Exeter City are pleased to welcome former Northern Ireland international Rory McArdle to the club.
McArdle, who has been capped 17 times at full-international level, joins the club from Scunthorpe having played 31 games for the Glanford Park side last season.
The experienced defender, who has nearly 500 appearances in the Football League to his name, is known for his physical approach to the game as well as ability to be good in the air, both in his own and the opposition’s box.
“He is an experienced player,” said Matt Taylor. “He has played over 400 league games. He is a right-footed centre-half and has a good physical presence.
“He is a player who knows his own game and knows what is needed at this level. He has had success throughout his career and is a fully capped international and really good character as well. He is someone I played alongside and admired when I was at Bradford and I am really pleased we have brought him down.
“It was a big commitment for himself and his family to move down here. He is a Sheffield lad. Good, honest, tough northerner and it is great to see a few more of those in and around the area. I am really pleased. We have got to be sensible in how we use the finance that we have got, and we think that Rory will be of real value, not only to the team but to the young players at the club.”
Matt admitted that at 33 years of age, Rory comes with a lot of knowledge and know-how and that should help the younger players around him although they would have to be sensible in terms of what they manage him in order to get the best out of the player.
“He is a good character,” Matt added. “He is going to hold the middle of the pitch and I know what I am going to get out of Rory. We have got to be mindful that he is getting towards the latter stages of his career. He is 33 now.
"We have just seen now how fit he is in terms of the distance running, but it is all about speed and power and jumping and being able to defend in one and one areas. We have got to manage him in terms of the amount of games he is going to play, but also his training load. We need him available for most of the season.”