Looking to bolster his forward options for the 2016/17 SPL season, Rangers manager at the time Mark Warburton moved for Preston striker Joe Garner.
With the addition of Garner, Warburton’s strikeforce looked complete from his perspective as his new signing joined Kenny Miller, Martyn Waghorn and Joe Dodoo as another alternative to lead the line, exciting supporters in the process.
finally! Welcome Joe
— Laura (@MissLJayx) 20 August 2016
https://twitter.com/Fairgrieve97/status/766991211173404672
About time! Find your phone did you??
— Christopher Cooper (@ChrisCooper0) August 20, 2016
YYYYYAAAAAASSSSS
— steven (@1872steven) 20 August 2016
WOOOOO
— R (@RangersFCReady) August 20, 2016
would like to welcome joe garner to our club. Hope you go on to become a top striker. WATP
— Larkyloyalist (@chicfaelarky) August 23, 2016
he’s gonna bang them in here, welcome!!!!
— Jonathon (@Massey10_) 20 August 2016
Unfortunately for Garner, though, he was unable to deliver on that excitement after a fairly underwhelming first and only season at Ibrox.
In the SPL, the 30-year-old could only muster up seven goals from 31 appearances before being sold to Ipswich Town after just a year at the club, putting things into perspective.
In League 1 with Preston, Garner was one of the most prolific No.9s in the division during his time there. However, the Englishman could not maintain that status in the Championship, making his transfer to Rangers a gamble and one that has not paid off.
Now at Wigan, Garner will be looking to make a real name for himself in the Championship having been largely disappointing in most of the seasons he has played in English football’s second tier.
