The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Garner glad to grasp Ibrox opportunity Frontman relishes chance to live up to £1.5 million tag
Joe Garner admits he had to grab his chance to join Rangers, because he feared he might not get another shot at the big time.
The former Preston frontman begged Deepdale boss Simon Grayson to allow him to speak to Gers last week.
He was delighted when the Light Blues struck a £1.5 million deal with the SkyBet Championship outfit to bring him north of the border.
“I’ve played at massive clubs before like Nottingham Forest but I think Rangers is the biggest I’ve played for,” said the former England youth international
“I think it would be fair to say that, at 28, I had to grasp this opportunity because I wasn’t sure if I’d get another like it. When I heard about the club’s interest, it was something my family and I couldn’t turn down.
“The club has sold 45,000 season tickets, so that says everything about the size of things, here and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Garner admits there is pressure on him after Warburton shelled out his biggest fee yet as Gers boss to secure his services.
Previously, the Englishman had not
JOE GARNER
spent more than £500,000, which secured Michael O’Halloran from St Johnstone back in January, but Garner’s price-tag is an indication of the value Warburton thinks he can bring to his side.
Garner hopes he can find the net on a regular basis, just as he did when rattling home 27 goals during Preston’s promotion campaign two years ago.
He said: “I’ve played against a lot of the manager’s teams before and I know he likes to play attacking football and keep a lot of possession.
“As a striker, when you play in that kind of attacking style you know nine times out of 10 you’re going to get a lot of chances and it was something I wanted to be a part of.
“The gaffer knows my strengths and weaknesses but hopefully I can bring something a little bit different to what we have at the minute.”
Garner should make his debut against Kilmarnock in tonight’s Ladbrokes Premiership clash at Rugby Park.
But his eye has already drifted down the fixture list to next month’s Old Firm duel with Celtic.
“My phone has been ringing non-stop with people looking for tickets,” he said. “They’re a bit like gold dust though.
“The lads are already looking forward to the game.
“Obviously we’ve got Kilmarnock at the weekend first though.
“That’s a massive game and we’ll be looking to take three points first. But you can tell the city is already getting ready for the Old Firm game,” he added.
Meanwhile, reports last night claimed that Philippe Senderos was undergoing a medical with the Ibrox club.
I think it would be fair to say that, at 28, I had to grasp this opportunity because I wasn’t sure if I’d get another like it.