Credit - WrexhamAFC.co.uk
Ryan Hardie became Wrexham’s first summer signing with a proven pedigree and four consecutive seasons of double-digit goals behind him. Just weeks later, Kieffer Moore arrived and rendered that £700,000 investment almost completely irrelevant.
The numbers tell a brutal story. Hardie has managed just 167 Championship minutes across five goalless appearances, hasn’t started a league match since early September, and is now weighing up a January exit according to FLW with multiple EFL clubs monitoring his situation. Moore’s nine goals in 17 games have made him undroppable, and Hardie has fallen to fourth choice behind Josh Windass and Sam Smith in Phil Parkinson’s pecking order.
Moore’s Impact Made Hardie Redundant Overnight
Kieffer Moore signed in late August after Hardie was already at the club. The Welsh striker’s immediate impact changed everything at the top of Parkinson’s formation.
His nine goals in 17 appearances, including a hat-trick against Coventry, made him the undisputed first choice. Hardie’s timeline collapsed in direct correlation with Moore’s rise.
The 28-year-old hasn’t started a Championship match since early September. His five-minute cameo against Ipswich on Saturday was his first appearance since September 13.
When Moore was unavailable for that same Ipswich fixture, Parkinson turned to Sam Smith instead. That decision confirmed what the numbers already showed: Hardie is now fourth choice in a pecking order he was supposed to lead.
Why January Makes Sense for Everyone
Hardie’s pedigree suggests he deserves better than this. He scored 10 goals in 37 League One games for relegated Plymouth last season, proving his ability to produce even in difficult circumstances.
Multiple EFL clubs are already tracking his situation. He could start for promotion-chasing League One sides or provide valuable depth for struggling Championship teams who need proven goalscorers.
His only goal so far came in the EFL Cup at Preston. That single moment of quality hasn’t been enough to shift Parkinson’s thinking or break Moore’s stranglehold on the starting position.
Wrexham need to clear space in a bloated squad after £33m summer spending brought 13 new players through the door. Financial constraints and squad size make departures inevitable, and Hardie represents a straightforward exit that benefits everyone involved.
Wrexham’s recruitment team signed a striker they didn’t need and then immediately replaced him. Hardie deserves credit for his professionalism, but sentiment won’t change the reality that Moore’s arrival ended his Wrexham career before it truly began. A January exit would be the sensible outcome for a transfer that never made tactical sense.
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If not for Kieffer Moore goals we would be definitely near the bottom of the table
Was never brought in as a main stay. Just like Billy waters and mo faal. Just need someone to step up if needed that had experience goalscoring in that league and when they got promoted the club raised the bar again