Plymouth boss on whether Blackpool have a recall clause in Ryan Hardie's season-long loan deal

Plymouth Argyle manager Ryan Lowe has revealed there is no recall clause in Ryan Hardie’s season-long loan deal.
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Blackpool striker Ryan Hardie outlines why he opted to make loan switch to Leagu...

The 23-year-old re-joined the Home Park outfit on Wednesday having enjoyed a prolific loan spell in Devon last season.

The former Rangers frontman scored seven times in five starts and eight substitute appearances to help Plymouth clinch automatic promotion from League Two.

Hardie will spend the season with PlymouthHardie will spend the season with Plymouth
Hardie will spend the season with Plymouth
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Having struggled for game time under Simon Grayson, Pool fans had hoped to see more of Hardie in a Blackpool shirt next season to see what he could do working under new boss Neil Critchley.

However, following the arrivals of a number of attacking players, Hardie has been moved on with game time not guaranteed on the Fylde coast.

Lowe told Plymouth Live: “We thank Ben Mansford, the Blackpool CEO, and Neil Critchley. Ryan has been in there and he has been firing and they liked him.

“He’s going to be one of our main signings and one of our main strikers, hence we wanted to bring him back.”

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Lowe also confirmed Argyle were initially hoping to bring Hardie back to Devon on a permanent deal, but were unable to meet Blackpool’s asking price.

“There is no money around. It’s tough,” Lowe said.

“Fair play to Blackpool, we have had to stump up a little bit more money because we couldn’t borrow one of their players and not do that.

“We had to make sure the deal was right for both parties and Blackpool were different class.

“I do have to mention my agent in that as well because he looks after Ryan and he wanted to bring him back here.

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“Ryan had plenty of other opportunities to go to other League One and League Two clubs, but he knows what we are doing and knows the style of play, so I’m really pleased to have him back.

“Yeah, we would love to be able to buy Ryan Hardie eventually but, in these circumstances, it’s quite tough.”

Lowe added: “His missus is ready to give birth so we have had to let Ryan let go back up to Blackpool.

“We have had to make sure we do it right for Ryan and his missus because it’s their first child.

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“When they come back down, we have got to make sure that we put them in a house and they are settled.

“There was some competition out there for him, but I think once he knew where he was at with us, and once I said he could have the number nine jersey, he was down in a flash.”

Lowe also confirmed Hardie will not be able to play for Plymouth when they take on Blackpool in League One next season.

“I asked them about that because I thought we might have got away with that, but Ben Mansford is a clever guy,” Lowe laughed.

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“Even if it wasn’t in the deal, from my point of view and my respect for Blackpool, I wouldn’t play him.

“I would have a handshake that I wouldn’t play him against Blackpool because it wouldn’t be fair.”

He added: “I spoke to Neil Critchley throughout the summer, and I spoke to Ben Mansford. The two of them are good guys.

“They wanted to make sure that it was the right deal for them and we respected that. Last year was different, Ryan dropped down a league to get back playing.

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“One thing I did say to Ben Mansford last season was ‘Look, I will coach him to be a better player and then you might be able to sell him and get your money back for him if he’s not wanted’.

“So I thought it was going to come back to burn me when I said to him that I wanted him back again, because we did make him a better player and he did score goals.

“Ryan came into a team that played football, and then when we asked for him back he (Mansford) said ‘Yeah, but it will cost you’ so we had to make sure we did the right thing with them.

“We had to pay for what we are getting, and we are getting a top goalscorer in Ryan Hardie.”