Gardner happy to play the wide boy

9:40am Friday 29th August 2008

RICARDO Gardner is happy to wing it if Wanderers are to back up their win against Stoke with another Reebok victory tomorrow.

The Jamaican star has found himself back in his old role on the wing since Matt Taylor was ruled out with a broken toe.

And after last season’s injury problems, the 29-year-old is happy just to see first team action following such a frustrating time on the sidelines. “I’ll play wherever the manager needs me to play, but it does feel good to play up front again,” he admitted. “I don’t really have a favourite position but I like to get forward.”

Gardner is also keen to make up for a disappointing display in the Carling Cup, where Wanderers crashed out of the competition to Northampton in midweek.

“We need to show what we can do after Tuesday. That was a poor performance and we know we can do better than that.

“It is an important game for the manager and an important game for us. We want to keep our home form going in the league after playing well against Stoke.”

Speaking at a football competition organised jointly between the club and the council to promote inclusion within the town, Gardner said he wanted a return to the ‘Fortress Reebok’ after such an impressive start to the season.

“It’s like getting back to how it used to be when people were fearing coming to the Reebok,” he said. “It is massive for us. We have to be stronger at home because last season we let that go.”