Sunderland’s Mandron Secured

Despite the praise given to the Fleetwood strikers, who got back into form as did the Cod Army in our last game, rumours of interest in bolstering this strikeforce had surfaced.

On Monday morning a Brentford striker was being linked with a loan move to Highbury, but by the time this day ended it was a lad from Sunderland that was in fact secured as Graham Alexander brought in Mikael Mandron for the rest of the season.

He’s only 19-years-old but sounds like he’s got a wise head on those shoulders and knows what the benefits of a short spell with us will bring, and he’s looking forward to it.

Mandron told the official website: ‘I’m very excited to be here and I’m looking forward to the rest of the season.

‘I’m also really excited to discover football in the Football League and hopefully to be able to play first-team football.’

Mandron already has Premier League experience under his belt having played twice for Sunderland, both of these appearances came last season though with the final being the last game of that season when he came off the bench against Tottenham.

Scoring goals is what he’s been brought in to do and scoring goals is what he aims to do for the Cod Army, but he was quick to point out that his height can make him a targetman that is willing and able to bring others into play.

With Jamille Matt still injured and others, before the last game, struggling to find the net Alexander felt that it was time to bring in another player and having watched him for a while in their U21 side he’s decided it was time to strike before someone else did, and others were circling I know that.

Alexander added: ‘We’ve worked to bring Mikael in from Sunderland. He’s a lad we’ve watched on numerous occasions all season.

‘Jama remains injured and I felt it was right to further strengthen the squad. Mikael is a very good young player who has been around the first-team squad and carried on his goal scoring for the Under-21s this season. He’s a very good addition to the squad.’

It should be an ideal situation for us as Mandron will be eager to play, and impress, as he’ll know if he does he’s got a better chance of involvement next season with Sunderland and can also press forward his international claims with Scotland, with him already called up at U20 level.