Ipswich Town have confirmed the addition of veteran goalkeeper Paddy Kenny on a four-month deal.

The 36-year-old – who has made more than 600 appearances for the likes of Bury, Sheffield United, QPR and Leeds – has been signed to act as an experienced back-up to Bartosz Bialkowski with Dean Gerken currently sidelined with a hip injury.

Capped seven times by the Republic of Ireland, Kenny has twice won promotion to the Premier League – finishing second with Sheffield United in 2006 before helping QPR to the title in 2011.

Released by Leeds last summer, he joined Bolton on a short-term deal in September. The Halifax-born custodian didn’t make an appearance for the Trotters and joined League One side Oldham on loan. There, he made four appearances – including a 7-0 defeat at MK Dons.

He will wear the number 35 shirt during his time at Town and goes straight into the squad for tomorrow night’s Championship match at struggling Brighton.

“I’m delighted to have got him in the door,” said Blues boss Mick McCarthy. “He’s experienced and we’ve got him until the end of the season, even if we end up in the play-offs.

“Judging by his demeanour and his banter so far he’ll bring a bit of life to the place. He went to get his shirt and we said ‘what size do you want?’ and he said ‘small’. I love all that. He looks great.

“I feel sorry a bit for Michael Crowe, our young fella, but I need experience. It’s alright him sitting on the bench, but what happens if he has to come on after a minute? I need somebody who’s played in the league.

“I’ve spoken to Michael this morning. It would have been easy for me to dismiss the fact that he’s young and I don’t have to speak to him, but I did and he fully understands. He says ‘I can learn off Paddy’.

“Some people might say ‘how do you get experience? Well you don’t get it by being thrown into a team that’s at the top end of the league. That can make you, but very often it can break you if it doesn’t go right.”