Wrexham sign forward Ryan Hardie from Plymouth on three-year deal

New York Times

6 hours ago

Wrexham have signed forward Ryan Hardie from Plymouth Argyle.
Phil Parkinson's side are preparing for their first season in the Championship for 43 years with Hardie the first arrival of the window.
The 28-year-old has signed a three-year deal after an undisclosed fee was agreed between the clubs.
Hardie leaves Plymouth after five years, during which the former Scotland youth international scored 74 goals in 248 games.
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He joins a long list of senior strikers at the SToK Cae Ras as Wrexham prepare to kick-off life in the second tier following three consecutive promotions.
'To get a full pre-season will be a massive benefit,' says Hardie. 'To get integrated into the squad and learn the way the manager plays and get to know everyone will be important.
'The last couple of seasons, it's been a good experience in the Championship and it's experience I can lean on now. I've enjoyed playing there and I've managed to score a few goals so, hopefully, that can continue.'
Hardie's two years in the Championship before Plymouth were relegated in May yielded 22 goals in 61 starts, plus another 16 appearances from the bench.
With Sam Smith and Jay Rodriguez finishing last season as the first choice partnership in a 3-5-1-1 formation, a number of Wrexham exits seem inevitable in the coming weeks.
Even following the departure of Steven Fletcher and Sam Dalby this summer, Phil Parkinson still has seven strikers at his disposal as Hardie joins Paul Mullin, Ollie Palmer, Jack Marriott, Mo Faal in the squad, alongside Smith and Rodriguez.
Hardie, who joined Plymouth permanently in January 2021 after a couple of loan spells at Home Park, scored the penalty that last season knocked Liverpool out of the FA Cup at the fourth-round stage.
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