Joe Gardner (footballer)

Last updated

Joe Gardner
Personal information
Full name Joseph Charles Gardner [1]
Date of birth (2005-06-06) 6 June 2005 (age 20) [2]
Place of birth Nottingham, England [3]
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in) [2]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
Mansfield Town
(on loan from Nottingham Forest)
Number 28
Youth career
–2024 Nottingham Forest
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2024– Nottingham Forest 0 (0)
2025Lincoln City (loan) 11 (1)
2025–Mansfield Town (loan) 0 (0)
International career
2025– Republic of Ireland U21 3 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 16:00, 3 May 2025 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 00:38, 7 June 2025 (UTC)

Joseph Charles Gardner (born 6 June 2005) is an professional footballer who plays as a forward for EFL League One club Mansfield Town, on loan from Nottingham Forest. [4] Born in England, he has represented Ireland at a youth level.

Contents

Club career

While part of the Nottingham Forest youth academy he featured for the club's U21 side in the EFL Trophy in the 2023–24 and 2024–25 seasons, and scored against Carlisle United in a 2–1 victory in September 2024. [5]

He made his first-team debut for Nottingham Forest against Bristol City in the FA Cup on 7 February 2024. [6] He later featured on the bench for Premier League matches without making his debut. [7] He scored six goals in Premier League 2 for Forest in the first half of the 2024–25 season. [8]

On 31 January 2025, he signed a new contract with Nottingham Forest and joined EFL League One side Lincoln City on a six-month loan. [8] Gardner made his debut coming off the bench against Cambridge United on 8 February 2025, where he received a straight red card 4 minutes into his debut. [9] He scored his first league goal for Lincoln against Crawley Town on 4 March 2025, scoring the fourth goal to round off a 4–1 win. [10] Gardner joined divisional rivals Mansfield Town on 14 July 2025. [11]

International career

In January 2023, he was called up by the Republic of Ireland national under-19 football team for a UK-based training camp ahead of their UEFA European U19 Championship qualifiers the following month. [12] On 13 March 2025, Gardner received his first Republic of Ireland U21 call up for their friendlies against Scotland U21 & Hungary U21 in Spain. [13] He made his debut for the side against Scotland U21 on 21 March, missing an 88th minute penalty in a 2–0 loss. [14]

Career statistics

As of 3 May 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeague FA Cup League Cup OtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Nottingham Forest U21 2023–24 [15] 3 [a] 030
2024–25 [16] 3 [a] 131
Total6161
Nottingham Forest 2023–24 [15] Premier League 00100010
2024–25 [16] Premier League00000000
Total0010000010
Lincoln City (loan) 2024–25 [16] League One 111111
Career total111100061182
  1. 1 2 Appearance(s) in the EFL Trophy

References

  1. "2024/25 Premier League squad lists". Premier League. 13 September 2024. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  2. 1 2 "Joe Gardner". 11v11. 7 February 2025. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  3. "Joe Gardner". Eurosport. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  4. "Joe Gardner". Soccerway. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  5. Le Roux, Adam (22 January 2025). "Walsall in pole position over Lincoln City to seal Nottingham Forest transfer". Football League World. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  6. "Nottingham Forest vs. Bristol City 1–1". Soccerway. 7 February 2024. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  7. O'Rourke, Pete (22 January 2025). "Exclusive: Walsall lead race to sign Nottingham Forest star Joe Gardner". Football Insider. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  8. 1 2 "Forest forward Gardner joins Lincoln on loan". BBC Sport. 31 January 2025.
  9. "Lincoln City 1–1 Cambridge United". BBC Sport. 8 February 2025. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
  10. "Lincoln City 4–1 Crawley Town". BBC Sport. 4 March 2025. Retrieved 4 March 2025.
  11. "Stags sign young Forest forward on loan". mansfieldtown.net. 14 July 2025.
  12. "25 invited to UK training camp". fai.ie. 29 January 2023. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
  13. "Ireland Under-21 squad named for Scotland and Hungary friendlies". fai.ie.
  14. "Ireland U21s slump to defeat against Scots in Spain". Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 21 March 2025.
  15. 1 2 "Games played by Joe Gardner in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  16. 1 2 3 "Games played by Joe Gardner in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 September 2020.