https://gtfc.co.uk/gardner-signs-professional-terms-on-his-birthday/

3 year deal for an 18 year old. Must be well rated, although not surprised, as it's been noticeable that he and the other Geordie, Bramwell, have been included in a number  of squads.
Look out out for the next one in the pipeline, ex Scunt, Grayson Giles who is a goalscoring machine. Think hes only 16 but scored a hat trick for da yoof last week

Well done Cameron. One of our own?

He's a tall lad, and when he fills out a bit, could be a very effective forward player.

Well done Cameron.

Really good , a 3 year contract . At least we are now giving the youngsters a number of years to develop - it used to be 1 year and 9 times out of 10 released after being unable to break into the first team .

For me it shows we are moving forward bit by bit , he might not be the answer now but in 2 or 3 years time who knows ?

Giles was very highly rated at Scunthorpe to  and hopefully he keeps progressing aswell .

He must have something about him to a) get a 3 year deal, and b) not have to wait until the summer to discover his fate.

The article talks about him coming in at 16 from grassroots. My interpretation of that is that he's gone under the radar somewhat and we have taken a chance on him.

He looks massive in that picture and then you realise how short the rest of the people in that picture must be. Look how tall Hurst looks 😂

A 3 year deal is a serious commitment. They must really fancy him to make it. Ages since we've had a good striker come through the youth team.

Wonder if we’ve had any interest in him & tying him down now just in case. Either way, great news for the lad and his family, hopefully it gives him a bit of breathing space to develop and not feel like he’s always a few months away from an exit, as is sometimes the case.

Time to develop further without huge expectations while he builds up strength and stamina through full 1st squad training.

Added protection against outside higher bids as well !!

Good luck to him !!

Quoted from headingly_mariner

He looks massive in that picture and then you realise how short the rest of the people in that picture must be. Look how tall Hurst looks 😂

I thought similar on the size front but never considered Woods to be that small so he maybe he is at least 6'2 ish

I hope that this contract works out well for all parties.

For the other player, “goalscoring machine” are some of my favourite words when it comes to Town players.

Great news - when was the last time we gave an 18 year old striker a 3 year professional contract? Jack Lester? Terry Donovan? Kevin Drinkell?

Quoted from TownSNAFU5

I hope that this contract works out well for all parties.

For the other player, “goalscoring machine” are some of my favourite words when it comes to Town players.

Was akheem rose a 'goal scoring machine' at 18 or just a 'speed machine'?

Big sign of intent and evidence of how far we've come/our direction to be giving such a deal out.

Gotta think there's either interest in him or the club really, really rate him. Possibly both.

With regards Grayson Giles, I was told by someone in the Scunny youth set up when we signed him that he's destined for big things. The lad doesn't lack confidence but that's probably a characteristic you want in your strikers.

With all young players though, there's never a guarantee they'll develop as intended. For every Wayne Rooney there are a thousand Joe Lightowler's. Fingers crossed Gardner, Giles et al. flourish.

Quoted from Limerick Mariner

Great news - when was the last time we gave an 18 year old striker a 3 year professional contract? Jack Lester? Terry Donovan? Kevin Drinkell?

Lester didn't really get going until he was 20/21 and only at 22 did he motor on in that 97/98 season. I think probably he was perhaps in the shadows of others until then (Super Clive for one).

I seem to remember it looked like he wasn't going to make it with us, until he came back from his loan spell at Donny looking a completely different animal. A Britpop era Charles Vernam with Chorley, if you like.

Well done Cameron you look the part hope to see you in the 1st team as a regular .No rush!!

BUT

We needed a big strong un. for a while you could be the one.

In the few bits I've seen of him playing with the first team squad he didn't look out of place so clearly has some potential there.

He looked a handful at the boston game and he took his goal well, shame he got injured but I was surprised that was his first mens game as he did well. Good luck to the lad.

Hopefully, Wilson will return from injury soon and slot in well, Pyke will find some form, Rose will remain fit, and we'll get the chance to give this young lad some game time when we're comfortable in in matches, rather than chucking him on to try and make something happen!

Good intent this signing. Hopefully, he nicks himself a goal or two before the end of the season.

Quoted from Grantham_Mariner

Well done Cameron. One of our own?

No, he's a Geordie.

Well done Gardners

Even with our current problems up front, let's not pile expectations on him.

Is it right that youth players can't sign a professional contract until they are 18, but they can be poached by the big clubs for next to nothing?
If Grayson Giles carries on the way he's going, we will lose him to a big club for next to nothing

Essentially yes.

For Giles we would be entitled to some compensation based on the development time with us, which at present is sod all.

The best hope is if you can get a bidding war going, which is what happened with Grist when he went to Leicester. To secure his signature and get a direct route to him, I'm told they paid far more than perhaps would have needed to.

