28-goal former Rangers striker has contract mutually terminated by EFL club after just 46 days

Ex-Rangers striker Martyn Waghorn has had his contract mutually terminated by EFL League One side Northampton Town after just 46 days.

The 34-year-old former Ibrox forward has featured six times for the Cobblers after penning a deal with the club in November. A free agent following departure Derby County at the end of last season, he now finds himself back on the market after the club agreed to mutually end his contract.

The former Gers man scored 28 league goals in two seasons at Ibrox after moving to the club on the same day as current Rangers captain James Tavernier im 2015. One of former head coach Mark Warburton’s first signings at the club, he joined in a duel deal from Wigan Athletic and went on to score a brace on his debut for Rangers in a 6-2 demolition of Hibs at Easter Road in the Scottish Challenge Cup.

Rangers' Martyn Waghorn celebrates the Scottish Cup final win over Celtic at Hampden Park in 2016. Cr: SNS Group. | SNS Group

Waghorn helped the club secure promotion back to the Scottish Premiership in his first season and was named the club’s player’s player of the year, but departed to sign for Ipswich Town in a £1million deal just two years later. In the aftermath of his departure from Scotland, Waghorn lifted the lid on his experience of an Old Firm derby, saying “there is nothing like it”.

“I know rivalries are rivalries and people are going to dislike each other on game day, but I can’t even put into words the feeling of the intensity that game generates in the 10 or so days leading up to it. It’s just sheer rivalry and actually hatred for each other. The big difference with Rangers-Celtic and the Old Firm is how long the result and the build up lingers for - it’s months and months,” he reflected.

He spent just one year at Portman Road, before ex-Derby County boss Frank Lampard shelled out a fee of £5million to bring him to Pride Park. After three years at Derby, he took on short stints with Coventry City and Huddersfield Town before returning for a second spell at Derby last summer.

Upon his departure from Sixfields, Northampton caretaker manager Ian Sampson thanked Waghorn for his efforts and praised his "first-class character" during his short stint, adding: "Martyn came in and helped us through the last few weeks and all parties have now agreed to terminate the contract. We thank him for his time with the club and we wish Martyn and his family all the very best for the future."