 Garner playing forIpswich Town in 2017 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Joseph Alan Garner[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1988-04-12)12 April 1988 (age 37)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Blackburn, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[3] | ||
| Position | Striker | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Oldham Athletic | ||
| Number | 24 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2006 | Blackburn Rovers | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2006–2007 | Blackburn Rovers | 0 | (0) |
| 2007 | →Carlisle United (loan) | 18 | (5) |
| 2007–2008 | Carlisle United | 31 | (14) |
| 2008–2011 | Nottingham Forest | 48 | (9) |
| 2010–2011 | →Huddersfield Town (loan) | 16 | (0) |
| 2011 | →Scunthorpe United (loan) | 18 | (6) |
| 2011–2013 | Watford | 24 | (1) |
| 2012 | →Carlisle United (loan) | 16 | (8) |
| 2013–2016 | Preston North End | 129 | (49) |
| 2016–2017 | Rangers | 31 | (7) |
| 2017–2018 | Ipswich Town | 32 | (10) |
| 2018–2020 | Wigan Athletic | 71 | (13) |
| 2021 | APOEL | 11 | (8) |
| 2021–2023 | Fleetwood Town | 38 | (5) |
| 2023–2024 | Carlisle United | 42 | (5) |
| 2024– | Oldham Athletic | 29 | (7) |
| International career | |||
| 2003–2004 | England U16 | 4 | (4) |
| 2004–2005 | England U17 | 10 | (5) |
| 2005–2006 | England U19 | 6 | (3) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 21:09, 1 June 2025 (UTC) | |||
Joseph Alan Garner (born 12 April 1988) is an English professionalfootballer who plays as astriker forEFL League Two clubOldham Athletic.
Garner started his career withBlackburn Rovers before joiningCarlisle United. Garner had a three-year spell withPreston North End, where he made over 150 appearances and won the2015 Football League One play-off final. Garner had previously moved to Wigan Athletic in 2018 and played there until 2020.
Born inBlackburn, Garner started his career at thenPremier League clubBlackburn Rovers and playing as a striker played in the same position as his namesakeSimon Garner, Blackburn's highest-ever goalscorer and club legend during the 1980s and early 1990s. Contrary to some stories, the two are not related. He played for the youth and reserve teams atEwood Park and was a prolific scorer at youth level, his record including scoring two hat tricks in one game againstManchester United U16.[4] Despite Blackburn having high hopes for the player, Garner did not make the breakthrough into the Blackburn Rovers senior squad due to competition for places in the Blackburn line up with players such asPaul Dickov,Paul Gallagher,Craig Bellamy,Benni McCarthy andRoque Santa Cruz forcing Garner to drop down two divisions in search of regular first team football.
On 19 January 2007, Garner joinedCarlisle United on loan until the end of the2006–07 season.[5] Garner scored his first ever league goal for Carlisle United atBrunton Park on 10 February 2007, in a game againstYeovil Town, which Carlisle went on to lose 4–1.[6] On 17 March 2007, he scored and was sent off in a 1–1 draw withHuddersfield Town at Brunton Park, receiving a second yellow card for diving after a tackle from former UnitedgoalkeeperMatt Glennon.[7] His powerful shot, from well outside the box, atPort Vale on 7 April 2007 was voted goal of the season by United fans.[8] Despite initial resistance to a permanent deal from theBlackburn Rovers management,[9] Garner eventually signed permanently forCarlisle United on 10 August 2007 for a club record fee of £140,000, which could rise to £150,000 if United gain promotion to theChampionship.[10]Scottish Premier League sideDundee United were also interested in signing Garner, before he joined Carlisle United.[11]
On 25 July 2008, less than a year after joining Carlisle, Garner was sold toNottingham Forest for a fee of £1.14m.[12] He signed a four-year contract, keeping him at the Reds until 2012. He was recovering from a knee ligament operation at the time of the transfer. Garner returned from his injury in late October 2008, when he started in a 1–0 home defeat toCardiff City.[13] He then scored his first goal for the club three weeks later, scoring the first goal in a 2–2 draw atBristol City.[14] A further two weeks later, he scored his first goal at theCity Ground in Forest's 1–0 victory againstBarnsley,[15] and followed this up with another goal atCoventry City.[16] He then netted a 'majestic' 35-yard chip in a 2–0 victory atSouthampton,[17] before scoring his fifth of the season in the 4–2 home loss againstDoncaster Rovers,[18] a result which cost the Forest managerColin Calderwood his job.[18] After the arrival of new managerBilly Davies at Forest on 1 January 2009, Garner struggled to hold a regular first-team place during the remainder of the season and was limited to mainly substitute appearances.[citation needed] However, Garner netted his first goal under Davies with a crucial 83rd-minute equaliser againstBristol City on 11 April 2009, a game that ended in a 3–2 Forest win.[19]
