Kilmarnock sign Jamie MacDonald as the goalkeeper exits Falkirk

MacDonald helped Falkirk to the Scottish Cup final

Jamie MacDonald has earned a return to the Scottish Premiership, with the 29-year-old goalkeeper signing for Kilmarnock after leaving Falkirk.

He has agreed a three-year contract and is re-united with manager Gary Locke, who was his boss at Hearts.

Locke told his club website: "He is a top goalkeeper at a good age and will give us competition in that area.

"I believe a few clubs were after him, so I am delighted he has chosen Kilmarnock."

It means MacDonald's last act for Falkirk came in their 2-1 Scottish Cup final defeat by Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

Falkirk said on their website: "We were keen to keep him, but negotiations never really got off the ground."

The former Scotland Under-21 international came through the youth ranks at Hearts and had loan spells with Queen of the South before becoming a first-team regular at Tynecastle.

However, he was released after the Edinburgh club suffered relegation under Locke at the end of a season during which they went into administration.

Locke was also dismissed by the new owners and MacDonald said he was delighted to be both returning to the Scottish top-flight and to be working with his former manager.

Falkirk finished fifth in the Championship, with the goalkeeper rejecting the offer of a new contract after making 47 appearances for Peter Houston's side.

MacDonald will compete for a first-team start with Craig Samson, who was called up to Scotland manager Gordon Strachan's most recent senior squad.