A few short weeks ago, Saints fans thought new signings would be pie in the sky.

The first signing of the Alan Pardew era is Dan Harding from Ipswich Town, Harding is looked upon mainly as a defender but can play down the left and joins Saints having been given a free transfer by Roy Keane at Portman Road.

Harding certainly has experience both in the Championship and League 1, starting his career down the A27 at Brighton, Harding made over 70 appearances for the Seagulls, before joining Leeds in an £850k deal in the summer of 2005.

His career at Elland Road was not great and in his one season he appeared 20 times in the League before going to East Anglia in a swap.

At Ipswich he initially staked his claim and for two years was a first team regular playing 73 times in the league out of a possible 92, but having fallen out of favour towards the end of 2007/08 season he was transfer listed and joined Southend on loan for the start of the 08/09 season with a view to a permanent move.

However he chose not to stay at Roots Hall despite being a first team regular and instead joined Reading in January 09, he was not to make much impact though until the final weeks of the season, when having waited three months to get selected he played in the final three league games and the two play off matches against Burnley.

This was not to lead to a permanent move though and Harding now looks to keep the momentum going at St Mary's.

On paper it looks to be a decent signing, Harding who will turn 26 in December and with exactly 199 games under his belt look to be a good match of experience and relative youth, he has usually been first choice at every club he has been at for most of his spell there, so could be an asset to Saints in that not only has he experience last season in League 1, but he is proven at Championship level as well.     

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