The 30-year-old, who collected the last of his 17 Great Britain caps against Australia in 1997, has been released by Super League strugglers Salford City Reds.

The Reds skipper has made only one appearance in almost two months after suffering a groin injury.

In May he was suspended by his club for a fortnight after a training-ground bust-up with team-mate Graham Holroyd.

"I'm not sitting on the touchline every week," said Goulding, who does not figure in new Salford coach Karl Harrison's plans.

"I've trained on my own for the last four weeks but I've left on good terms.

"I don't see it as a step down. I want to take Leigh into Super League and I think we can do it."

Leigh chief executive Tommy Cunningham described Goulding as the club's "best signing in the last decade".

He said the player would be offered a new contract if the club won promotion to Super League.

Goulding joined Salford in 2001 after previous spells with Widnes, Wigan, Leeds, St Helens, Huddersfield and Wakefield in this country and Eastern Suburbs in Australia.

He will make his Centurions debut in Sunday's NFP home game against Featherstone.

Leigh, meanwhile, have also agreed a fee with Doncaster for the purchase of former Sheffield, Huddersfield and Warrington winger Dale Cardoza, who will complete his move next week.