Motherwell: goalkeeper Trevor Carson becomes the fourth signing of the summer

Goalkeeper Trevor Carson made 25 appearances for Hartlepool last season as the side was relegated from League Two

Motherwell have made their fourth signing of a summer of rebuilding with the arrival of goalkeeper Trevor Carson.

The 29-year-old joins on a three-year contract after leaving Hartlepool United, who were relegated from England's League Two.

"It's been ongoing for a couple of weeks now, but to get everything signed is great," Carson told MFC TV.

"Now I can relax before coming back recharged to start pre-season."

Carson spent two years at Hartlepool, having previously played for Cheltenham, Portsmouth, Bury, Hull, Brentford, Lincoln and Chesterfield, with the majority of those being loan spells from his first club, Sunderland.

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'We're short of defenders'

The former Northern Ireland under-21 cap joins Craig Tanner, Gael Bigirimana and Alex Fisher as new recruits at Fir Park, after Robinson acknowledged at the end of last season that he faced a significant summer of recruitment.

The Motherwell manager described the signing of Carson as "another piece of business in an area of the pitch that I feel is vitally important for us and it'll be a big signing", before adding that further additions will be made to the squad.

"We've agreed a deal for another attacking midfielder and I'm well aware that we need defenders as well," Robinson said.

"We were very short of defenders as we had Ben Heneghan as our only recognised fit defender towards the end of the season. So we are doing that.

"It's hard to get the exact players you want when they're in contract and the centre half position and possibly full back positions we need to strengthen as well."

James McFadden was player/assistant manager at Motherwell but has now left the club

Goalkeeper Russell Griffiths, who was on loan from Everton last season, has also been made an offer to join the Fir Park club on a permanent basis, and if that is concluded Robinson believes "that will be the goalkeeping situation sorted".

The Motherwell manager says he wants to address the playing side of the club before he looks to fill vacancies within his backroom team. James McFadden, who was player-assistant manager, has now left and that coaching position has yet to be filled.

"It was tough what needed to be done and I just felt that bringing new players in and moving people on was the right thing to do," said Robinson.

"We weren't second bottom of the league for long periods of the season for no reason. It did need revamped and I'm still actively trying to do that. There are players that will maybe still leave the club.

"In terms of James, his playing contract came to an end and I didn't feel he contributed on the pitch anymore and obviously it was a very tough decision for me.

'He will make a really good manager or coach'

"He's a brilliant lad who's been a brilliant servant to this football club. We had a good chat but I don't think James has quite made his mind up on whether he wants to still play.

'He can at a level and that's a decision he has to make as to whether he wants to go into coaching full time or into management. I've no doubt when he decides to do that he will make a really good manager or a coach.

"In maybe five or six years time he could come back to Motherwell, and I'm sure people would be delighted to see that."

Captain Keith Lasley could be a possible contender for the assistant manager's post after Robinson confirmed the veteran midfielder triggered a clause that entitled him to another playing contract.

Motherwell also announced a new sponsorship deal with McEwan Fraser Legal, becoming the fourth club along with Dundee, Dundee United and Inverness to agree a partnership with the solicitors' firm.