Son of St Helens great links up with League 1 club as senior debut targeted

Ben Olawumi
Ade Gardner

Ade Gardner in action for St Helens in 2006

Zack Gardner, the son of St Helens great Ade, has linked up with League 1 outfit Keighley Cougars on dual-registration from Super League outfit Warrington Wolves.

Dad Ade, now 41, made over 350 career appearances – earning honours for England and Great Britain.

At club level, the winger donned a shirt for hometown club Barrow Raiders, Whitehaven and Hull KR as well as Saints – who he scored 173 tries in 286 appearances for.

Lifting the Challenge Cup four times, Gardner senior also won a Super League title and a World Club Challenge during his time donning the Red V, as well as being named in the 2008 Super League Dream Team.

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Son of St Helens great Ade Gardner links up with League 1 club as senior debut targeted

11 years on from his dad’s retirement, son Zack is now targeting a first-ever appearance at senior level.

With his dad now in position as a Strength & Conditioning coach at Warrington, the youngster has progressed through the Wolves’ youth setup, and has caught the eye at reserves level so far this term.

As part of the Wire’s dual-registration partnership with Keighley, he has spent time training with the Cougars this week in the build-up to their home game against Swinton Lions on Sunday.

An outside-back just like his dad, Zack is yet to be allocated a Cougars squad number, but has been named in Alan Kilshaw’s initial 21-man squad for that game against the Lions.

Sunday’s clash will bring Kilshaw’s first game in charge having been appointed earlier this week, with Keighley‘s only victory so far this season coming back in February against Midlands Hurricanes in the 1895 Cup.

After missing out on promotion via the play-offs last term, the West Yorkshire outfit have lost each of their four league games at the start of this campaign.

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League 1 Ade Gardner

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