Joe Gardner in action during the Mansfield Town FC Pre Season Tour to Ireland : July 2025 : Photo Credit Chris & Jeanette Holloway @ The Bigger Picture.mediaplaceholder image
Joe Gardner in action during the Mansfield Town FC Pre Season Tour to Ireland : July 2025 : Photo Credit Chris & Jeanette Holloway @ The Bigger Picture.media
Mansfield Town have added another of Nottingham Forest's promising youngsters to their squads with the signing of forward Joe Gardner on a season-long loan.
The 20-year-old, who can operate across the front three or as an attacking-midfielder, becomes the second Forest loanee to join Stags for 2025/26 season after defender Kyle McAdam.
“I’m really pleased to be signing for the club on a season-long loan,” he said.
“I’ve been out here (on the team’s pre-season trip to Ireland) only a couple of days and the lads have made me feel very welcome.
NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 07: Joe Gardner of Nottingham Forest tackles Sam Bell of Bristol City during the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round Replay match between Nottingham Forest and Bristol City at City Ground on February 07, 2024 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)placeholder image
NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 07: Joe Gardner of Nottingham Forest tackles Sam Bell of Bristol City during the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round Replay match between Nottingham Forest and Bristol City at City Ground on February 07, 2024 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
“I’m really looking forward to the season and hoping to impress across the course of the season.”
Gardner has spent nine years on Trentside to date, joining the club in 2016, aged 10.
The attacker made his first-team debut for the Reds against Bristol City in 2024, climbing off the bench in the Emirates FA Cup.
Gardner impressed for Forest’s B team in the opening half of the 2024/25 season, appearing 12 times in Premier League 2, scoring six and setting up a further two goals.
The youngster’s fast start to the campaign led to a contract extension in January, which runs until June 2027, and a subsequent loan move to Sky Bet League One side Lincoln City.
Gardner went on to make 11 appearances for the Imps, netting his first goal for the club against Crawley Town in March.
In the same month, the forward was called up to the Republic of Ireland U21 squad for the first time and made his debut against Scotland.
He capped off last season by returning to the City Ground to play 76 minutes in the final of the Premier League International Cup, which Forest went on to win on penalties.
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