 The following season, with a depleted number of striking options available to new manager Steve McClaren, Garner made his first appearance for Forest in over a year coming on as a second-half substitute against Barnsley.On 31 August 2011, Garner signed for Watford for an undisclosed fee believed to be £200,000.Garner stated that he was 'desperate for first-team football', while manager Sean Dyche said that he hoped he could 'revitalise' his new striker.