The beginning of the 2009–10 season saw Garner forge his way into Davies' plans, playing on the right side of midfield occasionally. He scored his first goal of the 2009–10 season on 17 April 2010 againstBlackpool.[20] His second and last of the season was a 'cool finish' againstScunthorpe United, in a game that finished in a 2–2 draw.[21] He made 14 league starts during the season. Due to then Forest managerBilly Davies preferring other striking options, Garner spent almost the entire 2010–11 season out on loan with a spell atHuddersfield Town and then Scunthorpe United. On 21 July 2010, Garner joined League One sideHuddersfield Town on a six-month loan deal.[22] He made his Terriers debut in the 3–0 win overNotts County atMeadow Lane on 7 August 2010.[23] He failed to score during his time at Huddersfield, and on 5 January 2011, he returned to Forest.[24] After making no appearances for Forest upon his return, Garner joinedScunthorpe United on loan until the end of the 2010–11 season on 31 January 2011.[25] Davies went on record stating that the move to United was to give Garner playing time.[26] He scored twice in Scunthorpe's 4–1 win against league leadersQueens Park Rangers on 9 April 2011.[27] Scunthorpe finished bottom of the Championship league table and were relegated,[28] and Garner returned to Forest at the end of the 2010–11 season. The following season, with a depleted number of striking options available to new managerSteve McClaren, Garner made his first appearance for Forest in over a year coming on as a second-half substitute againstBarnsley.[29]
On 31 August 2011, Garner signed forWatford for an undisclosed fee[30][31] believed to be £200,000.[32] Garner stated that he was 'desperate for first-team football',[33] while managerSean Dyche said that he hoped he could 'revitalise' his new striker.[34] Garner made his Watford debut as a substitute in a 2–0 away win againstReading, replacingMarvin Sordell, on 10 September 2011.[35] His first start came[citation needed] on 24 September 2011 against his old club Nottingham Forest, a game which Watford lost 1–0.[36] His first and only goal for the Hertfordshire club came in a 2–0 away win atMillwall on 31 January 2012.[37]
Garner signed a one-month loan deal withCarlisle United on 18 September 2012, confirming his second spell with the club.[38] Garner scored his first goal after his return toThe Cumbrians in a 2–1 victory away atWalsall.[39] Carlisle managerGreg Abbott stated his desire to extend Garner's stay at the club,[40] and a deal was agreed soon after.[41] On 16 October, Garner scored a late equaliser for Carlisle in a 1–1 away draw atBury.[42] He then scored two againstOldham Athletic to help his side win 3–1 on 23 October.[43] After a goal in the 4–2FA Cup win overEbbsfleet United,[44] Garner opened the scoring in a 1–1 draw againstPreston North End with a penalty.[45] Later that week, Garner scored againstBrentford and had a penalty saved by Brentford goalkeeperSimon Moore.[46]
On 8 January 2013, Garner agreed an 18-month contract with Preston with an option for a further year. Garner supported Preston as a boy, attending games in the Town End stand.[47] This came after he was released by Watford. He scored his first goal for the club in a 1–0 win away at Notts County on 12 March 2013. On 27 November 2013, in an away fixture at Port Vale, Garner was involved in a scuffle with Vale's Anthony Griffith, but the referee Andy Madley sent off Neil Kilkenny by accident instead. Garner controversially went on to score both goals in a 2–0 victory at Vale Park. Following the debacle the red card was switched from Kilkenny to Garner and a 3 match ban followed, despite Vale player Anthony Griffith stating that he was never struck by Garner. On 20 December 2013, Preston exercised the option of the further year contract, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2015, after he had hit a rich vein of form which began with a late header against Tranmere at Deepdale. On 14 January 2014, Garner came on as a substitute in the 62nd minute of Preston's FA Cup game against Ipswich and scored a hat-trick, including 2 goals in the space of 1 minute to help them to a 3–2 win. He scored a "terrific 25-yard volley" to equalise againstRotherham United in theplay-off semi-final first leg,[48] but Rotherham won the second leg to progress to the final. On 14 March 2015, Garner scored 4 goals for Preston in a 5–1 rout of Crewe.[49] On 16 June 2015, Garner signed a further three-year contract with Preston North End. In the following 2015–2016 season, with Preston North End now back in the Championship, Garner grabbed his 100th career goal in a 2–1 victory at home toCharlton Athletic.
