 After a spell on loan to Chester City in March 1995, in which he played 3 league games, he left Crewe for a short spell in Norway with Fredrikstad F.K., returning to the UK to become a postman in Crewe.He joined Macclesfield Town in October 1995, where he continued to fit in his postal duties with full-time training.Gardiner was a member of the team that helped Macclesfield to promotion to the Football League, though he only made 7 league appearances, scoring twice, in that debut season.