Ryan Hardie Signs New Contract

Argyle are delighted to announce that Ryan Hardie has signed a new contract to stay at Home Park.  

The 26-year-old forward has agreed a three-year deal to extend his Pilgrims stint into a fifth season, and beyond. 

With 17 goals, Hardie was Argyle’s leading goalscorer in 2022/23, as the Pilgrims were promoted as champions from Sky Bet League One. Now he is set for his first crack at the Championship. 

Hardie first joined Argyle in January 2020, coming in on loan from Blackpool. His stint saw him score seven goals in 13 games; eight of those games were as a substitute, and he scored his first five goals all from the bench. Hardie’s goals helped Argyle to third place by the time the season was curtailed because of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the Greens were later promoted on a points-per-game basis. 

For the following season, Ryan once again headed to Home Park on loan, and would later sign on a permanent basis in January. Goals were in shorter supply that season, with six, but Hardie came roaring back with a return of 19 in 2021/22, as Argyle narrowly missed out on the League One play-offs. 

In all, Hardie has played 163 times for Argyle, 108 of them starts, and has scored 49 times. This puts him in level 24th in the all-time Argyle goalscoring charts, joint with Graham Carey and John Sims. 

Hardie began his career with his boyhood love, Rangers, and played a handful of games for the Scottish giants, also heading out on loan spells with Raith Rovers, St Mirren and Livingston. He joined Blackpool in the summer of 2019, but it was with Argyle, later that season, when his move south of the border truly took off. 

Manager Steven Schumacher is delighted to see the forward commit his future to Argyle and commented: “It is great news that Ryan has committed his long-term future to the club. He was an integral part of our success last season and will be a big part of what we are aiming to achieve moving forward.

“At just 26 years of age he still as lots of room for growth and development and is exactly the sort of player we want as part of the squad as we head into the Championship next season. Ryan believes in what we are trying to achieve here, and I am so excited he will be a part of the next step on our journey.” 

Director of Football Neil Dewsnip added: “Ryan fits the exact profile of the type of player we want as part of the squad moving forward. We have a young, talented and ambitious squad who will be taking on the Championship next season.

“He is quick, athletic and has excellent movement and we are confident he will hit the ground running against Championship defences. This is an exciting summer for the club, and I am delighted we have managed to get Ryan’s services sorted so quickly.”

Ryan’s 23/24 season home and away shirts are sponsored by Zoom Associates.