Huddersfield Town have beaten the transfer deadline to land experienced Cardiff City centre-back and captain Mark Hudson.

The arrival of the 32-year-old is a major boost as the Championship club try to stem a heavy goals concession rate - 13 in five league games and 18 in seven in all competitions.

Hudson has signed a two-year deal after ending a five-year stay in the Welsh capital, where he played alongside new Town teammate Anthony Gerrard.

He began his career at Fulham, who have also being showing an interest, and also played for Crystal Palace and Charlton Athletic.

Cardiff paid more than £1m to sign him, and he played a key role in the side who won promotion to the Premier League in 2013.

At the start of that promotion season, he spoiled Town's big Championship return by scoring a late winner in the opening game in South Wales.

Guildford-born Hudson also featured in Cardiff's 3-1 home win over Town earlier this season and was contracted through to 2015.

The transfer of the six footer for a nominal fee got the nod after Cardiff signed Gabon international centre-back Bruno Ecuele Manga from French side Lorient.

Boss Ole Gunnar Soskjaer has also brought in Danny Gabbidon and recently recruited former Town loan defender Sean Morrison from Reading.

Town have been trying to bring in a seasoned centre-back since the end of last season, and Hudson certainly seems to fit the bill.

He will compete with the likes of Gerrard, Lee Peltier, Joel Lynch, Murray Wallace and Tommy Smith for a berth.

Hudson becomes Town's fourth new arrival since the start of the season after on-loan Liverpool right-back Jack Robinson and midfielders Conor Coady and Jacob Butterfield.

Suggestions that new Crystal Palace boss Neil Warnock was keen to land Peltier, his skipper at Leeds United, appear to have been wide of the mark.