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Town Confirm Garner Signing
Friday, 16th Jun 2017 20:47

Town have confirmed the signing of Joe Garner from Rangers on a three-year deal. On Sunday, TWTD revealed that the Blues were closing in on the recruitment of the 29-year-old.

The former Preston man joins the Blues for a fee which is officially undisclosed but which we understand is £1 million, the largest paid during Mick McCarthy's time as boss. Town's last seven-figure fee was the £1.5 million spent when Paul Taylor joined from Peterborough in August 2012.

Garner is a former team-mate of skipper Luke Chambers and David McGoldrick at Nottingham Forest and he says he spoke to them in addition to conversations with manager Mick McCarthy.

“I spoke to both of them and they couldn’t speak highly enough of Ipswich and the manager,” he told the club site.""

“I’ve had a couple of conversations with the manager as well and he told me of his ideas for this season and I can’t wait to get going now."

“There has been interest from Ipswich in the past but I’m delighted to have this opportunity now to come down and play here.""

“It’s good to get things done early as well. I’ve had a few moves when you join in the last week of pre-season and it’s always harder to settle in then but here I can start with the other lads for a full pre-season and I’m looking forward to it.

“I know all about the Championship. It’s the toughest league I have played in but we’ve got some good players here and I’m ready for the challenge.

""“I had a great time at Rangers and got on well with the fans there but that’s behind me now. It’s a new chapter for me here.”""

Garner, who got married in his native Lancashire earlier today, moved to Ibrox from Preston for a reported £1.4 million last summer, when we understand Town were also interested, signing a three-year contract.

The former England U16, U17 and U19 international scored 10 goals in 22 starts and 12 sub appearances during 2016/17.

Garner started his career with his hometown club Blackburn Rovers but was unable to break into the first team prior to moving on to Carlisle, initially on loan, then Nottingham Forest, Huddersfield (loan), Scunthorpe (loan), Watford and Carlisle for a further loan spell before joining Preston in 2013.

While with the Lilywhites the 5ft 10in tall frontman scored a 20-minute second-half hat-trick as the Lancastrians beat the Blues 3-2 in an FA Cup third round replay at Deepdale in January 2014.

The following season Garner won the League One Player of the Year award as he helped Preston into the Championship via the play-offs.


Photos: ITFC



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howdonblue added 20:50 - Jun 16
Welcome joe good luck
13

blue86 added 20:53 - Jun 16
Pleased we have finally signed Garner, wanted town to sign him last season. Still think we need another striker to add to the squad though! Coyb
4

Ferguson added 20:54 - Jun 16
welcome * get into em and ftu
2

ianmarshall10 added 20:54 - Jun 16
Scores all types of goals looking on YouTube very happy with this signing 👍🏻...... We are going up say we are going up!!
4

Mark added 20:55 - Jun 16
It's good to have a new striker join us, something to look forward to at last. Best of luck, Joe!

I do think £1M is a lot of money though for a 29-year-old unproven at Championship level. Rangers are lucky to get that much when they didn't consider him a success there but, hey, at least ITFC have spent that £1M on a striker that they failed to do in August and January.

“I've had a couple of conversations with the manager as well and he told me of his ideas for this season and I can't wait to get going now."

Can someone tell the fans what these ideas for the season are? Is our aim to get promotion and will Evans be backing McCarthy with the funds to have a real go at that?
4

rugbytomc added 21:06 - Jun 16
Right that's the £1m promotion bonus from Murphy spent plus a bit more for wages obviously. Now time to spend the other £3m at least and room still for wages as murph was a top earner
3

TimboLimbo added 21:07 - Jun 16
Oh Joey Garner
You are the love of my life
Oh Joey Garner
I'll let you sleep with my wife
Oh Joey Garner
I want ginger hair too

0

hampstead_blue added 21:14 - Jun 16
Fair play to ME. He has shown us his cheque book.
3

