Ian will train with us tomorrow morning and then we'll make a decision after that if he goes into the squad for Saturday or not."

Meanwhile, the Saints boss revealed Franco Miranda and Stephen O'Donnell have both undergone successful knee operations.

Miranda will be out for between four and six weeks, while O'Donnell faces four to six weeks of rehabilitation before he can return to training.