United boss keen to extend deal
United manager Greg Abbott today confirmed that he is keen to extend the current one-month loan deal with Watford striker Joe Garner following an encouraging four-week stay at Brunton Park for the Blues' favourite.
Blackburn-born Garner, 24, first joined the Cumbrians from his home town club on a half-season loan deal in January 2007 and made the move permanent when he chose Carlisle ahead of Dundee just before the start of the 2007/08 campaign.
He grabbed 19 goals in his 53 appearances and attracted attention from higher up the ladder, and he made a big money move to Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2008 where he signed a four-year contract.
First team chances were limited at the City Ground and he had loan spells with Huddersfield and Scunthorpe before he joined Watford for an undisclosed fee in August last year.
He grabbed his first goal on his return to United in the 2-1 away victory at Walsall and admitted immediately after the game that he wanted to stay at the club.
"I'm very happy here and I think I've got more to come," he said. "It's a good group of lads and I'm getting regular football, so if something could be sorted out I'd definitely want to stay."
"I think Joe has improved as the month has gone on," Abbott said.
"He needs regular football and he'll get better and better the more he plays. You could see what his goal at Walsall meant to him and he enjoys being here. It's one where I think he would benefit from having a good spell of time with us.
"We're going to make contact over the next couple of days to see if the loan can be extended because he won't be available for Tuesday unless we can make that one work. I think Joe is keen to stay, we're keen to keep him and we just need Watford to rubber stamp it."
