Former Sunderland academy star backed to shine after joining Northern Premier League club Dunston UTS

Former Sunderland academy striker Harry Gardiner is aiming to revitalise his career after securing a deal with Northern Premier League East club Dunston UTS.

Just over a year has passed since the frontman was released by the Black Cats after initially joining the Academy of Light ranks from non-league neighbours South Shields in 2021. Gardiner went on to be a regular feature in Sunderland Under-18 and Under-21 sides, scoring 11 goals in 23 appearances for the latter before returning on loan to South Shields and spending a similar spell with fellow non-league club Blyth Spartans.

Gardiner made a permanent move to Spartans following his release from Sunderland and was unable to prevent the Croft Park club from suffering a second consecutive relegation last season. After leaving the Northumberland outfit at the end of last season, the 22-year-old has gradually worked his way back towards full fitness after suffering a back injury and was handed a chance to join Northern Premier League East side Dunston last month after training with Jon McDonald’s squad for a number of weeks.

After making his debut as a substitute in last weekend’s FA Cup third qualifying round defeat against Gainsborough Trinity and coming off the bench in a midweek league loss at Lincoln United, Gardiner continued to be introduced into the action slowly when he replaced Dan Turner during the first half of Saturday’s historic FA Trophy win against Warrington Rylands.

The former Black Cats youngster produced a lively and hardworking display against Rylands as goals from Sado Djalo and former Gateshead midfielder Phil Turnbull helped Dunston see off higher level opposition on home soil - and Gardiner’s new manager Jon McDonald believes the striker can see a long-term benefit from his move to the UTS Stadium.

He told The Echo: “I thought he was terrific today and his movement was very good. He’s been in training with us for two months and he’s been getting his fitness back because he had quite a bad back injury. When we knew he was ready, we wanted to bring him and we have eased him in. He’s a clever player, he brings people into the game well and his back-to-goal stuff was excellent today. It will do him the world of good to get back on to the pitch today and I am sure he can build on this now.

“He’s definitely got something. His movement and work-rate is there, he is calm and composed in front of goal and I just think for young players there is a need to come and play 40 or 50 games at a good level in non-league football to bring themselves on. We saw that with the likes of Josh Donaldson and I put Harry in that same category. If he can come on and play 35 games or so for us it will do him the world of good moving forwards.”

Competition

Gardiner and his Dunston team-mates will have one eye on Monday’s FA Trophy first round draw after Saturday’s win against Rylands ensured the UTS Stadium club have reached that stage of the competition for only the second time in their history.

For McDonald, there is only one wish when his side’s name comes out of the velvet bag early on Monday afternoon.

“I just want a home draw, honestly, just a home draw,” he explained. “We’ve been to Witton Albion in the competition two weeks ago and that was a tough one for us and it was a long way. So we just want a home draw, no matter who it is against.”

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