RYAN HARDIE

Born: 17 March 1997

1. Came from: Blackpool   Went to: Blackpool

1. First game: 11 January 2020   Last game: 07 March 2020

2. Came from: Blackpool   Went to:

2. First game: 05 September 2020   Last game: 09 November 2024

Appearances: 224 (153/71)   Goals: 64

Born in Stranraer in southwest Scotland, Hardie joined Rangers as a schoolboy and progressed through the Glasgow club's ranks to earn honours for Scotland from under-16 to under-21 levels. In February 2016 he went on loan to Raith Rovers, the first of five loan spells over the following three years (Raith, St Mirren, Raith again and Livingstone twice).

Now 22 and yearning for regular first team football, the striker made the decision in the summer of 2019 to leave his boyhood club and head south to take up an offer from Blackpool. In the following January transfer window, after just one goal in seven starts and five substitute appearances for the Seasiders, he headed further south to Home Park on a loan for the rest of the season, which turned out to be much shorter than expected because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the last game of the season was only two months after his arrival, he nevertheless chalked up seven goals in five starts and eight substitute appearances, including a goal four minutes into his debut.

As well as playing an important role in Ryan Lowe's promotion winning campaign, Hardie had made a big impression with the fans, so in July 2020 the news of another loan spell, this time for the full 2020-21 season, was widely welcomed. Six months later, his season-long loan was cut short when his move to Home Park was converted to a permanent deal.

Following close on the coattails of promotion under Lowe, more was to come after Lowe's departure to Preston North End. The 2021-22 season, which started under Lowe and ended under Steven Schumacher, ended with the Pilgrims just missing out on the play-offs on the last day, following a 5-0 drubbing by MK Dons at Home Park. Hardie finished as the club's leading scorer with an impressive 19 goals, and the campaign also provided a wonderful illustration of the highs and lows of being a footballer. In the FA Cup 4th round tie against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in February 2022, Argyle ran the reigning European Champions so very, very close, losing 2-1 after extra-time. Few will forget the chance that was missed, a 120th minute penalty award to Argyle with the chance to take the game to the lottery of a penalty shoot-out. Up stepped Hardie with the opportunity to make it 2-2, only to see his spot-kick saved by Chelsea 'keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga. In mitigation, Hardie faced the world's most expensive 'keeper; Chelsea had paid £71.6 million for him in 2018.

Few will forget Hardie's apologetic gesture to the gathered Green Army at Stamford Bridge, nor how crest-fallen he looked when the whistle went seconds later. With many no doubt wondering whether it would affect his confidence, the answer came three days later. In a return to the mundanity of League One, he struck a hat-trick in a 4-1 win at Crewe Alexandra on a Tuesday night in Cheshire. It was his first hat-trick for the club and the first by anyone for Argyle since Reuben Reid, seven years before.

With Schumacher fully at the helm the following season, Hardie ended the 2022-23 campaign with a Football League Trophy runners-up medal and a League One winners medal as Argyle charged to the title and a return to the Championship after 13 years. For the second season running, he ended as the club's leading scorer, this time with 17 goals.

In May 2023 Hardie signed a new three-year contract, and that August, in the Championship opening day 3-1 win against Neil Warnock's Huddersfield at Home Park, he scored his 50th goal for the club in his 164th appearance. This meant that Hardie joined a select band of players to have scored 50 or more goals for Argyle and, as of early into the 2024-25 season, had scored 64 goals for the club to rank 15th on the Pilgrim's all-time goalscorer list.