James Garner was a Birkenhead-born youngster who dreamed of becoming a star at Manchester United but he believes his form so far this season has vindicated his decision to quit Old Trafford and establish his Premier League career back in his native Merseyside with Everton.
Garner was part of the Red Devils’ youth set-up from Under-8s level but after loan spells with both Watford and Nottingham Forest – spending 18 months at the latter – he finally decided to cut the cord aged 21 and head for the exit door in search of more regular first team football. The player made his decision after coming back from a campaign at the City Ground where he netted four goals in 41 Championship matches as United appointed Erik ten Hag and the Dutchman started remodelling the team’s midfield rather than asking him to show him what he was capable of.
Garner said: “I definitely had conversations with him but I’d just come off the back of a good season, probably the best season I possibly could have had so I didn’t want to stagnate and sit on the bench week in, week out.
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“Nothing is promised in football but when they start signing three, four midfielders you kind of understand your place. It was a decision that I wanted to make as soon as I went back, to go find first team football somewhere else.
“He was honest with me, told me what he thought and said nothing was promised. I made a decision, some people might have thought it was the wrong one at the time but I knew it was the right one because I didn’t want to stagnate when I’d just had such a good season, I
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