After a slow start, the former Preston striker is winning over supporters.
Joe Garner may have only located the back of the net three times in 14 Scottish Premiership appearances, but manager Mark Warburton has told the Daily Record that he brings to mind memories of former Rangers forward Andy Gray.
The 28-year-old striker has failed to repay his £1.8 million price tag (as reported by the Daily Record) with goals since arriving at Ibrox but that has not stopped him becoming a firm fan favourite in recent weeks.
Garner’s relentless work rate and commitment up front earned him a standing ovation when departing the pitch in crucial recent wins against fellow European challengers Hearts and Aberdeen, and Warburton believes the former Preston target man is reminiscent of fellow workhorse and Scotland international Gray, who briefly donned the Royal Blue in the 1988/89 season.
“I haven’t heard an ovation like the one Joe was given in 18 months. He didn’t score but if you turned up in the 85th minute you’d have thought he’d netted a hat-trick,” Warburton told the Daily Record.
“It shows you his work rate, desire and commitment and he chased every ball. He showed great desire. Joe is only 5ft 9in but he wins headers above 6ft 2in defenders and you see week on week he’s improving.
“In terms of comparisons, an Andy Gray type is probably a good one – you see the timing and technique of his leap is very strong.”
Garner admitted earlier in the season that he was struggling to adapt to Warburton’s preferred pass-and-move philosophy after thriving in the physical lower leagues of English football.
However, he produced arguably his finest performance in a Rangers shirt in the weekend’s 2-0 win against Hearts, helped by the former Brentford boss’s adoption of a more direct approach.
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