Jayden Mitchell-Lawson has returned to League One club Bristol Rovers on loan. He makes the move from Championship outfit Derby County and will stay at Rovers until the end of the 2020/21 season.
Jayden Mitchell-Lawson Back in Bristol
Highly-Rated Forward Spent Time on Loan With Rovers Last Season
Derby rate Mitchell-Lawson very highly. The 20-year-old attacking-winger has worked his way through Derby’s academy, having joined The Rams as a 16-year-old from Swindon Town. Following impressive performances with the Derby County Under-18’s, he progressed to their Under-23 squad.
At the start of last season, he scored twice and contributed five assists in 17 appearances for the Under-23’s. This led to Derby sending him on loan to Bristol Rovers in January 2020, in order to gain regular first-team experience.
Mitchell-Lawson had already made his Derby County debut. This came in March 2019, when he replaced Tom Lawrence in Derby’s 0-0 home draw with Stoke City. Last season, he made a second first-team appearance for Derby, when he played in their Carabao Cup second round tie at rivals, Nottingham Forest.
Mixed Fortunes at Bristol Rovers
Within days of signing for Rovers, Mitchell-Lawson made his full league debut. This was in the Rovers’ Football League Trophy defeat to Stevenage. Sadly for Mitchell-Lawson, his initial time at Rovers coincided with the team’s poor run of form. He was seven games into his loan spell before he could celebrate being on the winning side.
However, he did score a goal during Rovers’ 3-1 loss at Wycombe Wanderers. Mitchell-Lawson would score a second time for Bristol Rovers, during a later match against Southend United. Despite the goal, Rovers lost 3-1.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused the premature ending of the 2019/20 season. Bristol Rovers’ last match of the season saw them defeat Sunderland by a 2-0 scoreline. This also marked the end of Mitchell-Lawson’s loan at the Memorial Stadium. So, after 12 appearances and two goals, he returned to his parent club.
Bristol Rovers Impressed
During those 12 appearances, he made a positive impact. So sufficient, that Rovers have decided to bring him back to the club for the entire 2020/21 season.
Speaking to his club’s Official website, Bristol Rovers’ manager Ben Garner enthused over Mitchell-Lawson’s return.
“Jayden showed his incredible potential last season where he improved significantly in a short space of time,” said Garner.
“I fully expect him to go from strength to strength this season and to be a real asset for us. He has a great attitude and is another player joining us with the right hunger and ambition.”
Rovers’ fans will also be delighted to hear that Mitchell-Lawson is pleased to have returned.
“I’m here to do what I did last season but 10 times better – the season just needs to hurry up and start!” added Mitchell-Lawson.
The 2020/21 League 1 season is due to start on the weekend of 12th September.
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