Ryan's Return (Hardie signs on season long loan)

Great signing, glad we could get him back. His missus is pregnant, which obviously wasn't too much of an issue for him.


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Scottish striker Ryan Hardie has returned to Home Park on a season-long loan.

The 23-year-old former Rangers striker joins from fellow Sky Bet League One side Blackpool.

Stranraer-born Hardie joined Ryan Lowe’s Pilgrims on-loan from the Seasiders in the January transfer window, making an instant impact in his first game – scoring within five minutes of his debut off the bench in the 3-0 victory at Carlisle United.



Despite having only joined the Greens midway through the 19/20 Sky Bet League Two season, Hardie made a crucial contribution to the Pilgrims’ campaign, bagging seven goals in just 13 appearances, of which only five were starts – averaging a goal every 81 minutes of game time.

The pacey striker’s goals, including the last-minute winner in the 3-2 victory away at Salford City in February, helped fire Argyle into the promotion places before the season was suspended, and subsequently ended, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A Scotland youth international at every level between under-16 and under-21, Hardie began his youth career playing for Rangers, the team he supported growing up. A self-proclaimed finisher, Ryan turned pro in 2014, and his five-year senior stay at Ibrox was punctuated with loan spells at Raith Rovers and St Mirren, before heading to the Almondvale Stadium for two loan spells with Livingston.

Hardie finished both loan seasons with Livi as the team’s top goalscorer – first as they won promotion from the Scottish Championship, and again in Scotland’s top tier a year later. Ryan will wear the no.9 shirt at Home Park for the upcoming season.

Welcome back, Ryan.

The deal is subject to EFL approval.

Ryan’s 20/21 season home and away shirts are sponsored by Zoom Associates.

Dave Jones, director of Zoom Associates, said: “It’s great to see Ryan back again and Zoom is delighted to sponsor him for the coming season to carry on where he left off.”

Nice !!

There was talk of £200k fee but surely loan is beneficial.

Bandwagon wrote:

There was talk of £200k fee but surely loan is beneficial.

Probably about right. I think they paid 250k for him so would have been looking to recoup a fair chunk of that. If we get another good season out of him for zero fee, that’s good business.

Czarcasm wrote:

Bandwagon wrote:

There was talk of £200k fee but surely loan is beneficial.

Probably about right. I think they paid 250k for him so would have been looking to recoup a fair chunk of that. If we get another good season out of him for zero fee, that’s good business.

and hes out of contract at the end of that loan so we saved ourselves potentially £250k if it all goes well.

Two excellent signings Ryan Lowe....top work

Good news. Glad to see him back but odd Blackpool are happy loan him to another League One side.

Wonder if they have a recall clause?

Wierd how some players just seem to ‘fit’ at a club. Hardie certainly falls into that category. I don’t think he scored at all for Blackpool, yet he’s been a revelation for us. That goal at Salford will live long in the memory.

Earwegoagain wrote:

Wonder if they have a recall clause?

not for a season long deal its very rare to have that put in when we pretty much taken over his contract for his last year of his blackpool deal.

Bandwagon wrote:

There was talk of £200k fee but surely loan is beneficial.

The new reality is that Clubs have to take whatever they can get. Perhaps in this case, they're just happy to get him off their payroll

Excellent