Ryan Hardie: Scotland call-up close for Plymouth Argyle striker, says Pilgrims boss

Ryan Hardie has impressed after making the step up to the Championship this season

Plymouth Argyle striker Ryan Hardie is close to getting his first call-up for the Scotland squad, according to Pilgrims manager Ian Foster.

Hardie, 26, has scored 12 goals in the Championship this season, making him the highest-scoring Scot in the top two tiers of English football.

QPR's Lyndon Dykes and Southampton's Che Adams have been called up from the English second tier.

"He's put himself in a position where he's been considered," Foster said.

Hearts' Lawrence Shankland is the only other striker in Steve Clarke's squad for friendlies against Northern Ireland and the Netherlands later this month.

"I think this is the first time he's come under that real consideration," added Foster to BBC Radio Devon, who says the Scottish FA has taken a close look at Hardie's performance data from this season.

"I've said to him the weekend's not over, strange things can happen in football, and if he can perform well at the weekend and perhaps something happens to one or two of the players in the group, he could be the next one in.

"That's how he's got to look at it, he's got to remain positive."

Hardie has become a fan's favourite at Plymouth Argyle

Hardie is set to make his 200th appearance for Argyle against Preston this weekend.

The former Scotland Under-21 player has thrived at the Football League club furthest from his homeland, since he initially joined on loan from Blackpool in January 2020.

A former youth player at Rangers, Hardie played seven games in the Scottish Premiership in 2017 - after playing five times in the Scottish second tier two years earlier for the Glasgow giants.

He had loan spells at Raith Rovers, St Mirren and most productively at Livingston, where his 15 goals earned him a move to Blackpool in the summer of 2019.

But his time at Bloomfield Road was a tough one - his only goal came in the EFL Trophy, as seven League One appearances ended without a goal.

However Hardie has thrived at Home Park, scoring 62 goals, having joined the Pilgrims permanently in early 2021 after two loans.

"He's a proud Scotsman and it would mean the world to him to represent his country, and we hope he does get the opportunity as an Argyle player to do that," added Foster of a striker who fired 17 goals last season to help Argyle win the League One title.

"It'd be great for him, it'd be great for us, it'd be great for his family.

"It's going to be a proud moment for him anyway this weekend, coming up to his 200th appearance for the football club, so maybe he'll get that call-up over the weekend.

"There's been contact between the SFA and ourselves around all the normal stuff that the FA tends to ask for - in terms of his physical numbers, some of his data and then some of the more personal stuff, making sure that he's got everything he needs if he was going to a tournament in the summer.

"He's in the mix, which is great, and that's due to him and his hard work, he's just got to continue that hard work and hopefully he gets an opportunity."