McAusland, nicknamed Cheesy, is the son of Saints director Bryan and came through the club's youth system. He made his debut in 2008 and was used a few times as a sub the following season, but despite being offered a new contract last summer he left to get first team football at Queens. He had a decent year in Dumfries, but to see him come back is a huge surprise.
His return has been greeted with outrage by many Saints fans on the web, although from the way they are going on you'd think we'd signed someone who was missing a leg. We needed another centre half and Cheesy fills that role, but I'll admit he isn't the person I'd have gone for. Giving him a three year deal is also an odd piece of business and it's quite some time since that happened with one of our players.
There are growing worries about the lack of quality in the side following the signings of McAusland, Craig Samson and Gareth Wardlaw this week, although in my view Cheesy is far from the worst signing this summer. Let's just hope Danny Lennon - who rates the defender highly - has a few more irons in the fire.
Meanwhile, Queens have wasted no time in filling the vacant slot on their wage bill by signing former Saint Allan Johnston, who has featured for them as a trialist in their pre-season games.