A young player from Sunderland is aiming to take advantage of a good loan term as he waits for news regarding his future.

Harry Gardiner, a young player for Sunderland, is eager to advance into a first-team setting while he waits for word on his future at the Stadium of Light.

After growing in the National League North team South Shields’ system, the 20-year-old striker joined the Black Cats in the summer of 2021. In previous seasons, he has scored frequently for Sunderland’s Under-18 and Under-21 teams.

Gardiner was given the opportunity to play senior football in the colors of National League North team Blyth Spartans after scoring five goals in eight Premier League 2 games earlier this season. He was reunited with old South Shields boss Jon Shaw at Croft Park. The teenage player helped his team get closer to securing their spot in the second tier of non-league football by scoring three goals in his first two games for Spartans and two more in Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Peterborough Sports.

When Gardiner’s short-term stay at Croft Park ends next month, he expressed his excitement about the prospect of playing senior football again, whether it is with Sunderland or another team.

“I might not start a game; I might have to come off the bench, and that’s a test of the mental side,” he said to The Echo. preparing me for potential failures, so all I’m doing is trying to listen, take things one step at a time, and do everything within my power to maximize my chances of job success.

I will need to prepare for adaptation and come to terms with this in the upcoming years. The next step for me is to look for a senior football position elsewhere. Whether it is at Sunderland or somewhere else, I want to be in a first-team atmosphere. I have a solid foundation to carry with me into the future, and I must make every effort to expand on my work at Spartans.

After experiencing the physical demands of the National League North, Gardiner has started a challenging learning curve at Spartans. He has, nevertheless, enjoyed the challenge and is confident that his time at Croft Park will benefit him in whatsoever direction his career goes.

“It’s been really fun, and this year I wanted to go out and get men’s football,” he stated.

“Shaysy is a major part of my profession, and I have loved every minute since Blyth came along. It’s been really beneficial to my growth, and I can use it going forward and for the remainder of my career. There are many talented technical players in academy football who play beautiful football. Even if we want to play, many teams play in the air and put it on us. You come here and there are sides that are route one. I’ve taken some hits off the field, but it’s all part of the learning process and is beneficial to my growth.

Gardiner will be a member of the Spartans team that plays Curzon Ashton on Good Friday before traveling to Chorley on Monday afternoon of the following week.