Drinkell, Wilkinson and Lund were all in the first team at 18. If he’s good enough get him in there

Quoted from HerveJosse

Drinkell, Wilkinson and Lund were all in the first team at 18. If he’s good enough get him in there

Can't be a worse striker than Pyke

I know his time isn't looked upon too fondly, mainly because we never really got going (and it was in the Fenty era) but Michael Jolley did a lot for our younger players at that time.

He not only played Clifton but gave him a two or three-year deal (can't remember which it was); he gave Akheem Rose his chance (when he was eligible/fit); he played Max Wright and also brought Mattie Pollock into the first team, then gave him a 2.5 year deal.

I think that was part of his remit - to develop our younger players, and I think he did it as well as any other manager in our recent history.

Hurst tends to get youngsters on the cusp of the first team, then ultimately releases them. The last decent striker to come through our ranks was Dayle Southwell. He even scored a hat-trick for us in a cup game, but still that wasn't enough to keep him on.

These days, anyone with real potential gets snapped up before they ever make an appearance for us, so the ones that do make it are somewhere in the middle — not outrageous talents, but better than average.

You hope that a bit of first team exposure helps kick their development along so they become an outrageous talent that we can ultimately sell for a big profit.

Fair point on Jolley.  I can't imagine it was easy to appease Fenty with that development line when the constant demand was for success (on a shoestring too).

Common denominator in all our youth development in the last 20 years is Neil Woods and his team.  Even in points of time when we had no funding, we somehow managed to continue to produce.  The likes of Clifton, Wright, Pollock (albeit from a later stage) all had their development at a point when our central youth funding was non-existent.  

Quoted from RichMariner

I know his time isn't looked upon too fondly, mainly because we never really got going (and it was in the Fenty era) but Michael Jolley did a lot for our younger players at that time.

He not only played Clifton but gave him a two or three-year deal (can't remember which it was); he gave Akheem Rose his chance (when he was eligible/fit); he played Max Wright and also brought Mattie Pollock into the first team, then gave him a 2.5 year deal.

I think that was part of his remit - to develop our younger players, and I think he did it as well as any other manager in our recent history.

Hurst tends to get youngsters on the cusp of the first team, then ultimately releases them. The last decent striker to come through our ranks was Dayle Southwell. He even scored a hat-trick for us in a cup game, but still that wasn't enough to keep him on.

These days, anyone with real potential gets snapped up before they ever make an appearance for us, so the ones that do make it are somewhere in the middle — not outrageous talents, but better than average.

You hope that a bit of first team exposure helps kick their development along so they become an outrageous talent that we can ultimately sell for a big profit.

I have said this numerous times over the years, but Slade threw Harry Clifton on when we were dead and buried against Yeovil I believe. He didn't really get a proper chance until Jolley came in and really grabbed it by the horns in those final 10 games of the season that saw us survive relegation and then a JJ Hooper hat-trick in the final game when we had nothing to play for.

I am certain that Harry Clifton would have been released if Slade was still manager at the end of that campaign, and probably drifted down the leagues. By the time Hurst came back, Clifton was a well established first team player.

Joe Starbuck picked up by Tranmere today on a short term deal.

Quoted from Madeleymariner

Can't be a worse striker than Pyke

Who knows, Gardner may be the reason we haven’t signed another striker on a 3 year deal. And Pyke may be seen as a utility stop-gap with the club expecting Gardner to make the step-up soon.

Quoted from RichMariner

I know his time isn't looked upon too fondly, mainly because we never really got going (and it was in the Fenty era) but Michael Jolley did a lot for our younger players at that time.

He not only played Clifton but gave him a two or three-year deal (can't remember which it was); he gave Akheem Rose his chance (when he was eligible/fit); he played Max Wright and also brought Mattie Pollock into the first team, then gave him a 2.5 year deal.
.

Also Rumarn Burrell who has't really kicked on since leaving us, but still only 22

Nineteen year old Freddie Draper at Walsall is a year ahead of Gardner but full of confidence already. His goal on Saturday was reminiscent of Brighton's Ferguson against us last year. He will make money for Lincoln.

Goal at 1.11 min.

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/12968408/walsall-1-3-afc-wimbledon-league-two-highlight

Quoted from Croxton

Nineteen year old Freddie Draper at Walsall is a year ahead of Gardner but full of confidence already. His goal on Saturday was reminiscent of Brighton's Ferguson against us last year. He will make money for Lincoln.

Goal at 1.11 min.

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/12968408/walsall-1-3-afc-wimbledon-league-two-highlight

Was talking to my Imp supporting hairdresser last week and I was bemoaning the fact that as their near neighbours they didn’t see fit to loan him to us!! He seems just what we need.