On 20 August 2016, Garner signed a three-year contract withScottish Premiership sideRangers.[50] The fee for the move was estimated to be around £1.8 million.[51] He made his debut on 26 August 2016, away toKilmarnock, coming on as a substitute after an injury toJoe Dodoo.[52] On 10 September 2016, he scored his first goal for the club, albeit only a consolation, in a 5–1 defeat against Celtic.[53] Despite a debutOld Firm goal, Garner failed to net again for the club in over six weeks until he headed an equaliser in Rangers' 1–1 draw at home toSt Johnstone in theScottish Premiership on 26 October 2016.[54] He followed this with his third Rangers goal in the next match, scoring the third in a 3–0 win overKilmarnock three days later.[55] His scoring streak would not continue and Garner failed to score in the succeeding matches which led to criticism from Rangers fans over his goal return while Neil McCann, a media commentator and former Rangers player, questioned his suitability with the starting formation.[56]
However, by mid-December 2016, Garner's energetic performances managed to win over the Rangers fans[57] and they adopted the songGlad All Over by bandThe Dave Clark Five as a tribute to him then launched a late campaign to make the song theChristmas number one, with it eventually reaching number 31.[58] Garner started his thirdOld Firm match onHogmanay 2016 but left the field after being injured in the buildup to Rangers' goal, being replaced byMartyn Waghorn after sixteen minutes.[59] On 3 January 2017, it was reported he would be sidelined for one to three months with adislocated shoulder,[60] although later reports indicated Garner could return in early February 2017.[61] Garner scored his first hat-trick for the club in a 6–0 victory overHamilton Academical in aScottish Cup quarter-final match on 4 March 2017.[62]
On 16 June 2017, Garner left Rangers to joinEFL Championship sideIpswich Town[63] with the fee reported to be £1m.[64] He scored his first goal for Ipswich on his debut in a 1–0 win overBirmingham City on 5 August 2017.[65] He scored 10 goals in 32 appearances during his debut season at Ipswich.[66]
On 9 August 2018, Garner signed forWigan on a 2-year deal for an undisclosed fee.[67] He left by mutual consent on 30 December 2020.[68]
On 1 January 2021, Garner signed forAPOEL on an 18-month contract.[69] he made his debut for APOEL coming on as a substitute in a 0–0 draw againstAnorthosis Famagusta. He scored his first goal for the club in a 3–2 away win overOlympiakos Nicosia making the score 1–3 . He also scored a hattrick againstNea Salamis Famagusta in a 3–1 victory.
On 30 August 2021, Garner signed forFleetwood Town on a free transfer, linking up with his former bossSimon Grayson. He scored his first league goal for the club on 30 October in a 3–3 draw againstWycombe Wanderers.[70]
On 19 January 2023, Garner returned to Carlisle United on an eighteen-month deal.[71]
On 31 January 2024, Garner joinedNational League clubOldham Athletic on an eighteen-month contract.[72]
Garner has represented England atunder-19 level.[8] During the2006 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship elite qualification, Garner scored in a 2–1 loss to theBelgium under-19s[73] and also made appearances againstNorthern Ireland under-19s[74] andSerbia & Montenegro under-19s.[75] Garner also appeared in an under-19 friendly againstthe Netherlands.[76]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup[a] | League Cup[b] | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Blackburn Rovers | 2006–07[77] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Carlisle United (loan) | 2006–07[77] | League One | 18 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 5 |
| Carlisle United | 2007–08[78] | League One | 31 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 35 | 14 |
| Nottingham Forest | 2008–09[79] | Championship | 28 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 30 | 8 | |
| 2009–10[80] | Championship | 18 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 2 | |
| 2010–11[81] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2011–12[82] | Championship | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | ||
| Total | 48 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 55 | 10 | ||
| Huddersfield Town (loan) | 2010–11[81] | League One | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[c] | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| Scunthorpe United (loan) | 2010–11[81] | Championship | 18 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 18 | 6 | |
| Watford | 2011–12[82] | Championship | 22 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 24 | 1 | |
| 2012–13[83] | Championship | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 24 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 1 | ||
| Carlisle United (loan) | 2012–13[83] | League One | 16 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 8 |
| Preston North End | 2012–13[83] | League One | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| 2013–14[84] | League One | 35 | 18 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3[d] | 1 | 45 | 24 | |
| 2014–15[85] | League One | 37 | 25 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5[e] | 2 | 44 | 27 | |
| 2015–16[86] | Championship | 41 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 44 | 6 | ||
| 2016–17[87] | Championship | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | ||
| Total | 129 | 49 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 151 | 57 | ||
| Rangers | 2016–17[87] | Scottish Premiership | 31 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | 34 | 10 | |
| Ipswich Town | 2017–18[66] | Championship | 32 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 32 | 10 | |
| Wigan Athletic | 2018–19[88] | Championship | 33 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 33 | 8 | |
| 2019–20[89] | Championship | 27 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 27 | 2 | ||
| 2020–21[90] | League One | 11 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1[f] | 1 | 14 | 7 | |
| Total | 71 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 74 | 17 | ||
| APOEL | 2020–21[91] | Cypriot First Division | 11 | 8 | 4 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | 15 | 9 | |
| Fleetwood Town | 2021–22[91] | League One | 18 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 5 |
| 2022–23[91] | League One | 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2[f] | 2 | 24 | 3 | |
| Total | 38 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 43 | 8 | ||
| Carlisle United | 2022–23[91] | League Two | 19 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[g] | 0 | 22 | 2 |
| 2023–24[91] | League One | 23 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2[f] | 0 | 26 | 4 | |
| Total | 42 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 48 | 6 | ||
| Career total | 525 | 139 | 26 | 13 | 16 | 2 | 20 | 4 | 587 | 161 | ||
Preston North End
Carlisle United
Oldham Athletic
Individual
