Nottingham Forest youngster Joe Gardner joined Mansfield Town on loan earlier this week and quickly headed to the club’s pre-season training camp in Ireland.
The talented youngster featured for Forest at Chesterfield last weekend, but this loan to the Stags has been in the offing for some time.
Gardner was sent off on his Lincoln City debut last season but returned following suspension to enjoy a pretty useful loan spell with the Imps.
An all-action centre-forward, Gardner should provide competition to the Mansfield frontline and in Nigel Clough, he will have the perfect Forest legend to learn from.
The versatile forward hasn’t been at Mansfield for a week yet, however, and there is a setback to contend with for the B-Team star.
Nigel Clough delivers Joe Gardner blow after Sligo Rovers friendly
Fresh from joining the Stags, Gardner was handed the chance to start for Clough’s team as they faced Sligo Rovers.
However, this wasn’t played in the true spirit of a friendly game, and after bursting free from a challenge, Gardner was inexplicably hacked down with the player in some discomfort.
The 19-year-old did try to continue, but after just 27 minutes of his debut, he was forced out of the game, with Clough delivering a worrying verdict on the Forest academy player.
He told the club’s official website: “The only downside is Joe Gardner. There’s one bad tackle in the game, unfortunately and he’s done his ankle. We’re not sure he will get a scan on Friday.
“As soon as he came off, his ankle had swollen up straight away, so it’s some degree of ligament damage, but we just hope it’s not too serious and it can be just a couple of weeks.
“He’s been great since he’s been here over the last couple of days, he’s got a smile on his face and he’s enjoying it. It’s a long season and he will be back.”
Gardner can star with Mansfield
The hope will definitely be that this isn’t too bad, with Gardner likely to be a very useful option for the Stags.
Mansfield have also taken Kyle McAdam on loan from Forest this season, and given Clough’s allegiance to the football club, it makes sense to keep that relationship healthy.
Gardner has the energy and enthusiasm to become a hit in League One, and last season he bagged twice for Lincoln in his maiden loan spell away from the City Ground.
Hopefully, the scan on Friday can come back relatively clear and Gardner can enjoy a very fruitful loan spell at One Call Stadium this season.
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