"He needs games, he needs development and needs to play men's football," said Ardley.
"He's had bits and bobs here, but we felt with signing Alex Lacey, having Damian McCrory who can play centre-back and Zoumana (Bakayogo) at left-back, we felt a lot of things would have to happen for him to be starting.
"It was important he got game time. A good club came in for him but he actually got a whack in his nose on his debut after 30 minutes and had to come off.
"He's had a bash on his nose and that will stand him in good stead as a centre-half."