Burton Albion have announced that Crewe Alexandra Academy Alumni goalkeeper Ben Garratt has signed for the club on a short-term deal until January as cover for Manchester United loanee Kieran O’Hara. He had spent time on trial at Bury and Blackburn Rovers following his exit from the Alex in the summer.
Garratt, 25, made his Alex debut in the first Academy XI team that beat Walsall in the final 2012-13 season in the first of his 246 appearances for the Railwaymen after a short-term loan spell at Stafford Rangers.
He is eligible to play in their game at Fleetwood Town this afternoon.
What does this signing mean for Burton?
He’s an experienced keeper, despite only being in his mid-20s, that has played a couple of hundred games in the lower leagues although he does have his faults such as his kicking where he often kicks the ball out of play from goal-kicks.
He is a former England youth international though (was in the same age-group as Jordan Pickford) but stagnated at the Alex over the last couple of years, whether that was as a result of Fred Barber taking over as the Alex goalkeeper coach, a lack of competition or a combination of the two you can decide for yourself.
