Veteran forward Joe Garner, who had three four different spells with Carlisle United, has taken up a new challenge in National North.
The 38-year-old has agreed a one-year deal at Morecambe, with the option of a further 12 months.
Garner had been in talks to extend his stay with Oldham Athletic, but has joined the Shrimps who are hoping to stop the rot after two successive relegations from Football League to National League to National North.
Morecambe manager Adam Lakeland said: “The career he’s had speaks for itself but despite everything he has achieved, playing for top clubs and winning promotions, I still see someone who relishes competing, hates losing, loves scoring goals and has an unwavering desire to win football matches.
“While he may not play 90 minutes in every game across the season, whenever he is on the pitch he will be a real handful for defenders, giving us a focal point in attack and creating opportunities for the players around him.”
Having come through the youth set-up at Blackburn Rovers, his first spell with Carlisle was on loan in 2007 (18 League games, 5 goals). He then made the permanent move to Brunton Park for a club record fee of £140,000 when he harvested 14 goals in 31 games.
It proved to be a spot of good business for in less than a year he was sold to Notts Forest for £1.14 million. He spent three years with Forest – nine goals in 48 games – but also had loan spells at Huddersfield and Scunthorpe.
He was back at Carlisle on loan again in 2012, scoring eight goals in 16 games and he then pursued his career at Preston where he enjoyed the longest spell of his career with 49 goals in 129 games.
Rangers, Ipswich, Wigan, APOEL and Fleetwood followed before joining Carlisle again for the 2023/24 season when he scored five times in 42 league games.
More recently he has been with Oldham Athletic, helping them back to the Football League from the National League.