KiwiTractor added 21:25 - Jun 16
Welcome Joe
4

jas0999 added 21:32 - Jun 16
He is now an Ipswich player - so essential we make him feel welcome. Mick also here to stay it would seem. Will fans flock back? I'm not so sure. Will require several other fee signings I suspect
12

jpring89 added 21:32 - Jun 16
I wish you well Joe. Belt in a load and become a hero. This club needs a good boost. Get stuck in
4

planetblue_2011 added 22:33 - Jun 16
Get in! welcome aboard Joe! Hope u do us all proud👍🏻
2

runaround added 22:36 - Jun 16
Good luck Joe & welcome.
Jas099, surely it's more important that they are good signings or the right signings instead of being "fee" signings?!
4

BlueandTruesince82 added 22:42 - Jun 16
2 signings and neither one has mentioned the facilities
2

Len_Brennan added 22:56 - Jun 16
@runaround. I don't wish to speak for jas, but what I took from his post is that getting the right players will probably involve being prepared to pay fees, as opposed to picking up the best available free transfers & hoping for the best.
If that's the case I completely agree with jas, if not, don't mind me, I'm out tonight & have had a few drinks.
2

pastystringbean added 23:14 - Jun 16
All action striker who won't let defenders rest, got to be happy with that.
3

Scottie9 added 23:36 - Jun 16
Welcome Joe. Best of luck with the Town.
2

Scottie9 added 23:46 - Jun 16
Welcome Joe. Best of luck with the Town.

I actually think MM has got this spot on. He knows where his priorities are and has already secured 2 new contracts for defenders, a year loanee midfield mystro from Manchester City and a proven successful Championship and SPL goal scorer. Well done Mick.
5

Dissboyitfc added 06:46 - Jun 17
Well in 2015 he was skybet league one player of the year, beating Dele Alli. I am trying to get excited, but i cant until MM goes!
0

Radlett_blue added 07:39 - Jun 17
Could be the front man we need, as long as he doesn't keep wearing the silly headband.
0

jas0999 added 08:22 - Jun 17
Runaround - sadly, in recent seasons our free signings have been uninspiring and frankly lacking quality. Last year, our better signings (not counting loans), were Webster and Grant. Both looked to have a bit more quality and you'd want to watch. There may be one or two decent frees out there, but they tend to be snapped up by others. Evans needs to show intent - and spending a million is just that. Decent youngster - albeit a loan - also good. But squad still very short. I personally prefer to see more of this than Leon Best!
2

coolcat added 08:46 - Jun 17
Looks like a great signing. Welcome to Ipswich, Joe. Best of luck with us. :)
1

Sam added 08:54 - Jun 17
57 goals!! That is incredible. Hopefully next year is our year.
1

Global_Blue added 09:09 - Jun 17
Welcome to the club Joe. I wish you well and plenty of goals.

I hope he does well at Ipswich, we need some more quality in the side and it's good to see us at least trying to compete in the transfer market.

However, as I've said before, a proven goalscorer will have limited impact unless he gets good service from around the pitch. IMHO we still desperately need a strong, proven and quality match maker in centre midfield and we have needed it for many seasons now. I know we have some good young talent in this area but to get out of the Championship at the right end you need someone with real quality and good experience in the middle. The younger players would really benefit from the support and guidance of someone like this. Our current midfield with Skuse as the lynch pin is just not good enough.
1

BlueandTruesince82 added 09:51 - Jun 17
Agreed global. Simone who can pull strings from Midfield has to be priority now, another striker needed yes but a creative midfielder is essential.

My guess is (based on what I have read about him) that Garner is here to draw out defenders and give MCG space and time that he needs to helpfully find the net but that's only going to work if there is someone to provide that ball in the first place.

Celina sounds like he's an anywhere across the front type, maybe even a false 9 but I see him being deployed on the wing and MCG is chap in the air so (in theory) Celina provides for Garner , who provides for MCG and the rest?

Perhaps walking away from Ward would allow us to get Huws but id really like ward in
2


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