Lincoln City have signed centre-back Josh Gowling on loan for a month from League Two rivals Gillingham.
The 26-year-old becomes manager Steve Tilson’s second loan signing of the day, after MK Dons midfielder Luke Howell joined the club this morning.
Tilson had expressed his desire to bring in a central defender to add cover and provide competition for Adam Watts and Moses Swaibu – the only two fit senior players in that position.
Swaibu finds himself just one booking away from a suspension, so Gowling’s arrival at Sincil Bank will relieve Tilson and his staff.
However, last season whilst playing for Gillingham, Gowling managed to notch up eleven yellow cards himself, as well as two red ones, so Tilson will be hoping that the defender leaves this kind of disciplinary record firmly down south.
After being released from his first club West Bromwich Albion in 2003, Gowling signed for Danish Premier Division club Herfølge Boldklub, where he made 30 appearances, before coming back to England to sign for AFC Bournemouth.
After an injury-plagued start to his career in Dorset, Gowling went on to make 83 appearances for the Cherries, scoring once, and in 2009, signed for Gillingham, via spells with Carlisle and Hereford.
He became an integral part of the Gillingham defence last year, and was allowed to join Lincoln on loan, despite starting over half of their League Two fixtures this season.
Should Gowling’s paperwork be approved in time, he could go straight into the squad for Saturday’s game at Wycombe.