Joe Gardner’s move to Mansfield Town has raised more than a few eyebrows in Imps circles. We’d seen flashes of promise from the young winger during his time with us, so why didn’t he return?
Gardner wasn’t a nailed-on starter last season. Eleven appearances, one goal, against Crawley in a vital 4–1 win, and that red card on full debut, which stunted any real early rhythm. But he had something. A willingness to run at players, drop a shoulder, cut inside, and cause chaos. He was raw, but he had that spark, the kind of directness we love in a winger. Think Bruno Andrade or Harry Anderson: players who weren’t perfect but who made things happen. That’s what Gardner offered in glimpses.
There’s disappointment, of course. In our Patreon Discord, in conversations with fellow Imps, there was the occasional quiet grumble when Mansfield announced the loan. It felt like a deal we might’ve done. That we should have done. But step back from the knee-jerk and it becomes clearer why we didn’t, or couldn’t, move.
Squad Balance and Loan Strategy
We’re almost certainly playing a 4-2-3-1 this season. That gives us two wide spots to fill each week, maybe three if you count the number ten role as rotational. In those roles, we’ve already got competition: Reeco Hackett, who can play out wide or central; Jack Moylan and Tom Bayliss, also comfortable in that pocket; and most crucially, Jovon Makama, our own prospect. Every game Jovon plays and impresses in, his value goes up for us. Every game Gardner may have played, Forest benefits. That matters.
Then there’s Erik Ring. He’s looked sharp in patches; he fits the profile I like: quick, direct, wants to beat a man. Sound familiar? It should, it’s what we said about Gardner. But Ring is ours. We develop him, we potentially sell him. We control the future. So if it’s a toss-up between the two off the bench, it’s Ring all day.
Mansfield, on the other hand, need wingers. One of theirs is currently unavailable due to legal issues, and in terms of squad depth, they probably offered Forest more game time guarantees. While these are rarely official, they do matter when loan decisions are made. We saw it with Louis Barry years ago: Ipswich reportedly had to play him or pay extra. That kind of clause isn’t for us. Never has it been. Never will it be.
Room for One More?
You could argue we still need another winger, and I’d agree. But even then, you’re juggling limited matchday places. Throw in Zane Okoro, who many fans rightly say deserves a chance, and you start to run out of seats on the bench. Rob Street has even played there in pre-season. The numbers just don’t stack up.
Gardner might have fit. He might have helped. But in a summer where we’re clearly prioritising assets and minutes, it feels like a sensible pass. In the past, we’ve taken their Jorge Grant, a Forest loanee who spent the season after with us. This time, Mansfield returned the favour.
And maybe that’s okay.
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