Wrexham said goodbye to Paul Mullin on Monday, just a week after snapping up a new striker in Ryan Hardie.
Wrexham landed two new strikers in January as Sam Smith and Jay Rodriguez arrived at the STōK Cae Ras.
Smith dazzled Ryan Reynolds as he fired Wrexham to promotion, though the jury is still out on Rodriguez.
Phil Parkinson has still targeted further attacking additions as Wrexham snapped up Ryan Hardie from Plymouth Argyle last week.
Just a week after Hardie signed on the dotted line, Wrexham allowed Paul Mullin to sign for Wigan Athletic.
Mullin’s departure has brought emotional reactions from everybody attached to Wrexham, with the striker playing an enormous role in the club’s rise over the last four years.
- READ MORE: Ryan Hardie shares ‘hefty fine’ he could pay in Wrexham dressing room after completing move
Don Goodman on Ryan Hardie
Mullin is not the first Wrexham goalscoring hero, and he won’t be the last, despite his deserved legendary status at the STōK Cae Ras.
January signing Smith has staked a claim to be the next Wrexham fan favourite in attack, but new signing Hardie has real quality.
The Scot has bagged 22 Championship goals over the last two seasons, catching the eye in a struggling Argyle side.
Hardie should play a huge role for Wrexham after completing his move, and the deal has been praised by EFL pundit Don Goodman.
Speaking to Football League World, Goodman admitted that he thinks Wrexham have made an ‘excellent signing’ in Hardie.
Goodman noted that Hardie has managed to hit double figures in two Championship seasons and can do it again if Wrexham play to his strengths.
Goodman is backing Wrexham to be stronger than Argyle in the Championship, which may lead to better service for Hardie in the final third.
“I think Ryan Hardie is an excellent signing for Wrexham at Championship level,” said Goodman. “Obviously [in] the last couple of seasons, he’s been in a really struggling Plymouth Argyle team in the Championship, yet he’s still managed 12 goals [in] the season before last, and 10 goals last season.
“I do think that Wrexham will come up stronger than Plymouth, and so you’d hope that he’d get better service, and that Wrexham will play to his strengths. If he gets better service, you’d almost expect that he’ll at least get into double figures again for Wrexham.
”All-in-all, I think a really really good signing for them,” he added.
Ryan Hardie record in the Championship will be key
Hardie may not set pulses racing, especially after the fanciful links to Jamie Vardy earlier in the summer.
The 28-year-old is a solid addition, though, and brings recent success in the Championship.
Sam Smith was barely given a chance at Championship level earlier in his career at Reading, while Jay Rodriguez was in and out of the Burnley side at this level last season.
Jack Marriott has scored goals in the Championship before, but hasn’t played at this level for three years now.
Wrexham needed somebody who has been scoring goals in the Championship of late, and Hardie fits the bill.
Add in the bargain £700,000 fee Wrexham paid for Hardie, and we have to agree with Goodman that Parkinson has pulled off a smart move.