Jordan Lawrence-Gabriel

Nottingham Forest

Gabriel joined the Nottingham Forest academy from Southend United in February 2015. Southend received a 10% sell-on clause, which was later estimated at £70,000.^[4] He signed professional terms at the City Ground in January 2016.^[5] On 24 September 2019, Gabriel made his professional debut when he appeared as an 81st-minute substitute during a 5–0 loss to Arsenal in the EFL Cup.^[6] He featured in two further matches under manager Sabri Lamouchi.^[7] He trained with Port Vale in January 2020. However, manager John Askey opted not to take the youngster on loan.^[8] Gabriel was loaned to League Two club Scunthorpe United on 24 January 2020 on a deal until the end of the 2019–20 season.^[9] He signed a new contract with Forest the following month.^[10] He played nine games for Scunthorpe, with gametime at Glanford Park limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England.^[11][12]

On 12 September 2020, Gabriel made his Championship debut for Forest, playing the entirety of a 2–0 defeat against Queens Park Rangers.^[13] The following month he signed an extension to his contract to keep him at the club until 2024.^[14] He started matches at Forest under new manager Chris Hughton at the start of the 2021–22 campaign until Blackpool had a transfer bid of reportedly between £470,000 and £700,000 accepted by Forest.^[15][16] He was also reported to have been a transfer target for Sunderland.^[17]

Blackpool

On 1 October 2020, Gabriel joined League One side Blackpool on loan for the remainder of the 2020–21 season.^[14] He scored his first career goal on 28 November in a 4–0 win over Harrogate Town in the second round of the FA Cup.^[14] He finished the 2020–21 season with 35 appearances to his name, 17 of which were league starts, helping the club to qualify for the play-offs with a third-place finish.^[18][19][20] He was an unused substitute in the play-off final at Wembley Stadium as Blackpool secured promotion with victory over Lincoln City.^[21]

On 31 August 2021, Gabriel returned to Blackpool, joining on a permanent transfer for an undisclosed fee on a four-year deal.^[22] He said he was now at a place where he felt wanted.^[23] Burnley were reported to have made a £750,000 bid for the player in July 2022, though Blackpool manager Michael Appleton said he had not heard of any transfer news.^[24] In October, Gabriel suffered a torn meniscus after sitting with his legs wrapped around a stool.^[25] He played 21 games in the 2021–22 campaign,^[26] and was named as the club's PFA community champion due to his time spent away from Bloomfield Road helping good causes.^[27] He was sent off twice in the season, receiving particular criticism for his Boxing Day dismissal at Huddersfield Town.^[28]

In March 2023, Gabriel said that new manager Mick McCarthy had made a positive impact and said the team had to adapt to avoid relegation.^[29] However, he suffered a serious knee injury towards the end of the 2022–23 season and worked on his recovery alongside teammate Kyle Joseph.^[30] It took him six months to return to fitness.^[31] He was linked with moves to Lincoln City and Oxford United at the end of the 2023–24 season.^[32][33] Blackpool manager Neil Critchley spoke with Gabriel after he posted a message on social media that hinted of a move away from the club.^[34] Oxford United had two bids for the player rejected.^[35] He was subjected to racist abuse online by Blackpool supporters in December 2024.^[36] Manager Steve Bruce said that social media companies had to do more to protect players from abuse online.^[37] He was released at the end of the 2024–25 season after having made 37 appearances in all competitions, with Odeluga Offiah taking his first-team place after Gabriel came out of the team because his wife gave birth.^[38][39] His agent, Phil Sproson, stated that the decision for Lawrence-Gabriel to leave Blackpool was a mutual one as the player wished to move south to be closer to his family.^[40]

Port Vale

On 31 May 2025, Gabriel was announced to be joining newly-promoted League One club Port Vale on a two-year deal upon the expiry of his Blackpool contract.^[41] Manager Darren Moore confirmed that Gabriel would be out for "some substantial time" after he sustained an injury in a match against AFC Wimbledon in October.^[42] He returned to fitness in January for new manager Jon Brady's second game in charge.^[43] He showed his best form for the club in March.^[44] He was one of the club's strongest performers in the second half of the 2025–26 season, which culminated in relegation.^[45] He said the players knew that they had not been good enough and that he was looking to play as a high a level as possible.^[46]