Gary Liddle yesterday signed for Carlisle United - and manager Keith Curle hinted further additions could be on the way.

Liddle, 30, joins the Brunton Park outfit on an 18-month contract as he looks to play his part in the Blues’ League Two promotion push.

United boss Curle confirmed the versatile player, who can play in both midfield and defence, will start this afternoon’s home match against Morecambe (3pm kick-off) after his move from Chesterfield.

“I’m excited about bringing Gary into the squad,” Curle said.

“He has got a calmness and an assurance about him. The lad can play, he knows his role. He can have an effect on other people.

“He is not a shouter and a screamer but he can stop the opposition from playing. If the opposition allow him time and space to play, he can defend and he can be creative with his passing and his play.

“But he has an air of determination about him, as well.”

Carlisle’s boss and Liddle have worked together previously.

And Curle added: “We have worked together before at Notts County.

“I enjoyed working with him and I hope he enjoyed working with me. At the time, I would like to think he was very successful.”

Despite bringing in the former Chesterfield captain, Curle added he would still like to improve his squad, before the end of the January transfer window.

“In an ideal world, I would like to bring two more in to the starting line-up,” he said.

“One is close and the clubs are talking. A lot of it can depend on our gates, our revenue stream, commercial deals being done and investors coming into the football club.

“But our biggest income stream is revenue [through gate money]. That directly goes into a pot that is made available for us to bring in acquisitions we feel can keep us where we are at the minute.”

Curle is also hoping the capture of Liddle will galvanise his current set of players and help them move their own games on to new heights.

“The quality of players that we have brought into the football club this year, I think that has had an immediate effect on some of the players that were already signed on at the football club,” he said.

“They raise their game, they raise their level - that is pleasing.

“That shows they are able to perform at the next level and maintain their place in my team because I want to be successful. I want to be progressive and I want to go the next level.”