Ben Waine was loaned to Mansfield Town in the summer, with the expectation that the New Zealand international will thrive after returning to the third division.
The Kiwi struggled for playing time with the Pilgrims last season, starting only nine of his 32 league appearances in 23/24, with Ryan Hardie generally the preferred choice up front.
Despite his hard work, effort, and good-natured approach to his job, Waine has failed to make the impact many predicted when he moved to English football in January 2023, with the Stags struggling to get much out of the forward this season.
With a contract that expires this summer, the Greens have the option to extend the 23-year-old’s contract for another 12 months if they so desire, but after yet another barren run in front of goal, the Home Park side are definitely better off avoiding such action.
Ben Waine confronts a familiar Plymouth Argyle challenge at Mansfield Town.
Despite going down a level in the summer, Waine has once again struggled to establish himself as a regular first-team starter at Field Mill, with Nigel Clough relying on others this season.
Summer signings Will Evans and Lee Gregory have been trusted to lead the line more often than not, with the Argyle loanee only making two starts this season, the last coming in a 2-1 win against Wigan Athletic in October.
With just 300 minutes of league action to his name, Waine is experiencing a similar situation as to the one he has during his time at Home Park, where he rarely gets a chance to put a run of games together, leaving his potency in front of goal to suffer as a result.
A late goal to settle matters against Crawley Town is all he has to show for his efforts in League One this season, as well as getting his name on the scoresheet in a 4-0 success over Curzon Ashton in the FA Cup.
If nothing changes, Argyle must explore another destination for Waine in the second part of the season, with a club in the third tier or even League Two interested in taking a chance on his goalscoring ability.
Ben Waine’s Plymouth Argyle career appears dead in the water.
Whatever Argyle decides to do with Waine this season, there is minimal chance they will consider extending the striker’s contract this summer, even if his present contract includes an option for an additional year.Despite the Greens’ continued problems in front of goal, the Kiwi hasn’t demonstrated many of the qualities required to make a difference in the final third, with his efforts frequently failing to yield anything substantial.
With only a few months left on his present contract, Waine will most likely be searching for a new contract as we approach 2025, and he will do everything he can to make an impact during whatever minutes he is given while with Mansfield.
Have we seen the last of him wearing a green shirt? Quite perhaps, and despite the fanfare surrounding his departure from the Southern Hemisphere, he has ultimately failed to produce throughout his tenure as a Pilgrim.
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